With 16 hours down and eight to go, racing has finally resumed at the 92nd 24 Hours of Le Mans after a four-hour rain-induced safety car period in Round 4 of the 2024 FIA WEC.
As the clock struck 03:45:37 in the morning, Safety Cars took control, leading the pack until 08:11:12, when the #8 Toyota Gazoo Racing emerged at the forefront with Ryo Hirakawa commanding the #8 Toyota GR010 Hybrid Hypercar.
When the track went green again, the top six contenders were all neck and neck on the same lap. With the race effectively paused for about eight hours, the 24-hour marathon evolved into a thrilling eight-hour sprint to the finish line at 16:00 (CET) local time.
Hirakawa took over from Hartley in the leading Toyota after the New Zealander battled leg cramps from the prolonged Safety Car period.
The extended Safety Car stint kicked off during the race’s 13th hour, triggered by #311 Whelen Cadillac Racing’s Jack Aitken spinning into the gravel amidst falling rain, a weather phenomenon that prolonged the Safety Car’s presence for several hours.
The downpour persisted relentlessly, resulting in a four-hour Safety Car period.
Amid relentless rainfall, four hours of Safety Car action stirred up the race. In the pursuit of Hypercar glory, the #6 Porsche Penske Motorsport’s Porsche 963, led by Laurens Vanthoor, held P2, closely trailed by Ferrari AF Corse in P3. The Prancing Horse swiftly made up lost ground due to earlier tire strategy setbacks.
Meanwhile, the #7 Toyota narrowly escaped penalty trouble after Nyck De Vries rejoined the wrong Safety Car train post-pit stop, maintaining P4. Robert Kubica, in the #83 Ferrari, slipped to P5 following a penalty for a collision with the #15 BMW M Hybrid, driven by Dries Vanthoor.
Jenson Button, at the helm of the #38 Hertz Team JOTA Porsche 963, held P6 at the restart, just ahead of Alex Lynn in the #3 Cadillac Racing V-Series.R. Rounding out the top ten were #51 Ferrari AF Corsa, #2 Cadillac Racing, and #5 Porsche Penske Motorsport, all vying for position in the intense battle on the track.
LMP2 & LMGT3: Tight Competition at its Finest.
LMGT3 witnessed a Porsche dominance with #92 Manthey PureRXcing leading the pack, followed closely by #91 Manthey EMA Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3. The #95 United Autosports McLaren secured third place, while its sister #59 car received a drive-through penalty for speeding under a Full Course Yellow, landing in ninth.
In fourth position was the Akkodis ASP Team with the Lexus RC F LMGT3, while Team WRT, with Sean Gelael at the helm of the BMW M4 LMGT3, rounded out the top five.
Switching gears to LMP2, the Pro-Am #183 AF Corse took the lead, with Francois Perrodo completing his stint during the extended safety car period. Ben Barnicoat is now poised to take over the wheel as the race prepares to resume post-safety car intervention. #22 United Autosports secured second place, with the early race leader, the #10 Vector Sport entry, rounding out the top three.
Porsche is in the lead as the race reaches its midpoint, facing challenging conditions.
The first half of the 92nd Le Mans 24 Hours has been a rollercoaster of weather woes and intense competition. As the race clock ticks with 12 hours left, Porsche Penske Motorsport’s Porsche 963 has surged into the Hypercar lead, setting the stage for a thrilling battle with Toyota Gazoo Racing and Ferrari AF Corse, all vying for the top spot with nine Hypercars racing neck and neck.
At 4:00 AM, Porsche Penske Motorsport held the lead, but Toyota Gazoo Racing remains relentless, drawing on their expertise to strategize and maneuver the challenging course. The #8 GR010 Hybrid, piloted by Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley, and Ryo Hirakawa, is hot on their heels, trailed by Cadillac Racing’s #3 Cadillac V-Series.R.
However, the race hasn’t been without its drama. AF Corse’s #83 Ferrari 499P faced a penalty, while BMW M Team WRT’s #15 BMW M Hybrid V8 retired after a collision. Earlier on, Team WRT’s #46 BMW M4 LMGT3 saw its race end abruptly, adding another twist to the unfolding story at Le Mans.
The race is brought to a standstill as heavy rain descends upon Le Mans.
As rain intensified, a second pause in the action occurred at 03:45, with Whelen Cadillac Racing’s #311 Cadillac V-Series.R spinning out at Tertre Rouge “S”. This shift prompted quick refueling and tire changes for the two Toyota contenders, catapulting the #6 Porsche 963 Hypercar into the lead.
Meanwhile, LMP2 enthusiasts were treated to an exhilarating showdown between Nielsen Racing’s #24 ORECA 07-Gibson and AF Corse’s #183. However, a collision between the #24, driven by David Heinemeier Hansson, and Proton Competition’s #77 Ford Mustang LMGT3 at Tertre Rouge “S” altered the dynamics, relinquishing the lead to the Italians.
