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Motorsport

Le Mans 24 Hours: Toyota tops second practice after Kubica Ferrari loses best time

Ferrari Toyota Porsche Le Mans (Facility) BMW Cadillac AF Corse Aston Martin Jose Maria Lopez Robert Kubica

Toyota ended up fastest in second free practice for the Le Mans 24 Hours after the customer AF Corse 499P Le Mans Hypercar lost its best time for pitlane speeding.

Sebastien Buemi sat second in the Free Practice 2 classification for this weekend’s double-points round of the World Endurance Championship until the fastest time set by Robert Kubica was scrubbed out as the chequered flag fell.

Kubica had been a second clear after posting a 3m25.101s, which compared with Buemi’s 3m26.156s aboard the #8 Toyota GR010 HYBRID LMH, before losing all his times for the pitlane infraction.

There was further drama after the chequered flag fell at midnight when the #8 Toyota with Ryo Hirakawa at the wheel had a coming together with the Kessel Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 driven by Casper Stevenson on the exit of the Porsche Curves.

Buemi’s lap set at the start of the two-hour night session gave him a margin of nearly half a second over the #12 Jota Cadillac V-Series.R in second position.

Norman Nato posted a 3m26.607s in the American car in which Alex Lynn had earlier topped the times in opening qualifying.

The yellow AF Corse Ferrari ended up third with a 3m26.680s from Yifei Ye after the deletion of Kubica’s times.

A late improvement from Pascal Wehrlein propelled the best of the factory Porsche 963 LMDhs up to fourth.

His 3m26.748s just shaded Miguel Molina’s 3m26.809s in the #50 factory Ferrari.

#15 BMW M Team WRT BMW M Hybrid V8: Dries Vanthoor, Raffaele Marciello, Kevin Magnussen (Photo by: Rainier Ehrhardt)

Raffaele Marciello vaulted up the order in the closing stages with a sequence of fast laps: he got down to a 3m27.193s aboard the #15 WRT BMW M Hybrid V8 LMDh.

That just shaded Michael Christensen’s 3m27.204s in the second Porsche Penske Motorsport entry to take sixth.

Sheldon van der Linde took eighth in the sister BMW with a 3m27.254s set early on in the session.

Earl Bamber was another late improver in the #38 Jota Cadillac with a 3m27.285s to go ninth.

The chequered flag had already fallen when Alessandro Pier Guidi stopped the clock on 3m27.332s to sneak into the top 10 in the second of the factory Ferraris.

The AO by TF ORECA in which Louis Deletraz posted fastest time in first qualifying maintained its position at the head of the LMP2 order with Dane Cameron.

He posted a 3m37.515s to end up more than a second clear of United Autosports driver Pietro Fittipaldi, who had initially led the way with a 3m38.644s.

Third fastest in class went to Tom Blomqvist in the CLX-PureRxcing ORECA, which was less than a tenth further back.

#87 Akkodis ASP Team Lexus RC F LMGT3: Petru Umbrarescu, Jose Maria Lopez, Clemens Schmid (Photo by: Alexander Trienitz)

Lexus returned to the top of the times in LMGT3 with the Auto Sport Promotion team’s two professional drivers at the wheel.

Jose Maria Lopez and Jack Hawksworth ended up separated by just seven hundredths in the two RC F GT3s.

Lopez’s 3m55.422s gave him a margin of half a second over third-placed Richard Lietz in the best of the Manthey Porsche 911 GT3-Rs.

Only 60 cars took part in the session: the #63 Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG GT3 crashed by Stephen Grove in opening practice was still undergoing repairs and the #33 TF Sport Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R didn’t run as a result of gearbox issues.

The Le Mans field will return to the track for third free practice at 14:45 on Thursday, with the two Hyperpole rounds of qualifying kicking off at 20:00.

FP3 result:

