As preparations for the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans intensify, the majority of the 62 teams took advantage of an additional three hours of track time, honing their strategies on the legendary Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans. For rookies, this practice is invaluable, given the unique blend of permanent racetrack and public road sections. While some teams addressed issues from the previous day’s sessions, others focused on fine-tuning their cars for the Saturday start. Hyperpole candidates particularly aimed to enhance their single-lap pace, though grip issues proved challenging during the session.
A mild Thursday afternoon with light cloud cover and an air temperature of 20°C set the scene. However, the start was marred by penalties, with 23 competitors receiving a 5-minute stop-and-hold penalty for yellow flag infringements.
Early in the session, notable Hypercars such as the #7 Toyota GR010-Hybrid, the #51 Ferrari 499P driven by James Calado, and the #311 Cadillac V-Series.R quickly dipped below the 3:30 mark. They were soon joined by the #19 Lamborghini SC63, the #36 Alpine A424, the #4 works Porsche 963, and the #2 Cadillac. Within an hour, ten cars from six different manufacturers were within a second of the #2 Cadillac’s leading time, showcasing the intense competition.
Sébastien Buemi, in the #8 Toyota, faced some difficulties but managed to stay competitive. As the session progressed, Kévin Estre in the #6 Porsche and Kamui Kobayashi in the #7 Toyota both went under 3:28. In the final moments, a flurry of fast laps reshuffled the standings, with Antonio Fuoco in the #50 Ferrari 499P ultimately setting the fastest time.
In the LMP2 class, early leaders included Ben Barnicoat in the #183 AF Corse and Maceo Capietto in the #9 Proton Competition Oreca. Frederik Vesti later topped the timesheets in the #47 COOL Racing entry. However, a mishap by Matt Bell in the same car necessitated a slow zone while it was retrieved from the gravel. Mathias Beche in the #65 Panis Racing Oreca eventually claimed the fastest time in the class. Other LMP2 competitors, like Malthe Jakobsen and Louis Delétraz, struggled with grip issues throughout the session.
In LMGT3, Grégoire Saucy in the #59 McLaren set the early pace, closely followed by Claudio Schiavoni in the #60 Lamborghini. The #70 McLaren of Inception Racing faced mechanical issues, and a crash by James Cottingham in the #59 McLaren brought out a red flag, briefly halting the session.
Meanwhile, the #12 Porsche 963 of Hertz Team Jota is being rebuilt after a crash in night practice, aiming for a shakedown on Friday evening. The GR Racing team also worked tirelessly to get the #86 Ferrari 296 GT3 back on track, achieving the third-fastest LMGT3 time.
As the weekend approaches, all eyes are on the competitors as they prepare for the 92nd running of this iconic endurance race.
