All you need to know about the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) press conference on Friday 12 June, the eve of the 94th 24 Hours of Le Mans.

<h2>1 - 2030 Hypercar Regulations 2030: towards a single platform</h2>

The FIA, the ACO and IMSA revealed the thinking behind the 2030 Hypercar regulations. Its four fundamental principles are intended to contribute to perpetuating the success of the top class: a single 2-wheel drive technical platform (the big change), enhanced visual identity for each brand, better controlled budgets to guarantee accessibility, and the introduction of new technology with the hydrogen project.

In short, a single platform means the same technical regulations apply across the board. Constructors will be free to develop their cars in-house or enlist the help of a chassis builder, as in the current LMDh model. Hybrid systems may be purchased from a designated supplier or self-developed, as long as they follow the same specifications. Homologation will be valid for at least five years, with no performance evolution. The changes are the result of a common FIA, ACO and IMSA vision, enacted on both sides of the Atlantic.

<h2>2 - Hydrogen in the premier league</h2>

For the first time in the history of endurance racing, the ACO and the FIA have formally agreed on the use of hydrogen at the discipline&rsquo;s highest level. H2 Hypercars will follow the basic 2030 regulations in terms of powertrain and hybrid system, with a few particularities: minimum weight of 1,200 kg, specific tyres and an Equivalence of Technology scheme intended to prevent major differences in performance, without conceding any advantages to H2. The budding new technology will be able to unfurl within a totally fair sporting framework.

<h2>3 - 2027 FIA WEC Calendar</h2>

Fr&eacute;d&eacute;ric Lequien, General Manager of Le Mans Endurance Management unveiled the 2027 FIA World Endurance Championship: nine rounds spread over four continents, preceded by the official prologue in Qatar (21&ndash;22 March). The season proper opens with the Qatar 1812 km on 27 March, then the championship goes to Italy for the 6 Hours of Imola on 11 April, to the United Kingdom for the 6 Hours of Silverstone on 25 April &mdash; a return saluted by Stuart Pringle, CEO of the British circuit &mdash;, then to Belgium for the TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps on 15 May, and France for the 24 Hours of Le Mans (12&ndash;13 June). The championship continues with the Rolex 6 Hours of S&atilde;o Paulo (11 July), Lone Star Le Mans at COTA (12 September), the 6 Hours of Fuji (26 September) and finally, the Bapco Energies 8 Hours of Bahrain (6 November).&nbsp;The agreement between the FIA WEC and Bahrain has also been extended through 2036.&nbsp;

The ACO also announced the introduction of the Asian Le Mans Cup and the Hypercar driver line-ups in the Asian Le Mans Series. Each team should be composed of one bronze driver, another bronze or silver driver and a Gold or Platinum professional driver.

<h2>4 - M24 and Pit Building: the circuit heads into the future</h2>

The ACO dedicated a section of its presentation to the opening of its new museum, M24, ten days ago. In its 120th anniversary year, two years after the circuit having been voted France&rsquo;s favourite monument, the ACO extends its cultural reach, with support from Richard Mille. The club also presented its new Pit Building project, destined to transform the circuit infrastructure.

<h2>5 - The figures of the 94th edition</h2>

The ACO highlighted the key personalities of this year&rsquo;s race:

<ul>
	<li>Sir Mark Cavendish, record-holder for the most Tour de France stages won, Official Race Starter;</li>
	<li>Sarah Bovy, Grand Marshal;</li>
	<li>David Clark, 2026 Spirit of Le Mans;</li>
	<li>Fr&eacute;d&eacute;ric Sausset, Guest of Honour. In 2016, Sausset was the first quadruple-amputee to take part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and now advises the ACO on accessibility for disabled people.</li>
</ul>

<h2>6 - Corporate Social Responsibility Sustainable Endurance Award by DHL and innovation</h2>

The ACO 6th Sustainable Endurance Award by DHL awardees were Cadillac (Hypercar), TDS Racing (LMP2) and WRT (LMGT3). Ferrari won the Spectators&rsquo; prize. Felix Heger, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding DECH officially announced the renewal of the partnership between DHL and the FIA WEC. The core of the commitment remains innovation, as illustrated by the extension of the partnership with Goodyear, LMGT3 tyre supplier until 2029. The Impact Challenge in which spectators complete missions in line with the ACO&rsquo;s CSR commitments via the 24 Experience App is also prolonged.

