Two French sporting heroes, Olivier Panis and Fabien Barthez have formed their own race team, Panis-Bathez Comp

24H Le Mans

Le Mans Series

24 Heures du Mans

ELMS

In winning the 93rd 24 Hours of Le Mans with the #83 Ferrari 499P, AF Corse showed that maintaining perfect control over the tyre strategy throughout the race can make all the difference. Let’s look at the simple, yet effective plan that led the Kubica/Ye/Hanson trio, and Michelin, to victory.

To clinch&nbsp;<a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/af-corse-team-take-ferrari-into-the-history-books-at-le-mans-59792" target="_blank">overall victory in the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans</a>, AF Corse adopted a rigorous tyre strategy for the #83 Ferrari 499P that the team executed superbly. Using only yellow-walled Michelin Pilot Sport Endurance Medium tyres throughout, and maximising the number of triple stints while adapting the stints to how the race was panning out, the Italian outfit successfully constructed its performance over the long haul. This smart choice was undoubtedly one of the keys to the success of&nbsp;Robert Kubica, Yifei Ye&nbsp;and&nbsp;Phil Hanson.

<h2>Mediums from flag to flag</h2>

Unlike its rivals, AF Corse gambled on regularity by opting for Medium tyres from the start and sticking with them throughout the 24 hours. These versatile compounds were perfectly suited to the moderate weather conditions encountered during the race. 
This approach simplified the team&rsquo;s in-race decision making, offered a stable performance window for all three drivers and helped them to better anticipate wear management and the car&rsquo;s behaviour over the duration of the race.

<h2>Nine triple stints</h2>

The other remarkable aspect of AF Corse&rsquo;s strategy was the ability to produce triple stints &ndash; almost 500&nbsp;km covered with a single set of tyres. The yellow Ferrari 499P completed nine in total. All four tyres were replaced at each pit stop, guaranteeing consistent driveability and balance for the car. This game plan reduced the time spent in the pits and optimised each stint in terms of performance.

The Italian Hypercar covered an average of 12 laps on each stint, matching the fuel consumption pattern. During the night, however, Yifei Ye managed a safety car-assisted 15-lap stint when the Nielsen Racing LMP2 entry (#24 Oreca 07-Gibson) crashed out.

<h2>Two double stints under pressure and a decisive final pit stop</h2>

As Porsche Penske Motorsport stepped up the pressure with the #6 Porsche in the final hours of the race, AF Corse altered its usual sequence by switching to two double stints between 12:25 and 15:20. This change in strategy can be explained by the warmer track temperatures and the objective of keeping the car in an optimum performance window through the final stages.

With just one hour to go, the #83 Ferrari held a mere 36.5-second lead over the #6 Porsche. At that point, the team wheeled out a new set of tyres for the final stint. This decisive move allowed Robert Kubica to withstand the fightback from Porsche and retain first place through to the chequered flag.

This tactic, coupled with the rapidity and reliability of the 499P Hypercar and the durability of the Michelin tyres, proved to be a prime contributor to the quest for victory.

Further reading: <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/michelin-designs-a-greener-more-durable-hypercar-tyre-for-2026-59712" target="_blank">Michelin designs a greener, more durable Hypercar tyre for 2026</a>

&nbsp;

2025 24 Hours of Le Mans – Focus on AF Corse’s Ferrari 499P tyre strategy

Cadillac has stepped into the annals of endurance! In Brazil, Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA sealed a historic win with the #12 Cadillac V-Series.R in the Rolex 6 Hours of São Paulo, the fifth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship. With the #38 sister car coming home in the runner-up spot, the American manufacturer not only chalked up its maiden Hypercar success but showed the highflyers of the discipline that its lofty aspirations are far more than a pipe dream.

Cadillac has made its mark on the FIA World Endurance Championship. On Sunday 14 July 2025, the #12 <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/the-cadillac-v-series-r-under-the-microscope-ready-to-roar-for-america-at-le-mans-59659" target="_blank">Cadillac V-Series.R</a> of Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA won the 6 Hours of S&atilde;o Paulo, the fifth round of the season.&nbsp;Alex Lynn, Norman Nato&nbsp;and&nbsp;Will Stevens&nbsp;controlled the race perfectly in the American machine. The victory was Cadillac&rsquo;s first in the FIA WEC Hypercar class. The team had more reasons to celebrate as the #38 car driven by Earl Bamber, S&eacute;bastien Bourdais and Jenson Button clinched second place for a remarkable one-two.

