Toyota mated at the 24‑hour Terrass 2023, collecting its sixth victory at Le Mans, yet data analysis shows its winning #7 TR010 was not the fastest lap performer behind the whole grid.
Top 60 % Pace Rankings Uncover Toyota #8 as Field Leader
Within the best 60 % of all laps, Toyota #8 posted a 3 :28.059, topping the field. The ranking proceeds as follows:
- Toyota #8 – 3:28.059
- Cadillac #12 – 3:28.294
- BMW #20 – 3:28.377
- Toyota #7 – 3:28.392
- Cadillac #38 – 3:28.593
- Ferrari #51 – 3:28.939
- AF‑Corsè Ferrari #83 – 3:28.987
- Alpine #35 – 3:29.166
- Alpine #36 – 3:29.195
- Ferrari #50 – 3:29.201
- WTR‑Cadillac #101 – 3:29.235
- Genesis #19 – 3:29.271
- BMW #15 – 3:29.512
- Aston Martin #007 – 3:29.660
- Genesis #17 – 3:29.855
- Aston Martin #009 – 3:29.894
- Peugeot #94 – 3:30.925
- Peugeot #93 – 3:31.201
The #7 Toyota suffered an unscheduled early pit stop for a puncture that sent the car into midfield, followed by sensor issues that slowed the hybrid through the remainder of the race. The sister #8 car, despite a penalty and late brake repairs, established the most consistent pace.
Safety Car Rule of 2023 Flattened Gaps, Shifting the Resulted Outcome
The 2023 rule change, which grouped the entire field behind a single safety car, neutralized gaps accumulated earlier. Under earlier regulations, the #7 would likely have remained bundled behind leaders after falling a minute or more. The new rule effectively turned the race into a 24‑hour contest for those that maintained the lead lap.
After the final safety‑car restart on lap 300, the 50 fastest laps per car reflected the dramatic adjustment:
- Toyota #7 – 03:27.260
- Cadillac #12 – 03:27.266
- Toyota #8 – 03:27.471
- BMW #20 – 03:27.471
- AF‑Corsè Ferrari #83 – 03:28.141
- Alpine #35 – 03:28.231
- Alpine #36 – 03:28.507
- Ferrari #51 – 03:28.526
- Aston Martin #007 – 03:28.649
- Aston Martin #009 – 03:28.884
- Genesis #19 – 03:28.951
- WTR‑Cadillac #101 – 03:29.034
- Peugeot #94 – 03:30.059
- Peugeot #93 – 03:30.943
The pace alignment in this sprint mirrored the finish order, with the sole outlier being Cadillac #12, whose time matched the race‑winning Toyota across the final laps.
Catalyst for the Late Surge: Cadillac #12
Cadillac’s #12 entered the sunset‑climbed sector in clutch‑tires, a result of high track temperatures early on. As rubber accrued, the medium‑compound outshone its temporary hard set, producing lap times that rivaled the winning Toyota by a fraction. The late‑race advantage was amplified by tyre strategy: the safety‑car interval granted a free tire change, initiating two double‑stints and a final triple stint that stressed the car between high temperatures of 53 °C.
However, a late Full‑Course Yellow caused the #12 to pit for a short fuel splash before the Yellow ended, losing essential seconds and a potential podium spot.
Team‑Specific Performance Trends
Toyota – The new aerodynamic upgrade of the TR010 Hybrid maximised high‑downforce corners like the Esses and Porsche Curves, keeping a robust top‑speed that most competitors could not match.
BMW – The #20 model demonstrated straight‑line proficiency, nearly matching the benchmark Cadillacs, and sustained an aggressive pace on the final straights. Its #15 counterpart stalled 1.2 s behind the #20, a rise from the 0.4 s advantage seen the previous year, attributed by the team to traffic and fuel mappings.
Alpine – Contrary to practice expectations, the #35 and #36 models saw their pace collapse in micro‑sectors, possibly due to heat strains or post‑launch Balance of Performance penalties that remain undisclosed.
Ferrari – The AF‑Corsè #83 reclaimed the front after the final safety‑car, but a missed stop before the Yellow pushed it two positions behind Alpine #35.
Genesis – As first‑time entrants, the #19 and #17 achieved respectable lap times, with the #19 topping the top‑10 % fastest‑lap list.
Aston Martin – The Valkyrie suffered from aerodynamic drag, lagging in the final straight, yet delivered sharp corner exits comparable to Cadillac.
Peugeot – Consistently occupying the bottom of micro‑sector times, the duos led to a clear need for next‑season upgrades.
Top‑10 % Fastest Lap Distribution
The elite ten per cent of laps highlighted the dominant contenders:
- Toyota #7 – 3:26.527
- Cadillac #12 – 3:26.603
- Toyota #8 – 3:26.613
- BMW #20 – 3:26.907
- Cadillac #38 – 3:27.169
- AF‑Corsè Ferrari #83 – 3:27.522
- Ferrari #51 – 3:27.576
- Alpine #36 – 3:27.612
- BMW #15 – 3:27.622
- Alpine #35 – 3:27.641
- Ferrari #50 – 3:27.769
- Aston Martin #009 – 3:27.794
- Cadillac #101 – 3:27.836
- Aston Martin #007 – 3:27.890
- Genesis #19 – 3:28.174
- Genesis #17 – 3:28.679
- Peugeot #94 – 3:29.509
- Peugeot #93 – 3:29.829
Margin of Victory and Historical Context
The 10.913‑second gap to the #8 Toyota dwarfed the 13.854 s margin seen in 2011, a record that stands as the third‑closest finish in Le Mans history. These seconds were carved within a race whose final hours became effectively a five‑hour sprint, thanks in part to the late safety‑car intervention.
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