<h2>7 - Looking to 2027: Ford and McLaren</h2>

The ACO confirmed the participation of two more manufacturers in 2027: Ford and McLaren. Mark Rushbrook (Ford) and Zak Brown (McLaren) joined the group on stage to say how much they are looking forward to competing in the world&rsquo;s greatest endurance race.

See you at 16:00 CET tomorrow for the Start of the 94th 24 Hours of Le Mans!

2026 24 Hours Of Le Mans : ACO Press Conference in a nutshell

The day before the main event is always special at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Call it the calm before the storm, but that doesn't mean there isn't plenty of action! Friday 12/06 includes the Road to Le Mans race, the fan-favourite Drivers' Parade held in the city centre and a concert featuring Robin Schulz after dark.

<h2>Road To Le Mans race</h2>

Get ready to hear the&nbsp;roar&nbsp;of racing engines permeate the circuit this morning during&nbsp;Road to Le Mans!&nbsp;This must-see support race opens a new chapter in 2026 with a brand-new format: a single three-hour race&nbsp;from 10:00 to 13:00.

Previously organised as two one-hour races, Road to Le Mans is now adopting the format typical of endurance racing,&nbsp;a shift that brings it fundamentally&nbsp;closer to the&nbsp;24 Hours of Le Mans.

For young talent and rising teams, this&nbsp;is a priceless&nbsp;immersion into the world of endurance racing and a gateway to the Le Mans classic.

<h2>spectator track visit</h2>

From 15:30 to 19:00, the public will have the opportunity to walk the circuit&nbsp;and discover the track up close:&nbsp;treading asphalt steeped in history, walking where cars will exceed 300 kph just hours later, viewing the track from every&nbsp;angle...

Access to the general enclosure is included in the 24 Hours of Le Mans entry pass. Visitors can also freely reach&nbsp;several iconic areas of the circuit, from Tertre Rouge to the Porsche Curves, on foot or using sustainable mobility.

<h2>Drivers&#39; Parade&nbsp;</h2>

The&nbsp;traditional Drivers&#39; Parade is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year in the Le Mans city&nbsp;centre!&nbsp;All&nbsp;186 drivers entered in the 94th 24 Hours will take the wheel of extraordinary&nbsp;vintage vehicles ready to meet their legions of fans.

Every year, the parade&nbsp;transforms the streets of Le Mans into an open-air theater. Drivers leave the pressures of the paddock&nbsp;for cheers, smiles, autographs&nbsp;and precious recognition from fans (and for&nbsp;fans).

Organised by Classic Automotive in partnership with the Automobile Club de l&rsquo;Ouest (ACO), the&nbsp;2026 Drivers&#39; Parade&nbsp;is paying&nbsp;tribute to Jean Alesi&nbsp;as a&nbsp;former Formula 1 driver with 201 race starts to his name and a participant in the 24 Hours in 1989 and 2010.

The route will pass along Rostov-sur-le-Don and Bonhommet streets, the place de la R&eacute;publique, as well as&nbsp;the G&eacute;n&eacute;ral-de-Gaulle, Fran&ccedil;ois-Mitterrand&nbsp;and Pierre-Mend&egrave;s-France avenues, before returning to the place des Jacobins &mdash; the start and finish point of this major public celebration of racing.

