The new generation Ford GT was unveiled the day before the start of the 83rd edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans this year by the American manufacturer - who will make its return to the 24 Hours in 2016, 50 years after the first of its four consecutive wins at Le Mans.

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Le Mans Series

24 Heures du Mans

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The wait is over! This weekend, the Aston Martin Valkyrie roared onto the track for its official début at the FIA WEC Prologue, held over two days at the Lusail International Circuit in Qatar. Set to compete in the Hypercar class for the 2025 season, the British manufacturer’s entry turned heads with its unmistakeable growl, courtesy of its naturally-aspirated V12 engine.

Running under the banner of Aston Martin THOR Racing, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/aston-martin-thor-team-unveils-valkyrie-livery-59319" target="_blank">two Valkyrie cars</a>&nbsp;racked up 549 laps combined, equal to 1835 miles, providing the British squad with crucial data to fine-tune their Hypercar for the upcoming season. This was a defining moment for Aston Martin, as it marked the first time both of its cars were in action simultaneously at an official test session.

In terms of speed, the #007 driven by &nbsp;Harry Tincknell,&nbsp;Tom Gamble&nbsp;and&nbsp;Ross Gunn&nbsp;logged the 15th fastest time (1:41.089), 2.1 seconds off the pace set by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/stellar-showing-for-bmw-m-team-wrt-at-the-2025-fia-wec-prologue-59368" target="_blank">#20 BMW, which topped the timesheets.</a> The #009, piloted by Alex Riberas,&nbsp;Marco S&oslash;rensen&nbsp;and&nbsp;Roman De Angelis&nbsp;came in 17th with a time of 1:41.353. While these results reflect the team&rsquo;s ongoing learning curve, they highlight the Valkyrie&rsquo;s significant potential and the progress already made.

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&nbsp;

<h2>Building momentum</h2>

&ldquo;Two days of solid testing here in Qatar with the Valkyrie for the @fiawec_official prologue in the books&hellip; Big steps forward, and now it&rsquo;s time to gear up for FP1 on Wednesday! Let&rsquo;s keep learning and pushing forward,&rdquo;&nbsp;said Tom Gamble on social media following the Prologue. Ross Gunn, too, expressed his excitement to be back behind the wheel of the Valkyrie, emphasising the team&rsquo;s pride in the car&rsquo;s progress.

Aston Martin THOR Racing&rsquo;s long-term goal is clear:&nbsp;to see the Valkyrie fighting for victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and in the FIA WEC. For now, however, the learning process continues. On Friday 28 February, the British team will face its first true competitive test at the 1,812&nbsp;km Qatar race, the 2025 FIA WEC season opener. In the days leading up to the event, the team will be tweaking its settings in the practice and qualifying sessions.

A huge challenge lies ahead, but Aston Martin&rsquo;s ambitions are a worthy match for the legend of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Aston Martin Valkyrie makes its first official outing at the FIA WEC Prologue in Qatar

The annual Prologue, held this year at Lusail International Circuit in Qatar, gave teams the opportunity for final prep ahead of the Qatar 1812 km season opener on 26-28 February. BMW let out quite a battle cry by clocking the fastest time of the two days of testing thanks to Robin Frijns at the wheel of the #20 BMW M Hybrid V8 entered by BMW M Team WRT.

Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA seemed on excellent footing after a&nbsp;decisive first day, then&nbsp;S&eacute;bastien Bourdais finished the second day at the top of the timesheet before an unfortunate error&nbsp;led to a spin-out. Back on the track, he managed to&nbsp;place&nbsp;the #38&nbsp;Cadillac V-Series.R in the lead until the determined attack&nbsp;by&nbsp;Robin Frijns.

The Dutch driver showcased the power of the Bavarian hybrid V8 and beat Bourdais&#39; result&nbsp;by&nbsp;0:145, scoring the fastest time of the Prologue (1:38.971). The final classification proved&nbsp;the parity between the competitors: BMW, Cadillac and&nbsp;Ferrari took the top six spots, and all cars finished under the previous track record.

<h2>Toyota and&nbsp;Alpine in the Fight,&nbsp;Porsche Trailing</h2>

Behind that trio of&nbsp;constructors, Alpine and&nbsp;Toyota also demonstrated great competitiveness, finishing&nbsp;within less than six tenths of&nbsp;the best&nbsp;time.&nbsp;Toyota&#39;s #7 and #8&nbsp;GR010 Hybrid covered&nbsp;402 and&nbsp;390 laps respectively (more than&nbsp;2,000 km each)!