The Duqueine Team’s #30 ORECA 07-Gibson, piloted by John Falb, James Allen, and Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer, faced engine troubles nearing the Daytona chicane, adding further intrigue to the race.
In the LMGT3 class, Team WRT’s #46 BMW M4 LMGT3 encountered a race-ending incident, with Ahmad Al Harty losing control between the Dunlop chicane and Tertre Rouge “S”, sidelining their chances. This setback intensified the Porsche versus McLaren battle for the top spot, with Manthey PureRxcing’s #92 Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3 leading the charge, closely pursued by #91 Porsche and United Autosports’ #59 McLaren 720S LMGT3 Evo. The competition remains fierce, with the top eight in the category all jostling on the same lap.
As night falls, the competition heats up between Ferrari, Porsche, and Toyota.
As night descended upon Le Mans, a thrilling showdown unfolded with the #83 Ferrari 499P, driven by Robert Kubica, Robert Shwartzman, and Yifei Ye, leading the charge. Porsche and Toyota relentlessly pursued, with two other Ferraris adding to the fierce competition.
Former F1 ace Kubica took the lead at one point during the initial stint, showcasing the underdog spirit of Ferrari’s three-car defense of their 2023 Le Mans title. The privateer’s third entry stole the spotlight, impressing spectators.
At the four-hour mark, with darkness enveloping the track, the top ten Hypercar contenders remained neck and neck on the same lap. A brief rain shower in the second hour caused a stir, prompting some teams to opt for wet-weather tires. However, those who stuck to slicks emerged victorious in this unpredictable battle.
In the second hour, teams strategically adjusted their tire choices, showcasing the importance of tire strategy in the race.
In a strategic move, the Porsche Penske team opted for soft tires during the #6 car’s second pit stop. However, as raindrops started at 17:37, followed by a deluge at the Porsche Curves a minute later, several cars rushed to switch to wet-weather tires. Some hesitated, assessing the circuit’s mixed conditions across its vast expanse.
A gripping duel unfolded between Robert Kubica in the #83 Ferrari 499P from AF Corse’s satellite team, leading on soft slicks, and the #50 factory counterpart on mediums. Kubica skillfully defended against Nicklas Nielsen’s relentless assaults, but the Dane ultimately overtook him just before 6 o’clock.
Despite the flurry of pit stops, the #83 AF Corse Ferrari, now piloted by Robert Shwartzman, maintained its lead ahead of the #5 Porsche and the #8 Toyota.
Meanwhile, Robin Frijns faced a daunting challenge, navigating a full lap on three wheels after crashing the #20 BMW M Hybrid V8 “art car” at the final chicane. Despite spending 22 minutes in the care of BMW M Team WRT mechanics, the car returned to action, demonstrating the resilience of the team.
Kubica briefly surged into the lead, navigating the tricky track conditions affected by rain in certain sections.
During this period, former Formula 1 sensation Robert Kubica of AF Corse Ferrari 499P catapulted from 12th on the grid to a leading position, commanding the race around the two-hour mark.
The Hypercar drama unfolded swiftly, starting with #15 BMW M Hybrid V8’s Marco Witmann losing control in the Forest Esses, resulting in a collision with the barrier. Although Witmann managed to resume, a pit stop for a nose change was inevitable.
In a brief stint, Vanthoor in the #6 Porsche reclaimed the lead upon exiting the pits, only for Nielsen to swiftly snatch it back. However, the #50 Ferrari faces a ten-second penalty on its second pit stop for an unsafe release.
Trouble brewed for the #99 Porsche 963 as it was pushed into the garage following reports of a potential door issue on Neel Jani’s car.
By the end of the second hour, Nielsen led in the factory Ferrari, closely trailed by Kubica in the yellow AF Corse variant of the same model, showcasing Ferrari’s determined pursuit of victory.
Rain makes an early appearance at Le Sarthe.
Around two hours into the race, sections of the track experienced rain, prompting varied opinions throughout the pit lane: should teams opt for wet or slick tires?
In LMP2, the COOL Racing #47 Oreca 07-Gibson encountered trouble early on, crawling into the pits due to a reported radiator leak. Following closely, the #33 DKR Engineering car suffered from a slow puncture. The United Autosports USA #23 Oreca, driven by veteran American Ben Keating, was the first to find itself in the gravel trap in this class.
In LMGT3, the Inception Racing #70 McLaren 720S LMGT3 Evo, piloted by Frederik Schandorff, set the pace throughout the initial hour of racing. Ben Barker in the Proton Competition #77 Ford Mustang LMGT3 and JMW’s Larry Ten Voorde in the #66 Ferrari 296 LMGT3 followed closely, making for an intense battle at the front of the pack.