<h2>Classic British Welcome</h2>

This friendly gathering takes place every year on the eve of the&nbsp;24 Hours of Le Mans&nbsp;in the town of Saint-Saturnin at the Val de Vray centre.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The 2026 theme is dedicated to Jaguar, a true legend&nbsp;of British motoring. Serving as master of ceremonies is Fran&ccedil;ois Allain,&nbsp;a renowned journalist and classic car enthusiast, bringing&nbsp;his expert perspective and infectious enthusiasm to the event.&nbsp;

From 09:00 to&nbsp;17:00, Val de&nbsp;Vray centre in&nbsp;Saint-Saturnin, free admission.

<h2>The legends Garage at&nbsp;T&eacute;loch&eacute;</h2>

The Teloch&rsquo;&eacute;v&egrave;nements association is celebrating the 75th anniversary of Porsche&rsquo;s arrival in T&eacute;loch&eacute;. From 1951 to 1981, the German marque&nbsp;used the garage on rue du 8 mai as the&nbsp;base of operations for its 24 Hours campaign. This get-together&nbsp;offers an opportunity to rekindle the spirited atmosphere that once surrounded race preparations.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Visitors can discover exceptional vehicles and enjoy activities geared toward adults and kids alike. Five-time Le Mans winner Derek Bell is this year&#39;s&nbsp;guest of honour.&nbsp;

From&nbsp;15:00 to&nbsp;23:00, rue du 8 mai in&nbsp;T&eacute;loch&eacute;, free admission.

<h2>Mulsanne corner</h2>

The organising association is hosting a special event today&nbsp;at the famous Mulsanne Corner at the circuit. Stunning&nbsp;Italian cars take centre stage this year in a&nbsp;massive exhibition of vintage and prestigious&nbsp;vehicles, with no fewer than 900 expected!&nbsp;A parade is scheduled for&nbsp;19:00 and a concert&nbsp;at Bentley Square will start&nbsp;at 20:30.&nbsp;&nbsp;

From 15:00 to&nbsp;20:00, 2 avenue Fran&ccedil;ois Mitterand in&nbsp;Mulsanne, free admission.

<h2>Robin Schulz concert</h2>

Hailing from Osnabr&uuml;ck, Robin Schulz is recognised&nbsp;as a major international pop-electro phenomenon. Rising to fame with his remix of &quot;Waves (feat. Mr. Probz)&quot; and the global success of &quot;Prayer in C&quot; with Lilly Wood and&nbsp;The Prick, he is&nbsp;Germany&rsquo;s most successful musical export of the last decade. With more than&nbsp;20 million albums sold, 8 billion streams&nbsp;and chart-topping hits in 92 countries, he ranks among the most-streamed artists worldwide. A regular at major festivals like Tomorrowland and Ultra Music Festival, he promises a spectacular electronic music show at the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans!

&nbsp;

Friday 12 June Programme

09:00 &ndash; 18:00 |&nbsp;M24 &ndash; Motorsport Museum open 
09:00 &ndash; 21:00 |&nbsp;Fan Zones and&nbsp;Kids Zone open 
09:00 &ndash; 17:00 |&nbsp;Classic British Welcome at&nbsp;Saint-Saturnin 
10:00 &ndash; 00:00 |&nbsp;Hydrogen&nbsp;ACO H2 and Constructors Villages open 
10:00 &ndash; 13:00 | Road to Le Mans Race 
15:00 &ndash; 23:00 |&nbsp;Legends&nbsp;Garage at T&eacute;loch&eacute; 
15:30 &ndash; 19:00 | Spectator Track Visit 
15:30 &ndash; 20:00 | Mulsanne Corner 
16:00 &ndash; 19:00 |&nbsp;Drivers&#39; Parade in the Le&nbsp;Mans city centre 
20:00 &ndash; 23:00 | Robin Schulz Concert

2026 24 Hours of Le Mans – Friday 12/06 Programme

After losing pole position earlier in the evening due to a penalty, the #38 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA crew made sure they left no shadow of doubt over its potential.

S&eacute;bastien Bourdais fired the V-Series.R to the top of the timesheets with a 3:26.843 &ndash; the only car to dip below the 3:27 mark. The American outfit means business following their demotion from pole earlier in the evening.

