The 93rd edition of the legendary 24-hour marathon at Circuit de la Sarthe kicked off with a twist: instead of the expected Cadillac dominance from pole, it was Porsche Penske’s #5 963 that stormed into the lead, delivering one of the most surprising opening stints in recent memory.
A Bold Leap by Porsche Penske
- Grid Surprise: Despite Cadillac claiming the front row in qualifying with their #12 and #38 teams—drivers Will Stevens and Earl Bamber, including ex-F1 champion Jenson Button—the #5 Porsche (#5) driven by Julien Andlauer, Michael Christensen, and Mathieu Jaminet started third motorsportweek.com+15the-race.com+15as.com+15as.com+5sportscar365.com+5racing.porsche.com+5.
- The Opening Charge: When the green flag waved at 4 PM on June 14, Andlauer seized the moment. In one breath-taking maneuver, he overtook both Cadillacs before the first chicane—first passing Bamber’s #38 at Dunlop Bridge, then ducking past Stevens’ pole-sitter into the Mulsanne chicane racer.com.
- Maintaining the Advantage: Andlauer’s #5 built a lead of roughly five seconds by the end of a flawless first stint, staying ahead even after the initial round of pit stops cycled through .
All Cars, All Still Running
Unlike many past editions plagued with early retirements, this year’s race saw every one of the 62 starters still in motion after the first lap. A brief yellow flag did little to dampen the action, with all Hypercars—including Peugeot despite a minor brush with a barrier—continuing the fight reuters.com+15racingnews365.com+15gptoday.com+15.
Cadillac Regains Momentum — But Porsche Stays Ahead
- Steady Pursuit: Cadillac’s #12 of Stevens and #38 of Bamber remained within striking distance. Post-pit cycles placed many contenders close in formation, but Andlauer held a buffer of around six seconds into the second hourteampenske.com+10crash.net+10sportscar365.com+10.
- Ferrari Joins the Fray: AF Corse’s dominant Ferraris surged later into the night, taking a top-three sweep by midnight—but Porsche’s #5 stayed firmly within reach as they remained in control of the early hours .
Champions at Play: Button, Schumacher, and Co.
- Cadillac #38: Featuring Earl Bamber alongside former F1 champion Jenson Button, this car kept focus during the opening laps reuters.com+15as.com+15the-race.com+15.
- Toyota #8 & Alpine #36: Sebastien Buemi’s Toyota claimed P11–12 in the early stage, while the Alpine with Mick Schumacher slipped in behind (Note: missing direct citation—checking context, but user article mentions positions).
- LMP2 & LMGT3 Classes: The #29 TDS Racing took early control of LMP2, while the #27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin led the LMGT3 pack—all churning smoothly through those opening stagesas.com+8racing.porsche.com+8as.com+8.
Andlauer Speaks: Calm Amid the Storm
Julien Andlauer described the getaway as “great, everything went according to plan. I took the lead on the first lap,” hinting that Porsche would now focus on a smooth middle stint to fend off Ferrari’s impressive barragenewsroom.porsche.com+11newsroom.porsche.com+11racer.com+11.
What to Watch as the Race Unfolds
- Ferrari’s Charge: As night deepens and fuel strategies collide, can the leading Ferraris sustain momentum, or will Porsche bounce back?
- Cadillac’s Strategy: With the pace to match — but dealing with Porsche’s straight‑line speed advantage — will they overcome the deficit (~5 kph on the straights)?
- Toyota & Alpine: Both seeking consistency; though not in the top 5 early on, could nighttime conditions shuffle the order?
- Class Battles: LMP2 and LMGT3 already show volatility—TDS and Heart of Racing look strong—but endurance races shift, pit stop by pit stop.
Conclusion
The unexpected early dominance of Porsche—particularly Andlauer’s sensational opening lap leap—has thrown a curveball into what was shaping up to be Cadillac vs Ferrari. With the first hour clean, and all cars intact, the race remains the same 24 hours—but for now, the script is flipped.
Stay tuned: this could become one of the most unpredictable Le Mans showdowns in recent history, with manufacturers like Porsche, Ferrari, Cadillac, and Toyota locked in a high-stakes chess match at 340 km/h.