<h2>A perfectly controlled race</h2>

Lynn put the #12 Cadillac in pole position at Interlagos, just one month after going <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/golden-performance-as-cadillac-lock-out-front-row-for-2025-24-hours-of-le-mans-59749" target="_blank">fastest in Hyperpole at the 93rd 24 Hours of Le Mans</a>. Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA was determined to improve on its French showing by converting pole into victory. From the first hour of the race, the two American prototypes impressively took control of proceedings ahead of the Hypercar pack.

After 242 laps, the #12 Cadillac took the chequered flag ahead of the #38. Between them the two sister cars had led for 165 laps, highlighting the technical and strategic domination that they had held over the field. Stevens soon showed the competitiveness of the V-Series.R around the demanding 4.409-km Interlagos circuit by clocking the fastest mark (1:24.498) on just the third lap of the race.

<h2>A historic FIA WEC one-two</h2>

This was Cadillac&rsquo;s first victory at the pinnacle of world endurance. Since it joined the Hypercar ranks in 2023, the American manufacturer had never been higher than the third step of the podium, achieved at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in its d&eacute;but campaign. This time, the Cadillac V-Series.R went to the very top. 
The one-two accomplished in S&atilde;o Paulo is also a first for an American manufacturer in the WEC&rsquo;s top class. A feat hailed by John Roth, Global Vice President of Cadillac. &ldquo;Every member of the team can be very proud of their efforts on preparing the racecar for success, from both a technology and durability standpoint,&rdquo; he said

Lining up in Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA&rsquo;s official colours for the first time this season, JOTA is celebrating 25 years of racing in 2025. This victory in Brazil confirms that the team is now a leading figure in the Hypercar class. After winning the TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps with a Porsche 963 last season and finishing just outside the Le Mans podium places last month, the background work is beginning to pay dividends.

Lynn, who has long been heavily involved in the development of the V-Series.R, enjoyed the weekend&rsquo;s success. &ldquo;Honestly, this is now year number three of me racing this car and year number four of driving it,&rdquo; he recalled. &ldquo;Personally, it&#39;s a huge sense of satisfaction. It&#39;s been a huge journey with Cadillac and to finally win a race of the WEC Championship is special. It&#39;s been a lot of hours driving the car and a lot of hours working on it and it means everything.&rdquo;

<h2>Now for Austin</h2>

The Brazilian one-two has undoubtedly boosted Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA&rsquo;s confidence levels going into the next round. The FIA WEC will resume business on 5 September at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. A symbolic meeting for the American carmaker who will be doubly determined to show its home crowd that the performance in Brazil was no flash in the pan. &ldquo;A goal for this year was to obviously make sure we win a race,&rdquo; said Stevens, &ldquo;but we have even bigger aspirations to keep on winning races and tick off the big boxes that we want to take in this programme.&rdquo;

Cadillac&rsquo;s one-two at the Rolex 6 Hours of S&atilde;o Paulo takes it up to second place in the FIA Hypercar World Endurance Manufacturers&rsquo; Championship.&nbsp; The gap to the leader Ferrari is 55 points, with Porsche a further nine points adrift. 
In the FIA Endurance Trophy for LMGT3 teams, despite the win for the #87 Lexus of Akkodis ASP Team, Manthey 1ST Phorm (#92 Porsche) tops the standings by 13 points from Vista AF Corse (#21 Ferrari).

Race Highlights | Rolex 6 Hours of São Paulo 2025 | FIA WEC

FIA WEC : ce qu'il faut retenir des Rolex 6 Heures de São Paulo

Maiden FIA WEC victory for the Cadillac V-Series.R at São Paulo

With more than 8,000 participants and 16 million points collected at the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Impact Challenge is a hugely successful and innovative initiative returning in 2026.

Launched during the&nbsp;93rd&nbsp;24 Hours of Le&nbsp;Mans, the Impact Challenge delivered on all its potential.&nbsp;Designed to offer spectators an&nbsp;entertaining, interactive and safe experience, this one-of-a-kind&nbsp;challenge has thoroughly won over fans. With more than&nbsp;8,000 participants, 205,000 QR codes scanned and&nbsp;16 million&nbsp;points collected, the Impact Challenge has already skyrocketed to the top of spectator to-do lists. More importantly,&nbsp;&euro;12,000 were donated to the M&eacute;c&eacute;nat Chirurgie Cardiaque association to benefit&nbsp;children with heart defects from disadvantaged countries to be welcomed and treated in France.