The shortest session of the week also served as the final dress rehearsal before the big one &ndash; the 94th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It was the last opportunity for all 62 teams to finalise their set-ups and maximise valuable track time before the race.

Run under the cloak of darkness, the short, sharp Free Practice 4 session lasted just one hour and came hot on the heels of a dramatic Hyperpole.

Hypercar

The #7 Toyota, in the hands of Kamui Kobayashi, led the way for much of the session ahead of the #35 Alpine and the yellow #83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P, before the #20 BMW and then the #38 Cadillac climbed to the top of the standings.

After an early exit for both Japanese cars in Hyperpole 1, Toyota can be pleased with its evening&#39;s work and, for many, remains a dark horse heading into Sunday&#39;s race. Despite having gone four years without a victory at Le Mans, Toyota&#39;s wealth of experience should help propel the team into the fight at the front.

It is fascinating to see the variety of manufacturers showing strong one-lap pace. Can Cadillac convert that speed into a race-winning challenge? The same can be said for Alpine. On its last dance at Le Mans with the A424 Hypercar, the French manufacturer would dearly love to triumph in front of its home fans.

BMW looked strong too, with two cars in the hunt for victory. <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/bmw-take-first-hypercar-era-le-mans-pole-after-cadillac-penalty-60771">The German marque will start the 94th edition of the race from pole position</a> with the #15 machine, despite finishing the night down in 15th place.

Top 5 from Free Practice 4

1. Cadillac V-Series.R #38 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA &ndash; S&eacute;bastien Bourdais / Earl Bamber / Jack Aitken &ndash; 3&rsquo;26&rsquo;&rsquo;843 
2. BMW M Hybrid V8 #20 BMW M Team WRT &ndash; Robin Frijns / Rene Rast / Sheldon van der Linde &ndash; 3&rsquo;27&rsquo;&rsquo;037 
3. Toyota GR010 Hybrid #7 Toyota Gazoo Racing &ndash; Mike Conway / Kamui Kobayashi / Nyck de Vries &ndash; 3&rsquo;27&rsquo;&rsquo;146 
4. Cadillac V-Series.R #12 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA &ndash; Louis Del&eacute;traz / Will Stevens / Norman Nato &ndash; 3&rsquo;27&rsquo;&rsquo;282 
5. Alpine A424 #35 Alpine Endurance Team &ndash; Ant&oacute;nio F&eacute;lix Da Costa / Charles Milesi / Ferdinand Habsburg &ndash; 3&rsquo;27&rsquo;&rsquo;335

Les meilleurs chronos des autres cat&eacute;gories&nbsp;:

<ul>
	<li>LMP2&nbsp;: Oreca 07-Gibson #183 AF Corse &ndash; Fran&ccedil;ois Perrodo / Matthieu Vaxiviere / Ben Barnicoat (LMP2 Pro/Am) &ndash; 3&rsquo;36&rsquo;&rsquo;111</li>
	<li>LMGT3&nbsp;: Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R #33 TF Sport &ndash; Ben Keating / Jonny Edgar / Nicky Catsburg &ndash; 3&rsquo;55&rsquo;&rsquo;262</li>
</ul>

&gt;&gt;&gt; <a href="http://www.24h-lemans.com/fr/resultats/2026">Full Results from FP4</a> &lt;&lt;&lt;

<h2>LMP2</h2>

In the flame-spitting single-make category, AF Corse will be pleased with its night&#39;s work as it ends Thursday with the fastest LMP2 time under the lights, ahead of the #30 Duqueine Team entry in second and the #37 CLX Motorsport car in third. The trio were covered by less than a second.

<h2>LMGT3</h2>

TF Sport put the Corvette at the top of the timesheets, making it a perfect evening for the General Motors brands at Le Mans.

It was a Corvette one-two, with the sister Racing Team Turkey by TF entry finishing second, ahead of the #23 Heart of Racing Aston Martin in third and the #13 AWA Corvette in fourth.

