Saturday has turned to Sunday at Le Mans, and with fireworks over the circuit, Ferrari continues to lead after eight hours. However, its stranglehold on the top three has been broken after a drive-through penalty issued to the #50 499P, currently piloted by Nicklas Nielsen. The penalty was issued for a yellow flag infringement during the caution for the stalled #95 United Autosport McLaren 720S GT3 in the previous hour.
The #311 Cadillac Whelen V-Series.R and the #93 Peugeot 9X8, as well as the LMGT3 #81TF Sport Corvette also all received drive-throughs for yellow flag infringement. The #35 Alpine Endurance Team A424 has also received a drive-though after the contact between Paul-Loup Chatin and Loic Duval’s #94 Peugeot 9X8, the stewards determining that Chatin bore responsibility for the incident.
The #83 AF Corse 499P of Phil Hanson, after an apparent switch to an all-out-pace strategy, led the #51 Ferrari AF Corse of James Calado for most of the hour, but Hanson was being told to cede the position to Calado as the hour ended in order to accommodate pit strategy.
Kevin Estre’s #6 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 is third, ahead of the #50 Ferrari, with the #8 Toyota Gazoo Racing GR010 in fifth, Sebastien Buemi currently in the cockpit. Five manufacturers currently make up the top 10, BMW and Cadillac joining Ferrari, Porsche and Toyota.
Esteban Masson in the #48 VDS Panis Racing ORECA is laying down fast laps and continuing to extend the lead in LMP2. The No. 43 Inter Europol Competition car runs second, Jakub Smiechowski having taking over from Nick Yelloly, and is leading Job Van Uitert in the IDEC Sport #28.
Although the car has fallen back from its earlier second-place position, the #199 AO by TF ORECA leads LMP2 Pro-Am, PJ Hyett running in sixth among the LMP2 field.
It’s a familiar story up front in LMGT3 as Team WRT continues to lead with the #46 BMW M4 GT3, Ahmad Al Harthy re-installed in the cockpit from Valentino Rossi. Richard Lietz is now in the #92 Manthey 1st Phorm Porsche 911 GT3R in second, leading Simon Mann in the #21 Vista AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3.
Akkodis ASP occupies the fourth and fifth positions in LMGT3 with its pair of Lexus RC f GT3s, the #78 (Arnold Robin) leading the #87 (Clemens Schmid), both ahead of polesitter Mattia Drudi in the Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3.
Eight hours of racing without a single safety car period is a notable factor at this stage.