<h4>Impressive stats</h4>

<ul>
	<li>8,000+ active participants</li>
	<li>205,000 QR codes scanned at the circuit</li>
	<li>16 million&nbsp;points collected</li>
	<li>4,000 lots distributed</li>
	<li>&euro;12,000 donated to&nbsp;M&eacute;c&eacute;nat Chirurgie Cardiaque thanks to unused&nbsp;points</li>
	<li>61 partners mobilised</li>
	<li>14 restaurateurs involved</li>
</ul>

<h2>Enhancing&nbsp;the&nbsp;Spectator&nbsp;Experience</h2>

From Tuesday 1 June to&nbsp;when the chequered flag was waved on Sunday&nbsp;15 June, participants&nbsp;could collect points by completing as many missions as possible at&nbsp;the circuit.

The missions:&nbsp;participate in EngageMans quizzes, answer questions on partner spaces by scanning a QR code or carry out proposed activities. For each mission, spectators collected&nbsp;points&nbsp;to win special&nbsp;prizes (VIP concert passes,&nbsp;private tours of competing team garages, a ride over the circuit in the&nbsp;Goodyear blimp, a NEOMOUV electric bike and more).

<h2>A Group Effort</h2>

The success of the Impact Challenge is due&nbsp;to a&nbsp;massive commitment on the part of&nbsp;partners of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, namely TotalEnergies, Michelin, Motul, Goodyear, Bosch, DHL, Brembo, MMA, Kronembourg, Milwaukee, Paprec, Nestl&eacute; Waters, Alpine Hearing Protection and&nbsp;Bordeau Chesnel, as well as&nbsp;constructors like Alpine, BMW, Ferrari, Genesis, Peugeot, Porsche and&nbsp;Toyota.

The initiative was also supported by media outlets such as&nbsp;Ouest-France, Le Journal de Mickey, RTL2, L&rsquo;&Eacute;quipe,&nbsp;Au F&eacute;minin;&nbsp;charity partners like Les Restos du C&oelig;ur, la Ligue contre le cancer, MCC and more;&nbsp;training organisations such as ACO Formation, ANFA and&nbsp;SAMJI; and&nbsp;14 restaurateurs at the&nbsp;circuit.

<h2>Rendez-vous in 2026</h2>

On the back of this wildly successful first edition, the Impact Challenge is already on the programme for the 94th&nbsp;24 Hours of Le&nbsp;Mans on&nbsp;10-14 July&nbsp;2026!

The Impact Challenge a massive success at this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans

During the Rolex 6 Hours of Sao Paulo, a conference dedicated to hydrogen and the decarbonization of racing brought together Pierre Fillon, President of the ACO and Co-President of MissionH24; Marek Nawarecki, FIA Senior Circuit Sport Director; Kazuki Nakajima, Vice President of Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe; Bruno Famin, Director of Motorsport for Alpine; and Philippe Tramond, Technical Director of Michelin Motorsport. Journalists, partners, and spectators were able to attend this presentation of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the FIA WEC's strategy for a zero-CO2 emission competition.

As the model of the <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/the-h24evo-is-revealed-58765" target="_blank">H24EVO, the latest MissionH24 prototype</a>, a program developed in collaboration between the Automobile Club de l&#39;Ouest and H24Project, sits in the front row of the conference room, the tone is set from the outset. With qualifying for the 5th round of the FIA WEC taking place in a few hours, hydrogen will monopolize the attention for a few moments, in order to present the future of Endurance; From 2028, hydrogen prototypes will be able to participate in endurance events, competing with conventional combustion engine machines, while releasing no CO2 emissions from the exhausts!