Tomorrow brings the Road to Le Mans race, as well as plenty for fans to enjoy away from the circuit, including the Fan Village, Open Track Walk and the Drivers&#39; Parade through the centre of Le Mans.

The next time we see the 24 Hours of Le Mans crews on track will be on Saturday for a brief 15-minute warm-up at 12:00 local time, before the race gets underway at 16:00.

&nbsp;

Cadillac signal their intent with fastest time in final Free Practice at Le Mans

Incredible scenes marked the 94th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans as BMW claimed pole position after an action-packed final Hyperpole session. Jack Aitken, driving the #38 Hertz Team JOTA Cadillac, was quickest on the road, but a penalty carried over from earlier in the week dropped the car to tenth on the grid, promoting the German manufacturer to the top spot.

<ul>
	<li>Hypercar : BMW M Hybrid V8 #15 BMW M Team WRT &ndash; Kevin Magnussen / Raffaele Marciello / Dries Vanthoor</li>
	<li>LMP2 : Oreca 07-Gibson #29 Forestier Racing by Panis &ndash; Louis Rousset / Esteban Masson / Oliver Gray &ndash; 3&rsquo;32&rsquo;&rsquo;855</li>
	<li>LMGT3 : Aston Martin Vantage AMR LMGT3 #27 Heart Of Racing &ndash; Ian James / Zacharie Robichon / Mattia Drudi &ndash; 3&rsquo;52&rsquo;&rsquo;433 
	&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

The American Cadillac brand looked set to secure back-to-back pole positions at Le Mans, but a penalty for not complying with the pit lane start procedure st the start of the evening dropped the #38 from first to tenth in the standings, handing BMW its first pole position of the Hypercar era at Le Mans.

In LMP2,&nbsp; the #29 Forestier Racing by Panis entry claimed pole and In LMGT3, Heart of Racing and Aston Martin secured the top spot.

All eyes were fixed on the Circuit de la Sarthe. Following Wednesday evening&#39;s dramatic qualifying session, which whetted the appetite for the main event, the famous venue came to a standstill for Hyperpole.

Hyperpole 1 reduced the Hypercar, LMP2 and LMGT3 fields to ten contenders before Hyperpole 2 unleashed a no-holds-barred final shootout &ndash; quickest takes pole as teams battled both each other and the clock. 
&nbsp;

<h3>Top 10 Hypercar after Hyperpole:</h3>

<ul>
	<li>1. BMW M Hybrid V8 #15 BMW M Team WRT &ndash; Kevin Magnussen / Raffaele Marciello / Dries Vanthoor &ndash; 3&rsquo;22&rsquo;&rsquo;564</li>
	<li>2. Cadillac V-Series.R #12 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA &ndash; Louis Del&eacute;traz / Will Stevens / Norman Nato &ndash; 3&rsquo;23&rsquo;&rsquo;079</li>
	<li>3.Alpine A424 #35 Alpine Endurance Team &ndash; Ant&oacute;nio F&eacute;lix Da Costa / Charles Milesi / Ferdinand Habsburg &ndash; 3&rsquo;23&rsquo;&rsquo;620</li>
	<li>4. BMW M Hybrid V8 #20 BMW M Team WRT &ndash; Robin Frijns / Rene Rast / Sheldon van der Linde &ndash; 3&rsquo;23&rsquo;&rsquo;764</li>
	<li>5. Cadillac V-Series.R #101 Cadillac WTR &ndash; Ricky Taylor / Jordan Taylor / Filipe Albuquerque &ndash; 3&rsquo;23&rsquo;&rsquo;778</li>
	<li>6. Genesis GMR-001-Hypercar #19 Genesis Magma Racing &ndash; Mathieu Jaminet / Paul-Loup Chatin / Daniel Juncadella &ndash; 3&rsquo;23&rsquo;&rsquo;823</li>
	<li>7. Aston Martin Valkyrie #009 Aston Martin THOR Team &ndash; Alex Riberas / Marco S&oslash;rensen / Roman De Angelis &ndash; 3&rsquo;24&rsquo;&rsquo;729</li>
	<li>8. Ferrari 499P #51 Ferrari-AF Corse &ndash; Alessandro Pier Guidi / James Calado / Antonio Giovinazzi &ndash; 3&rsquo;25&rsquo;&rsquo;081</li>
	<li>9. Genesis GMR-001-Hypercar #17 Genesis Magma Racing &ndash; Andr&eacute; Lotterer / Luis Felipe Derani / Mathys Jaubert &ndash; 3&rsquo;26&rsquo;&rsquo;116</li>
	<li>10. Cadillac V-Series.R #38 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA &ndash; S&eacute;bastien Bourdais / Earl Bamber / Jack Aitken &ndash; 3&rsquo;22&rsquo;&rsquo;559</li>
</ul>

