TOYOTA GAZOO Racing’s two Toyota GR010 Hybrids have yet to relinquish the reins of the race. The two Hypercars have routinely clocked laps under 3:30.00. The #8 shared by Sébastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima and Brendon Hartley is leading the #7 driven by Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and José María López. The gap between the two cars is around 20 seconds. After leaving the track at the first Mulsanne chicane, Alpine Elf Matmut’s #36 Alpine A480-Gibson made up time and is currently in third position overall after a stunning duel with the #708 Glickenhaus 007 LMH. The prototype shared by Nicolas Lapierre, André Negrão and Matthieu Vaxivière trails the #8 Toyota by three laps.

Team WRT’s two ORECA 07-Gibsons held onto the top two spots in the LMP2 class. The #31 of trio Frijns/Habsburg/Milesi, fourth overall, was leading the #41 entrusted to Kubica/Delétraz/Yifei Ye, with less than 10 seconds separating the two prototypes. “We’re working two cars and intend on playing it smart and keeping this pace,” explained Louis Delétraz. The United Autosports USA team’s #22 ORECA 07-Gibson rounded out the top 3 with Panis Racing’s #65 ORECA 07-Gibson breathing down its neck.

The race was just as intense in LMGTE Pro with the top 5 in the same lap. AF Corse’s #51 Ferrari 488 GTE Evo held the lead, but Alessandro Pier Guidi/James Calado/Côme Ledogar were focused on maintaining their distance with Corvette Racing’s #63 Corvette C8.R and the #52 Ferrari 488 GTE Evo.

At 02:25, WeatherTech Racing’s #79 Porsche 911 RSR-19 driven by Cooper MacNeil left the track and hit the wall at the Ford chicane. The American driver managed to make it back to pit lane with a very damaged car.

Two Ferrari 488 GTE Evos ran into some trouble in the LMGTE Am class. JMW Motorsports’ #66 fell victim to a dust-up with Racing Team Nederland’s #29 ORECA 07-Gibson. Due to gearbox troubles, the driver was unable to return the car to its garage. Then the #57 stalled on the track, billowing smoke, at the Tertre Rouge corner. However, AF Corse’s #83 Ferrari remained in the lead with a one-minute advance on TF Sport's #33 Aston Martin Vantage AMR (the LMGTE Am defending champion at the 24 Hours). Iron Lynx's #80 Ferrari 488 GTE Evo was in third position. 

Photos of nighttime at Le Mans:

Retirements

• #32 ORECA 07-Gibson – United Autosports (track exit)
• #98 Aston Martin Vantage AMR – Aston Martin Racing (track exit)
• #99 Porsche 911 RSR-19 – Proton Racing (broken right rear axle)
• #1 ORECA 07-Gibson – Richard Mille Racing (accident)
• #47 Ferrari 488 GTE Evo – Cetilar Racing (track exit)
• #66 Ferrari 488 GTE Evo – JMW Motorsport (gearbox)
• #25 Aurus 01-Gibson – G-Drive Racing (track exit)
• #56 Porsche 911 RSR-19 – Team Project 1 (track exit)
• #55 Ferrari 488 GTE Evo – Spirit Of Race (track exit)
• #79 Porsche 911 RSR-19 – WeatherTech Racing (track exit)
• #46 Porsche 911 RSR-19 – Team Project 1 (track exit)
• #57 Ferrari 488 GTE Evo – Kessel Racing (engine problem)