Decarbonizing racing and mobility is the mission carried out by the ACO, represented by Pierre Fillon, and the FIA, by Marek Nawarecki. &quot;It&#39;s the DNA of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the FIA World Endurance Championship,&quot; explains Pierre Fillon. &quot;First, we reduced fuel consumption by almost 50% with hybrids. Today, hydrogen, which is one of the solutions and not the solution, allows us to introduce machines with the same autonomy and pit stops, similar to those of conventional combustion engine cars, but with zero CO2 emissions.&quot; 
&#39;&#39;For the FIA, participating in this energy transition, or I would even say, in this diversification of energies, is important. We are working with the ACO on the regulations to introduce liquid hydrogen. The work is well underway, since last June, we validated a regulatory basis, including safety conditions, for future categories. The role of the FIA is to take into account the state of the art in the development of hydrogen and to create the relevant regulations, with the ACO and interested manufacturers. Hydrogen will be a testing ground for sport but also for mobility.&#39;&#39;

As proof of the progress of the work carried out by the ACO, the FIA and the manufacturers, prototypes are already running, such as Alpine&#39;s Alpenglow Hy6, or the Toyota GR Corolla H2 with liquid hydrogen. The latter &quot;participated in the 24 Hours of Fuji last May, in the hands of Akio Toyoda (president of Toyota), among others,&quot; explains Kazuki Nakajima, vice-president of Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe. &quot;It did not experience any major problems during the event. We were able to improve the refueling system. These are crucial points for deploying hydrogen, a technology that already exists, and which is promising for competition and mobility. It&#39;s a great challenge, to be met together.&quot;

At the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans, <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/toyota-reveals-liquid-hydrogen-gr-lh2-racing-concept-at-2025-24-hours-of-le-mans-59729" target="_blank">Toyota Gazoo Racing presented the GR LH2 Racing Concept</a>, an endurance-oriented prototype, and announced a partnership with MissionH24, concerning the aerodynamics and cooling of the future H24EVO, a prototype using a fuel cell. For both Toyota Gazoo Racing and Alpine Racing, the choice of the hydrogen combustion engine was retained: &quot;Hydrogen is an interesting solution, it complements all-electric,&quot; says Bruno Famin, director of competition for Alpine. In the Alpenglow, hydrogen powers a combustion engine, which requires a specific combustion process and a dedicated storage and filling system. The advantage of the combustion engine? It remains a combustion engine with all its sensations, noise, and vibration, but beyond this passion aspect, there is a real technical interest in this engine, which requires a lot of torque and is therefore suited to the demands of a racing car as well as certain utility vehicles for mobility.&quot;

Last June, on the legendary 13.6 km circuit, the Alpenglow Hy6 completed several demonstrations, recording a speed of 313 km/h in the Mulsanne Hills. A challenge for the tires? Philippe Tramond, technical director of Michelin motorsport, responds: &quot;The forces generated by these vehicles, heavier at first, are different and represent a real challenge for the tire. We contribute by providing simulations, then more precise models to help build the vehicle. We are offering new tires, such as the 71%, made from 71% recycled or renewable elements. They will have the properties worthy of a racing tire, respectful of the planet.&quot;

Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l&#39;Ouest and Co-President of MissionH24, underscores the reality of this challenge, initiated in 2018: &quot;We need to decarbonize racing. Our mission is to bring hydrogen to competition with mobility applications. It&#39;s about producing green hydrogen, studying the entire production chain, storage, and more. We&#39;re living in an extremely exciting time. We&#39;re preparing the future for future generations.&quot;

To complement this presentation, H2 animations were offered to the public at the Sao Paulo circuit.

Hydrogen in Endurance Racing in Brazil

Experienced Le Mans driver Olivier Panis has no plans to race for his team, preferring instead to leave the spot for the upcoming talent that driver manager Renaud Derlot will be scouting. 
	Panis-Barthez Comp&eacute;tition will be relying on Tech 1 Racing for technical aspects and overall running of the car. Simon and Sarah Abadie&rsquo;s outfit has a remarkable record in launching careers in single-seaters. The late Jules Bianchi and Red Bull Racing driver Daniel Ricciardo both started out with them. Panis&rsquo; son Aur&eacute;lien is currently racing in Formula Renault 3.5 with Tech 1 Racing and hoping to make a name for himself.

	Barthez will not be giving up his seat for anyone and will surely enjoy stepping up from a GT to a prototype. He raced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2014, finishing ninth in LM GTE Am with a Ferrari 458 Italia. The goalkeeper-turned-racing-driver is not entirely unfamiliar with prototypes, having driven a Formula Le Mans at the Le Mans 24 Hours Test Day in 2012. 
	Panis-Barthez Comp&eacute;tition have a three-year plan but will be hoping to receive an invitation to the 24 Hours of Le Mans early next year.

	C&eacute;cile Bonardel / ACO &mdash; Translated from French by Emma Paulay 
	&nbsp;

24H LE MANS

ELMS - Olivier Panis and Fabien Barthez found an LM P2 team

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