<h2>How it unfolded in the Hypercar class...</h2>

In Hyperpole 1, the 15 fastest cars from Wednesday&#39;s qualifying session went head-to-head in low-fuel trim.

BMW were the first to circulate and immediately laid down the gauntlet with a provisional one-two. However, an influx of competitive laps from Cadillac, Genesis, Alpine and Toyota offered an early glimpse that sparks were about to fly.

Halfway through the session, with the sun disappearing behind the clouds and ambient temperatures dropping by the minute, every team dived into the pit lane to bolt on fresh soft tyres and extract every ounce of performance.

Charles Milesi delighted the French crowd by setting the fastest time in Hyperpole 1, with the ever-present Hertz Team JOTA Cadillac second and the #17 Genesis Magma Racing machine third.

The biggest story was Toyota&#39;s shock elimination. Both GR010 HYBRIDs were dumped out in the opening session, managing only 14th and 15th fastest. Joining them on the casualty list were the #36 Alpine A424, the 2024-winning #50 Ferrari AF Corse entry and the #007 Aston Martin Valkyrie.

In Hyperpole 2, the atmosphere was palpable as the ten fastest cars headed out for one final dogfight.

BMW laid down the gauntlet as Dries Vanthoor scorched the timesheets with a 3:22.745 on the first runs. The Belgian Bullet then found even more pace, hustling the M Hybrid V8 around the 13.626km Circuit de la Sarthe to shave a few more tenths from his benchmark.

BMW looked set for pole, but a textbook final lap from Jack Aitken aboard the #38 Cadillac snatched top spot by just five thousandths of a second, securing what appeared to be back-to-back poles for Cadillac at Le Mans. However, an infringement from earlier in the week resulted in a penalty that dropped the British driver and the American team to tenth on the grid.

The sister #12 Cadillac of Will Stevens inherited second place, while French hopes rest on the #35 Alpine A424 in third, ahead of the #20 BMW in fourth and the WTR-run Cadillac in fifth.

Genesis enjoyed a dream Le Mans debut by qualifying sixth and ninth overall. British fans will be cheering on the #009 Aston Martin from seventh, while the Italian tifosi will be left hoping the #51 Ferrari can move forward after qualifying eighth.

The rapid #38 Cadillac, quickest on the road, will start from the middle of the Hypercar pack. Watch out for it tomorrow.

&nbsp;

