For this weekend’s Le Mans 24 Hours, Kevin Estre in the No. 6 Porsche will start from the pole position. This is the entire grid that will be in line behind him, including with the LMP2 and LMGT3 category results.
The 2024 Le Mans 24 Hours is set to be an unforgettable showdown, with Porsche claiming pole position in a dramatic hyperpole session on Thursday. Kevin Estre’s electrifying final lap in the No. 6 Porsche snatched the top spot from Cadillac in the dying moments, setting the stage for a fierce competition.
The hyperpole shootout was a spectacle of speed and skill. Wednesday’s initial qualifying saw BMW at the forefront, but their fortunes took a sharp turn when Dries Vanthoor’s No. 15 BMW crashed at Indianapolis, halting the session and erasing their chances for pole. Antonio Fuoco, too, was thwarted by the red flags just as he seemed poised to secure a leading time.
Cadillac’s Sébastien Bourdais briefly held the fastest lap with an empty tank, his No. 3 car celebrated by the team. However, with over seven minutes remaining, the pressure was on as contenders lined up in the pitlane. Alex Lynn, driving the No. 2 sister Cadillac, managed to edge out Bourdais by a narrow four-hundredths of a second. Yet, the climax came when Kevin Estre pushed the No. 6 Porsche to a stunning 0.148-second advantage, securing pole with a spectacular, wheel-sliding effort. This triumph was particularly sweet for Porsche, following a disappointing performance with the 963 runners in 2023.
Estre expressed his exhilaration, saying, “An amazing feeling to stand on pole in Le Mans. The team gave me a mega car. It was very stressful; we didn’t have much fuel to do many laps. I’m really proud of what we’ve achieved and how we’ve improved compared to last year. But that’s just the beginning. There is one big day on Saturday and Sunday.”
Despite the setback, Bourdais remained optimistic, with the No. 3 Cadillac set to start alongside the pole-winning Porsche on Saturday, following a grid penalty for the No. 2 Cadillac due to a crash at the Spa round of the World Endurance Championship.
Ferrari showed formidable pace, with both cars clocking times within a second of Estre, earning them second-row starts. The No. 35 Alpine will line up next, followed by the demoted Cadillac. Toyota’s Kamui Kobayashi experienced a penalty setback during Wednesday’s session, resulting in the No. 15 BMW starting from sixth, just ahead of the penalized Cadillac and the No. 12 Porsche, which underwent a frantic rebuild after Callum Ilott’s crash in practice.
In the LMP2 class, Louis Delétraz clinched the class pole for the No. 14 AP by TF car, narrowly defeating Job Van Uitert’s No. 28 IDEC Sport car by 0.6 seconds. The LMGT3 grid promises intense competition, with five different manufacturers occupying the top five spots. Brendan Iribe’s No. 70 McLaren, operated by Inception Racing, leads the pack, followed by the No. 92 Porsche 911 of Manthey Racing, a Ferrari 296, a Ford Mustang, and an Aston Martin Vantage.
As engines roar to life and the anticipation builds, the 2024 Le Mans 24 Hours promises a weekend of high-speed drama, strategic maneuvers, and relentless endurance. Fans and teams alike are ready for what could be one of the most memorable races in Le Mans history.
