After an intense qualifying session that saw Cadillac take their first ever one two with #12 JOTA entry, there’s just one more hour before Saturday for the teams and drivers to prepare for the 93rd running of this legendary race. Also, it’s the last chance for any night running before the race, so for the drivers its crucial they get up to speed and complete the required five laps of night running before the hour is up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First out for the Hypercars was the #7 Toyota that hasn’t had the best Le Mans week thus far – off the pace consistently, it’s starting in a lowly seventeenth for the race on Saturday, while the sister #8 car was kept in the pits for a couple of minutes. The Japanese brand has certainly not had it all their way this week, so it’ll be interesting to see how – or indeed if – they can come to the fore on Sunday afternoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Early pace setters included Peugeot, who were second fastest in the opening fifteen minutes with Toyota’s #8 also up in Hypercar. LMP2 was fought between the #24 Nielsen and #9 Iron Lynx-Proton to top the timing sheets as in LMGT3 it was Iron Dames’ #85 and Ziggo-Tempesta #193.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The opportunity to set good laps momentarily evaporated as another Mercedes found the barriers. It’s been a tough return to Le Mans for the 1952 winners with their three Iron Lynx run AMG GT3s, and now the #63 stopped on the Mulsanne with mechanical troubles. The car was stranded and would not complete any further laps in the session, and with the slow zone brought out to deal with the situation the chance to see competitive laps was delayed further. Alpine were also up there with the #35 car,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Peugeot meanwhile found both their cars running in the top ten for the first time all week. A surprise for sure, but one that is absolutely welcome. They of all the Hypercar manufacturers have often been the on the end of many jokes for their lack of competitiveness compared to the likes of Cadillac, Ferrari and Toyota but now Stoffel Vandoorne and Michael Jensen suddenly began posting some of Peugeot’s fastest times all week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Toyota also found more time, as both their cars that had been much afflicted throughout this week were running in the top five, with the IMSA Porsche #4 also running in the top three. This session seemed to be throwing a few curveballs, and I know you’re not supposed to look too much into these testing lap times but it’s still impossible not to be pleasantly surprised for the French manufacturer. All I want is every car to be in with a real shot of victory, and Peugeot seem to be clawing their way back. And they do know how to go quick round the Circuit De La Sarthe, having already led the race back in 2023 when they looked a real contender until the #93 car ended up in the barriers at the Mulsanne chicane.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With twenty minutes left in the race the #15 BMW was brought into the garage after losing power on the Mulsanne straight, signalling the end of its run for the night. The car is due to start 6th on the grid come Saturday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ferrari meanwhile were dominating in LMGT3, with four of their cars running in the top five places. The #54 and #57, of Vista AF Corse and Kessel Racing respectively were in the top two, with the other AF Corse #21 machine and Ziggo-Sport Tempesta’s #193 also running strongly. Lexus were also up there, as were Ford. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
LMP2 meanwhile saw Ollie Gray take the fastest time with fifteen minutes left for VDS Panis Racing’s #48, ahead of the #11 Proton of Giorgio Roda and Luca Ghiotto’s #34 Inter Europol LMP2. Meanwhile, the #23 United Autosports P2 found itself in strife towards the end on the run down to Mulsanne Corner. Suffering from a puncture, Dan Schneider elected to pull over at the side of the track, bringing out a late session FCY with ten minutes left. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that slow zone would see out the session, as everyone pitted and packed up from there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So that’s it! Practice and Qualifying is done, and as I write this all that’s left to do is find some way of killing Friday’s boredom and prepare for a twenty four hour blogging session. This le mans week has thrown up many surprises but now that all goes out the window. Who will win the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2025? Find out Saturday, where I’ll be there to take you through it all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n