Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palau was leading the race at the 92nd edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans after 20 hours of intense competition.
In the 18th hour, Hiroshi Hamaguchi in the #95 United Autosports McLaren 720S LMGT3 executed an exciting overtaking maneuver on Michelle Gatting’s #85 Lamborghini Huracan at the Mulsanne corner, securing second place in the category.
A significant turning point occurred when a third safety car (SC) period was triggered after Daniel Mancinelli’s #27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage flipped over, forcing him out of the race.
A replay showed the cautious approach of car #27 towards the Hypercar traffic at the Indianapolis corner. However, due to the wet track conditions from the previous night’s heavy rain, the Aston Martin lost control, crashing into the tire barrier and flipping over. Fortunately, Mancinelli emerged unharmed, and an Aston Martin spokesperson confirmed his release from the medical center.
Following nearly an hour under the safety car, the race resumed with a thrilling battle among the top eight Hypercars. Robert Schwartzman in the #83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P defended his position against Antonio Fuoco in the #50 Ferrari, while Kamui Kobayashi in the #7 Toyota GR10 Hybrid challenged both drivers.
The intense side-by-side action between the three cars created an exhilarating spectacle. However, Kobayashi encountered a brief turbo issue, losing power and allowing Kevin Estre in the #6 Porsche Penske and his teammate Sebastien Buemi in the #8 Toyota to overtake him. Buemi then made a successful move on Estre.
The group was reduced to seven cars after Pipo Derani’s #311 Cadillac V-Series.R made contact with the barrier, causing severe bodywork and suspension damage. Although Derani managed to return to the pits, he was no longer able to compete at the top level with less than six hours remaining.
A slow zone was implemented to clear the debris from car #311, momentarily pausing the intense battle among the leaders. Frederic Makowiecki took advantage of this situation and pulled ahead of Fuoco and Schwartzman.
Shortly after, Fuoco executed a remarkable late and daring move on Schwartzman at the Indianapolis corner, securing third place. Schwartzman was instructed to continue using his soft tires for three consecutive stints, which proved to be unfortunate for him.
Makowiecki, despite his strong performance, received a drive-through penalty for slow zone procedures, causing him to lose some ground.
As a result, pole-sitter Estre regained the lead, with Earl Bamber taking over the #2 Cadillac in the pits. Kobayashi continued to put immense pressure on Estre, but the Porsche Penske driver managed to stay ahead, fending off the persistent Toyota.
However, Kobayashi suffered a subtle front-left tire puncture when his car rode over a kerb. Fortunately, he was in the final sector and quickly pitted to address the issue.
In the LMP2 category, Malthe Jakobsen maintained a consistent and strong pace in the #37 Cool Racing car, securing a prominent position in the class. Meanwhile, Clement Novolak drove for the #34 Inter Europol Competition Oreca, a team that achieved their first WEC and Le Mans victory at last year’s Centenary event.
There was a tense moment when the #59 McLaren 720S LMGT3 EVO of Gregoire Saucy, which was in contention for a podium finish, experienced a brief stop on the track but managed to continue to the pit box from fifth place.
The #91 Porsche 911 from Manthey EMA held a narrow lead, with Morris Schuring behind the wheel. The sole-running BMW in the race, the #31 WRT BMW M4 LMGT3, put up a strong fight in second place, driven by Augusto Farfus.
The debut of the Lexus RC F LMGT3, piloted by Esteban Masson in the #87 car, showcased impressive performance. Rahel Frey kept the #85 Iron Dames Lamborghini Huracan LMGT3 EVO2 in fourth place, aiming for their second WEC win after last year’s Bahrain finale and their first Le Mans victory in the new LMGT3 class.
Fifth position was held by the highest-placed Ford Mustang LMGT3, with Dennis Olsen driving the #88 Proton machine.