1 - 2
Cla	Team	#	Drivers	Car	Laps	Time	Interval	km/h
1	Toyota Racing HYPERCAR	8	S. Buemi B. Hartley R. Hirakawa	Toyota GR010 - Hybrid	28	3'26.156		237.944
2	Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA HYPERCAR	12	W. Stevens N. Nato A. Lynn	Cadillac V-Series.R	28	+0.451 3'26.607	0.451	237.424
3	AF Corse HYPERCAR	83	R. Kubica Y. Yifei P. Hanson	Ferrari 499P	25	+0.524 3'26.680	0.073	237.340
4	PORSCHE PENSKE MOTORSPORT HYPERCAR	4	F. Nasr N. Tandy P. Wehrlein	Porsche 963	23	+0.592 3'26.748	0.068	237.262
5	FERRARI AF CORSE HYPERCAR	50	A. Fuoco N. Nielsen M. Molina	Ferrari 499P	28	+0.653 3'26.809	0.061	237.192
6	BMW M Team WRT HYPERCAR	15	D. Vanthoor R. Marciello K. Magnussen	BMW M Hybrid V8	27	+1.037 3'27.193	0.384	236.753
7	PORSCHE PENSKE MOTORSPORT HYPERCAR	5	J. Andlauer M. Christensen M. Jaminet	Porsche 963	23	+1.048 3'27.204	0.011	236.740
8	BMW M Team WRT HYPERCAR	20	R. Rast R. Frijns S. Van Der Linde	BMW M Hybrid V8	26	+1.098 3'27.254	0.050	236.683
9	Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA HYPERCAR	38	E. Bamber S. Bourdais J. Button	Cadillac V-Series.R	28	+1.129 3'27.285	0.031	236.648
10	FERRARI AF CORSE HYPERCAR	51	A. Pier Guidi J. Calado A. Giovinazzi	Ferrari 499P	24	+1.176 3'27.332	0.047	236.594
11	PEUGEOT TOTALENERGIES HYPERCAR	93	P. di Resta M. Jensen J. Vergne	Peugeot 9X8	28	+1.208 3'27.364	0.032	236.557
12	Alpine Endurance Team HYPERCAR	35	P. Chatin F. Habsburg C. Milesi	Alpine A424	26	+1.479 3'27.635	0.271	236.249
13	Aston Martin THOR Team HYPERCAR	009	A. Riberas M. Sorensen R. De Angelis	Aston Martin Valkyrie	27	+1.628 3'27.784	0.149	236.079
14	Toyota Racing HYPERCAR	7	M. Conway K. Kobayashi N. de Vries	Toyota GR010 - Hybrid	28	+1.634 3'27.790	0.006	236.072
15	Cadillac Whelen HYPERCAR	311	J. Aitken F. Drugovich F. Vesti	Cadillac V-Series.R	25	+1.818 3'27.974	0.184	235.864
16	Proton Competition HYPERCAR	99	N. Jani N. Pino N. Varrone	Porsche 963	22	+2.190 3'28.346	0.372	235.442
17	Aston Martin THOR Team HYPERCAR	007	H. Tincknell T. Gamble R. Gunn	Aston Martin Valkyrie	24	+2.244 3'28.400	0.054	235.381
18	Alpine Endurance Team HYPERCAR	36	M. Schumacher F. Makowiecki J. Gounon	Alpine A424	27	+2.295 3'28.451	0.051	235.324
19	PEUGEOT TOTALENERGIES HYPERCAR	94	L. Duval M. Jakobsen S. Vandoorne	Peugeot 9X8	24	+2.374 3'28.530	0.079	235.235
20	Cadillac WTR HYPERCAR	101	R. Taylor J. Taylor F. Albuquerque	Cadillac V-Series.R	25	+2.753 3'28.909	0.379	234.808
21	PORSCHE PENSKE MOTORSPORT HYPERCAR	6	K. Estre L. Vanthoor M. Campbell	Porsche 963	20	+3.386 3'29.542	0.633	234.099
22	AO by TF LMP2	199	P. Hyett D. Cameron L. Deletraz	Oreca 07	26	+11.359 3'37.515	7.973	225.518
23	United Autosports LMP2	22	R. van der Zande P. Fittipaldi D. Heinemeier Hansson	Oreca 07	25	+12.488 3'38.644	1.129	224.353
24	CLX Pure Rxcing LMP2	37	A. Malykhin T. Blomqvist T. Vautier	Oreca 07	24	+12.564 3'38.720	0.076	224.275
25	TDS Racing LMP2	29	R. Sales M. Beche C. Novalak	Oreca 07	25	+12.819 3'38.975	0.255	224.014
26	VDS Panis Racing LMP2	48	O. Gray E. Masson F. Perera	Oreca 07	27	+12.841 3'38.997	0.022	223.992
27	AF Corse LMP2	183	F. Perrodo M. Vaxiviere A. Felix da Costa	Oreca 07	26	+13.204 3'39.360	0.363	223.621
28	NIELSEN RACING LMP2	24	N. Rao C. Bolukbasi C. Braun	Oreca 07	24	+13.366 3'39.522	0.162	223.456
29	Algarve Pro Racing Team LMP2	25	M. Kaiser L. Fluxá T. Pourchaire	Oreca 07	26	+13.403 3'39.559	0.037	223.418
30	Iron Lynx - Proton LMP2	9	J. Ried M. Capietto R. de Gerus	Oreca 07	26	+13.404 3'39.560	0.001	223.417
31	INTER EUROPOL COMPETITION LMP2	43	J. Smiechowski T. Dillmann N. Yelloly	Oreca 07	26	+13.405 3'39.561	0.001	223.416
