The #12 Cadillac surged to a comfortable lead on the two‑thirds point of the Le Mans 24 Hours, with Toyota and BMW following close behind for second.
Cadillac dominance surges ahead
In the 14th hour, both Jota‑run factory Cadillacs vaulted to the front after a strategic pit stop that out‑maneuvered the former frontrunner, #8 Toyota GR010 Hybrid. The #38 Cadillac, which had held second place overnight, suffered a power‑steering failure after 4 a.m., forcing two unscheduled pit runs and forcing Jota to retire the car just before the 16th hour deadline.
Will Stevens’ sister car, the #12 Cadillac, currently leads by over 45 seconds, whilst the #8 Toyota TR010 Hybrid has reclaimed second after a chaotic night that also saw Brendon Hartley’s podium cut when he ran off at Mulsanne corner in the 10th hour.
Following a safety‑car restart at the 10th hour, Hartley briefly regained the top spot. He was forced round after a Full Course Yellow infringement cut tracking time and subsequently lost the lead when pit stops followed a lengthy FCY.
Toyota and BMW duel for the runner‑up spot
After Hartley’s loss, the #8 Toyota lost further minutes to a pit‑stop mix‑up, while the #20 BMW M Hybrid V8 drew close. Sheldon van der Linde closed to the Kiwi’s time, but the Toyota maintained a slight advantage as yellow‑flag conditions played out.
The #7 Toyota, now in fourth with Nyck de Vries behind the wheel, has been edged out by the factory #51 Ferrari, which sits at the head of the two Alpine A424s. Wayne Taylor Racing’s #101 Cadillac lagged nearly three minutes behind the leaders in eighth after two FCY penalty impacts.
Mid‑field drama in LMP2
In LMP2, the #30 Duqueine Oreca 07 established a 90‑second cushion over the Inter Europol cars early in the day. Proton secured fourth with Harry King at the helm of the #9, while Enzo Trulli’s Algarve Pro Oreca stalled twice on the track and caused the first FCY for Gen‑sis. Dane Cameron spun the TF car at Indianapolis, and Porsche’s Kevin Estre hit the barriers at the same venue after a missed kerb with the #14 TDS Oreca.
Proton’s drives remained steady, maintaining fourth place throughout the night’s furthest rhythm.
LMGT3: Corvette claims top spot
The #33 TF Sport Corvette Z06 GT3.R, driven by Nicky Catsburg, broke into the front row during the night, building a 90‑second lead over the #78 ASP Lexus RC F GT3, which sits second. The pole‑sitting #27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 slipped to third by the close of the alert bell.
Defending champion Manthey Porsche holds fourth with Ayhancan Guven in the #91 911 GT3 R, while the second ASP Lexus entered the lead group before a drive‑through penalty for a collision with the Kessel Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 took them out of contention.
Race‑day closing moments
The overnight turbulence left the #38 Cadillac unrecoverable, with Jota’s retirement closing the gap for the #12. Meanwhile, the Toyota’s full‑course yellow penalty allowed the BMW to keep a sliver ahead as the race surged toward its final hour.
All remaining leaders brace for the crunch of the final laps, as the two factory Cadillacs set sights on a commanding finish while the Toyota and BMW huddle for any late‑race surprise.
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