As the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans crosses over half-distance, Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA is out front with its #12 V-Series.R, although the sister #38 Cadillac is still the effective leader with Hypercar currently mid-pit stop cycle.
Jack Aitken has held his advantage aboard the #38 Cadillac steady at just over 20 seconds for the past hour, with Louis Delétraz now leading the chase aboard the sister #12 Cadillac. Aitken, however, pitted just before the halfway point to hand over to Sebastien Bourdais, ceding the lead to his teammate in the process.
Delétraz moved into second during the previous round of pit stops, when he overcut the #8 Toyota, which performed a full-service pit stop and installed Ryo Hirakawa behind the wheel.
Hirakawa also pitted before the end of the hour, promoting the #20 BMW of Sheldon van der Linde into second, 14 seconds behind the #12 Cadillac, with both of these cars due to pit imminently.
The #7 Toyota has moved up to fifth, after Kamui Kobayshi passed the #101 WTR Cadillac of Ricky Taylor into Mulsanne, with this pair currently split by the #51 Ferrari.
The #36 Alpine, #83 AF Corse Ferrari and #35 Alpine round out the top 10, and lead lap runners, at this halfway stage.
Hour 12 was interrupted by a pair of Full Course Yellows, which have caused several gaps in the field to ebb and flow.
First, Enzo Trulli went off at Arnage on his out lap aboard the #25 Algarve Pro Racing ORECA, whilst running fifth in LMP2 Pro/Am. The Italian needed retrieving from the tyre barrier, losing one place in class.
Moments after green flag running resumed, Paul-Loup Chatin stopped the #19 Genesis on the run to Indianapolis. The Frenchman managed to reset the GMR-001 whilst a FCY was deployed, and has resumed one lap down in 13th.
In LMP2, the #30 Duqueine Team ORECA of Doriane Pin is back out front, after a recent pit stop from the #343 Inter Europol Competition ORECA, aboard which Nico Müller had extended his advantage over Pin to over 40 seconds before pitting to hand over to Bijoy Garg. The #43 Inter Europol ORECA has climbed into third, ahead of the #26 Vector Sport and #29 Forestier Racing by Panis ORECAs, the latter of which has fought its way back onto the lead lap.
Laurin Heinrich’s #4 CrowdStrike Racing by APR ORECA remains out front in LMP2 Pro/Am, with the German over a minute ahead of Kevin Estre’s #14 TDS Racing ORECA. The #183 AF Corse ORECA, with Ben Barnicoat behind the wheel, has moved up to third.
The #33 TF Sport Corvette of Nicky Catsburg now leads in LMGT3, with five cars cycling through the lead based on their pit strategies.
The #74 Kessel Racing Ferrari is second, with the #27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin third, and the pair of Akkodis ASP Lexus’ also still enjoying spells out front.
The #79 Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG has joined the list of retirements, after cutting a chicane caused engine damage. This means that both of the Italian team’s full-season FIA WEC entries are out, with only its #62 Team Qatar AMG LMGT3 still running.
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