LMP2 Times after Hyperpole

1. Oreca 07-Gibson #29 Forestier Racing by Panis &ndash; Louis Rousset / Esteban Masson / Oliver Gray &ndash; 3&rsquo;32&rsquo;&rsquo;855 
2. Oreca 07-Gibson #28 IDEC Sport &ndash; Paul Lafargue / Valerio Rinicella / Job Van Uitert &ndash; 3&rsquo;33&rsquo;&rsquo;242 
3. Oreca 07-Gibson #24 Nielsen Racing &ndash; David Heinemeier Hansson / Edward Pearson / Jack Doohan &ndash; 3&rsquo;33&rsquo;&rsquo;510 
4. Oreca 07-Gibson #43 Inter Europol Competition &ndash; Jakub Smiechowski / Tom Dillmann / Nicholas Yelloly &ndash; 3&rsquo;33&rsquo;&rsquo;578 
5. Oreca 07-Gibson #4 Crowdstrike Racing by APR &ndash; George Kurtz / Alexander Quinn / Laurin Heinrich (LMP2 Pro/Am) &ndash; 3&rsquo;33&rsquo;&rsquo;628 
6. Oreca 07-Gibson #30 Duqueine Team &ndash; Doriane Pin / Julien Andlauer / Richard Verschoor &ndash; 3&rsquo;33&rsquo;&rsquo;702 
7. Oreca 07-Gibson #14 TDS Racing &ndash; Tobias Lutke / Mathias Beche / K&eacute;vin Estre (LMP2 Pro/Am) &ndash; 3&rsquo;33&rsquo;&rsquo;715 
8. Oreca 07-Gibson #99 AO by TF &ndash; PJ Hyett / James Allen / Dane Cameron (LMP2 Pro/Am) &ndash; 3&rsquo;34&rsquo;&rsquo;280 
9. Oreca 07-Gibson #183 AF Corse &ndash; Fran&ccedil;ois Perrodo / Matthieu Vaxiviere / Ben Barnicoat (LMP2 Pro/Am) &ndash; 3&rsquo;34&rsquo;&rsquo;692 
10. Oreca 07-Gibson #343 Inter Europol Competition &ndash; Bijoy Carg / Reshad De G&eacute;rus / Nico M&uuml;ller &ndash; 3&rsquo;35&rsquo;&rsquo;038

&nbsp;

LMGT3 Times after Hyperpole

1. Aston Martin Vantage AMR LMGT3 #27 Heart Of Racing &ndash; Ian James / Zacharie Robichon / Mattia Drudi &ndash; 3&rsquo;52&rsquo;&rsquo;433 
2. Ferrari 296 LMGT3 Evo #21 Vista AF Corse &ndash; Fran&ccedil;ois Heriau / Simon Mann / Alessio Rovera &ndash; 3&rsquo;53&rsquo;&rsquo;412 
3. Lexus RC F LMGT3 #87 Akkodis ASP Team &ndash; Petru Umbrărescu / Clemens Schmid / Jos&eacute; Mar&iacute;a L&oacute;pez &ndash; 3&rsquo;53&rsquo;&rsquo;614 
4. Lexus RC F LMGT3 #78 Akkodis ASP Team &ndash; Tom Van Rompuy / Hadrien David / Jack Hawksworth &ndash; 3&rsquo;53&rsquo;&rsquo;869 
5. BMW M4 LMGT3 Evo #32 Team WRT &ndash; Darren Leung / Sean Gelael / Augusto Farfus &ndash; 3&rsquo;54&rsquo;&rsquo;401 
6. BMW M4 LMGT3 Evo #69 Team WRT &ndash; Anthony McIntosh / Parker Thompson / Daniel Harper &ndash; 3&rsquo;54&rsquo;&rsquo;655 
7. Ferrari 296 LMGT3 Evo #74 Kessel Racing &ndash; Dustin Blattner / Lorenzo Patrese / Dennis Marschall &ndash; 3&rsquo;54&rsquo;&rsquo;677 
8. Aston Martin Vantage AMR LMGT3 #23 Heart Of Racing &ndash; Gray Newell / Eduardo Barrichello / Jonny Adam &ndash; 3&rsquo;54&rsquo;&rsquo;888 
9. Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3 #91 Manthey DK Engineering &ndash; James Cottingham / Timur Boguslavskiy / Ayhancan G&uuml;ven &ndash; 3&rsquo;55&rsquo;&rsquo;610 
10. Ford Mustang LMGT3 #77 Proton Competition &ndash; Eric Powell / Ben Tuck / Sebastian Priaulx &ndash; 3&rsquo;55&rsquo;&rsquo;666

<h2>LMP2 and LMGT3</h2>

Hyperpole 1 &ndash; 20 minutes with 30 cars on track &ndash; was a frantic affair.