32	Proton Competition LMP2	11	G. Roda R. Binder B. Viscaal	Oreca 07	26	+13.586 3'39.742	0.181	223.232
33	United Autosports LMP2	23	D. Schneider O. Jarvis B. Hanley	Oreca 07	25	+13.684 3'39.840	0.098	223.133
34	Algarve Pro Racing Team LMP2	45	G. Kurtz N. Catsburg A. Quinn	Oreca 07	24	+13.777 3'39.933	0.093	223.038
35	IDEC SPORT LMP2	28	P. Lafargue J. Van Uitert S. Alvarez	Oreca 07	25	+13.803 3'39.959	0.026	223.012
36	RLR MSport LMP2	16	M. Jensen R. Cullen P. Pilet	Oreca 07	25	+14.335 3'40.491	0.532	222.474
37	IDEC SPORT LMP2	18	J. Chadwick M. Jaubert A. Lotterer	Oreca 07	25	+14.771 3'40.927	0.436	222.035
38	INTER EUROPOL COMPETITION LMP2	34	N. Boulle J. Simmenauer L. Ghiotto	Oreca 07	26	+15.361 3'41.517	0.590	221.443
39	AKKODIS ASP Team LMGT3	87	R. Umbrarescu J. Lopez C. Schmid	Lexus RC F GT3	21	+29.266 3'55.422	13.905	208.364
40	AKKODIS ASP Team LMGT3	78	A. Robin J. Hawksworth F. Gehrsitz	Lexus RC F GT3	20	+29.293 3'55.449	0.027	208.340
41	Manthey 1st Phorm LMGT3	92	R. Hardwick R. Pera R. Lietz	Porsche 911 GT3 R	26	+29.830 3'55.986	0.537	207.866
42	Kessel Racing LMGT3	57	T. Kimura D. Serra C. Stevenson	Ferrari 296 GT3	24	+30.438 3'56.594	0.608	207.332
43	IRON LYNX LMGT3	61	M. Berry L. Hodenius M. Martin	Mercedes AMG GT3	21	+30.757 3'56.913	0.319	207.053
44	Heart of Racing Team LMGT3	27	I. James M. Drudi Z. Robichon	Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3	24	+30.799 3'56.955	0.042	207.016
45	Vista AF Corse LMGT3	21	F. Heriau S. Mann A. Rovera	Ferrari 296 GT3	25	+30.857 3'57.013	0.058	206.965
46	Manthey LMGT3	90	A. Au L. Hartog K. Bachler	Porsche 911 GT3 R	24	+30.980 3'57.136	0.123	206.858
47	Vista AF Corse LMGT3	54	T. Flohr F. Castellacci D. Rigon	Ferrari 296 GT3	25	+31.130 3'57.286	0.150	206.727
48	Ziggo Sport Tempesta LMGT3	193	J. Hui C. Froggatt E. Cheever	Ferrari 296 GT3	25	+31.214 3'57.370	0.084	206.654
49	TEAM WRT LMGT3	46	A. Al Harthy V. Rossi K. van der Linde	BMW M4 GT3	21	+31.249 3'57.405	0.035	206.624
50	Racing Spirit of Leman LMGT3	10	D. DeBoer V. Hasse-Clot D. Barrichello	Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3	23	+31.266 3'57.422	0.017	206.609
51	United Autosports LMGT3	59	J. Cottingham G. Saucy S. Baud	McLaren 720S GT3 Evo	25	+31.416 3'57.572	0.150	206.478
52	Proton Competition LMGT3	77	B. Sousa B. Tuck B. Barker	Ford Mustang GT3	21	+31.880 3'58.036	0.464	206.076
53	RICHARD MILLE AF CORSE LMGT3	150	C. Toledo L. Wadoux R. Agostini	Ferrari 296 GT3	15	+32.130 3'58.286	0.250	205.860
54	United Autosports LMGT3	95	D. Leung S. Gelael M. Sato	McLaren 720S GT3 Evo	17	+32.716 3'58.872	0.586	205.355
55	IRON LYNX LMGT3	60	A. Gilbert L. Nicolas Hanafin F. Rueda	Mercedes AMG GT3	25	+32.740 3'58.896	0.024	205.334
56	AWA LMGT3	13	O. Fidani L. Kern M. Bell	Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R	22	+32.810 3'58.966	0.070	205.274
57	TF Sport LMGT3	81	T. Rompuy R. Andrade C. Eastwood	Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R	25	+32.853 3'59.009	0.043	205.237
58	Proton Competition LMGT3	88	S. Gattuso G. Levorato D. Olsen	Ford Mustang GT3	22	+32.909 3'59.065	0.056	205.189
59	The Bend Team WRT LMGT3	31	Y. Shahin T. Boguslavskiy A. Farfus	BMW M4 GT3	22	+32.985 3'59.141	0.076	205.124
60	IRON DAMES LMGT3	85	C. Martin R. Frey S. Bovy	Porsche 911 GT3 R	25	+33.059 3'59.215	0.074	205.060
61	TF Sport LMGT3	33	B. Keating J. Edgar D. Juncadella	Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R	0
62	IRON LYNX LMGT3	63	S. Grove B. Grove L. Stolz	Mercedes AMG GT3	0
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