With a record number of Hypercars (23), a hotly contested LMP2 category and the debut of LMGT3, all racing categories seem wide open. It was difficult to determine the hierarchy before the first practice sessions, but now, after four free practice sessions, qualifying and Hyperpole, do we have a better picture? Things are a little clearer, yes, so let’s look back at the performances since the start of the week.
Porsche, unexpected at Hyperpole?
If we start with the Hypercar, the upper class, none of the manufacturers really stand out from the others. The No. 6 Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 driven by Kévin Estre/André Lotterer/Laurens Vanthoor won the Hyperpole thanks to Estre’s performance, but the car did not top the timesheets in any of the others sessions of the week. However, he set the fastest time on Sunday’s Test Day.
This week, Toyota first took the lead with the #8 GR010 Hybrid (Sébastien Buemi/Brendon Hartley/Ryo Hirakawa) during the first two FP sessions. Then, the No. 15 BMW M Hybrid V8 (Dries Vanthoor/Raffaele Marciello/Marco Wittmann) won in qualifying. In FP3, the #50 Ferrari 499P (Antonio Fuoco/Miguel Molina/Nicklas Nielsen) was the fastest while the #8 Toyota GR010 Hybrid was the fastest in the field during the final, fresh practice session and rainy.
An interesting detail: Aside from the No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R, the No. 6 Porsche was the only one to improve its absolute best time between qualifying and Hyperpole.. Will this make a difference or not? Only time will tell ! The Hyperpole was contested yesterday in fairly cool and overcast conditions but the elements seemed favorable to the 963. In comparison, there was a drop in times of two seconds between the two sessions in 2023.
And let’s not downplay Estre’s hard work in making the right decisions in difficult situations. “It was a very difficult session. There was a lot going on, trying to save fuel, trying to keep the tires warm.. It was quite stressful because, after the red flag, we weren’t sure we would have the fuel to do two laps. But I had excellent guidance from the pit wall,” explains the Porsche driver. “It was an incredible feeling to drive this car on low fuel. I had to overtake an LMP2 at Indianapolis but I benefited of his aspiration. It was far from a perfect lap. It’s an incredible feeling to start the biggest endurance race in the world from the top. The whole team did an incredible job. over the last few months we have entered a whole new area. Now, with 24 hours of racing ahead of us, everything is decided.»
The No. 6 Porsche 963 will start at the front of the grid. An advantage that can – sometimes – help ensure victory. In over 20% of races in the past, the car that started first has won (since the introduction of pole position in 1963).
LAURENT CARTALADE (ACO)
Cadillac and its No. 2 V-Series.R driven by Earl Bamber/Alex Lynn/Alex Palou finished second in Hyperpole, but will only start from 7th place. He received a five-place grid penalty after the stewards found Earl Bamber responsible for the accident which caused a long red flag at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. The American brand, however, came very close to winning the Hyperpole with Sébastien Bourdais at the wheel of the No. 3 Cadillac V-Series.R. Last year, Cadillac took all three of its cars to the checkered flag (P3, P4 and P17). For 2024, the goal is victory. For 2024, he is aiming for victory.
Also note that last year’s winners will have to deal with a handicap from the outset. Two Ferrari 499Ps (#50 and #83) will have to stand still for an additional ten seconds during their first stop to refuel during the race, after failing to follow the stopping procedure during practice. These ten seconds could have an impact on the first set of pit stops.
Louis Delétraz at the top of his art?
Each car on the LMP2 grid is built with a Gibson-powered Oreca 07 chassis. Tits single-brand design pushes teams to strive for the best configuration. And this is also an important factor for pilots. Each individual performance can be observed. And we all know that we can count on Louis Delétraz to perform. The Swiss driver won the 12 Hours of Sebring in March and has two titles in the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) and a victory in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) to his credit. a pillar of endurance. His wealth of single-seater experience – from Formula BMW to F2, including his role as reserve driver in F1 – makes him a valuable asset in the time race. With his teammates PJ Hyett and Alex Quinn in the No. 14 AO by TF Oreca 07-Gibson, he is a serious contender for category victory.
Louis Delétraz concentrates fully before the start of the Hyperpole session. He is versatile and triumphed this year at the 12 Hours of Sebring behind the wheel of an Acura AR-06 for the Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti team.
Alexis GOURE (ACO)
On the eve of the race, it is still difficult to decide between a favorite as the individual performances are remarkable. The 14 absolute best times in the category were achieved by drivers in… 14 different cars. This shows that no crew has the upper hand. Once again, strategy and team synergy will make all the difference this weekend.
McLaren back at the forefront in LMGT3
In 1995, McLaren pulled off a surprise by winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans on its first attempt., and almost 30 years later, under LMGT3 regulations, McLaren is back (its F1 GTRs were last seen in 1998). And it’s a memorable return! The British manufacturer is well armed with three cars entered, and driver Brendan Iribe delivered the goods with Hyperpole. However, we should not underestimate Lexus and Ford, who have often led the pack. Like the Hypercar category, there are also 23 entries and nine brands in LMGT3.. The starting grid reflects the initial classification, but this is a new category at Le Mans whose history remains to be written.
There is no doubt that McLaren knows what it takes to make history. After a victory in the general classification in 1995, could it achieve a category victory during the 92nd edition of the 24 Hours, the first to have an LMGT3 grid?
Guénolé TREHOREL (ACO)
The starting grid for the 92nd 24 Hours of Le Mans