In the LMP2 prototypes, Tom Dillmann was the class act, booking Inter Europol Competition a place in Hyperpole 2, with the #4 CrowdStrike Racing by APR just a tenth behind.

The casualties in the first session were the two United Autosports cars (#22 and #222), the #26 Vector Sport, the #9 Proton Competition, and the #37 CLX Motorsport entry, which found itself in the wars when Theodor Jensen hit the barriers after overcooking it on the exit of the second chicane on the Mulsanne Straight.

In the GT category, Heart of Racing carried its Free Practice pace into Hyperpole 1 to ensure Aston Martin would be represented in the top ten.

In fact, seven of the eight LMGT3 manufacturers secured places in the final shootout, with only McLaren missing out.

One of the drives of the session came from Guernseyman Sebastian Priaulx, who hauled the #77 Ford Mustang LMGT3 into seventh when, at one stage, both Blue Oval entries were languishing at the foot of the timesheets and looked destined for an early bath.

Francesco Castellacci, in the #54 AF Corse Ferrari 296 LMGT3 Evo, got too greedy with the track limits heading into Tertre Rouge, caught the grass on the outside left, and pirouetted off the circuit. The spin upset his rhythm and prevented him from breaking into the top ten.

Also missing out on the final showdown were Logan Sargeant in the #88 Ford Mustang, the #61 and #62 Mercedes-AMG entries, and the #92 Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3.

Upping the ante, Hyperpole 2 &ndash; where it all counts &ndash; saw just 15 minutes on the clock.

The final five minutes stirred the emotions, with eight of the ten cars dipping below the previous pole time in a frenetic finale.

The #28 IDEC Sport entry struck first, with Job van Uitert at the wheel. His rapid run would eventually be shuffled down the order, but as the session unfolded he was the final driver to complete his lap. The Flying Dutchman ultimately secured second place, although he could not match the pace of the car ahead.

Esteban Masson, aboard the #29 Forestier Racing by Panis machine, was on rails, setting a scorching 3:32.855 to claim LMP2 pole position. Cue jubilant scenes in the Panis camp and celebrations for team owner Olivier Panis.

It was panic stations at the #78 Akkodis ASP Team garage. The mechanics struggled to close the driver&#39;s door, costing Jack Hawksworth valuable track time. The brilliant Brit refused to let it ruin his evening, setting the fourth-fastest time behind team-mate Jos&eacute; Mar&iacute;a L&oacute;pez in the sister #87 Lexus.

Vista AF Corse, with the #21 Ferrari, will line up on the front row in second, while Mattia Drudi secured a sublime pole position for Heart of Racing and Aston Martin with a 3:52.433.

He was the only driver to dip below the 3:53 barrier.

BMW take first Hypercar-era Le Mans pole after Cadillac penalty

&nbsp;
<div class="donneesIPTC">
	<img alt="" src="/wpphpFichiers/1/1/ressources/Image/actualites/intercontinental-le-mans-cup_2010/atlanta/4_vendredi/NCA_10ILMC_ATL_D32_0546.jpg" style="width: 650px; height: 433px; " />
	
		Photo : Nicolas COUSSEAU - ACO/Nikon
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	The Peugeot Sport driver was all smiles after the qualifying session.

	&quot;I achieved the lap that I imagined in my head and even better. To drive a prototype on this track is just fantastic. I was fortunate to have a clear lap and attack. My &#39;off&#39; yesterday shook me because I took about 8g when I hit the barriers and 5g laterally. My pole is a way of saying thank you to the mechanics who worked through the night to rebuild the car. The front row for Peugeot is important because it is very important&nbsp;for us&nbsp;to win the ILMC. It&#39;s very nice to be in America for the second round of the Cup. &quot;
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	Interview by C&eacute;cile Bonardel

Anthony Davidson: on qualifying in pole position.

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