On the other hand, Porsche Penske Motorsport navigated&nbsp;a challenging&nbsp;Prologue. The #6&nbsp;Porsche 963 was forced to submit to an engine change after having dominated the third testing session. There are still high expectations for the German carmaker,&nbsp;fully expected to bounce back at&nbsp;the first round of the season.

<h4>Prologue top 5 overall:</h4>

1. #20 BMW M Hybrid V8 &ndash; BMW M Team WRT &ndash; 1:38.971 
2. #38 Cadillac V-Series.R&nbsp;&ndash; Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA &ndash; 1:39.116 
3. #83 Ferrari 499P&nbsp;&ndash; AF Corse &ndash; 1:39.141 
4. #15 BMW M Hybrid V8&nbsp;&ndash; BMW M Team WRT &ndash; 1:39.253 
5. #12 Cadillac V-Series.R&nbsp;&ndash; Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA &ndash; 1:39.296

<h4>Top 5 cars with the most lap:</h4>

1. #7 Toyota GR010 Hybrid &ndash; TOYOTA GAZOO&nbsp;Racing &ndash; 402 laps (2,162.7 km) 
2. #8 Toyota GR010 Hybrid &ndash; TOYOTA GAZOO&nbsp;Racing &ndash; 390 laps (2,098.2 km) 
3. #51&nbsp;Ferrari 499P&nbsp;&ndash; Ferrari AF Corse &ndash; 362 laps (1,947.5 km) 
4. #50 Ferrari 499P&nbsp;&ndash; Ferrari AF Corse &ndash; 360 laps (1,936.8 km) 
5. #15 BMW M Hybrid V8&nbsp;&ndash; BMW M Team WRT &ndash; 355 laps (1,909.9)

<h2>LMGT3: Ferrari dominates, Aston Martin and&nbsp;Corvette on its Heels</h2>

In the&nbsp;LMGT3 class, Vista AF Corse&#39;s&nbsp;Ferrari 296 LMGT3 led the charge. The Italian team&#39;s two cars claimed&nbsp;the top places with a tiny gap of 0.002 between them!

They were followed very closely behind by The Heart of Racing&#39;s #27 Aston Martin Vantage AMR LMGT3, TF Sport&#39;s #33&nbsp;Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R and Akkodis ASP Team&#39;s&nbsp;#33 Lexus RC F LMGT3. Only 0.02 seconds separated the five cars, paving the way for breathtaking intensity&nbsp;throughout the season.

<h4>LMGT3 top 5:</h4>

1. #21 Ferrari 296 LMGT3&nbsp;&ndash; Vista AF Corse &ndash; 1:54.790 
2. #54 Ferrari 296 LMGT3&nbsp;&ndash; Vista AF Corse &ndash; 1:54.810 
3. #27 Aston Martin Vantage AMR LMGT3 &ndash; The Heart of Racing&nbsp;&ndash; 1:54.939 
4. #33 Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R&nbsp;&ndash; TF Sport &ndash; 1:54.957 
5. #78 Lexus RC F LMGT3&nbsp;&ndash; Akkodis ASP Team &ndash; 1:54.987

The&nbsp;36 cars covered more than&nbsp;12,000 km over the course of the two testing days. In the wake of&nbsp;these final preparations, all focus is now on the <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/fia-wec-2025-qatar-1812km-set-to-ignite-explosive-season-59344">Qatar 1812 km</a>, the kickoff of the 2025&nbsp;championship&nbsp;and one thing is certain,&nbsp;it promises to be more competitive than ever! 
 
For more info, go to the official&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fiawec.com/en/" target="_blank">FIA WEC website</a>.

Stellar showing for BMW M Team WRT at the 2025 FIA WEC Prologue

After unveiling the headline acts for the midweek concerts, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest can now announce the full programme of live music for the 93rd 24 Hours of Le Mans (11–15 June 2025).

As already revealed, leading French recording artists Eddy de Pretto and Pascal Obispo will be on stage to thrill the crowds on Wednesday and Thursday. We&rsquo;ll then head into the weekend&rsquo;s programme with a unique mix of ageless icons and contemporary talent guaranteeing unforgettable performances!

<h2> 
Friday 13 June 2025</h2>

<ul>
	<li>from 20:00 :&nbsp;KUNGS</li>
</ul>

Kungs is a French DJ, record producer and musician. His track&nbsp;This Girl&nbsp;was an international hit in 2016. His successful debut album&nbsp;Layers&nbsp;was followed by&nbsp;Club Azur, a declaration of his love of clubbing and the perfect soundtrack for a night out. In 2024, he worked with the likes of David Guetta and DJ Seinfeld, while building an audience for his melodious electronic and house music label. Kungs spins a web of music, attracting a variety of musicians and proving that rhythm and night will always be the ingredients for a great party.

<h2> 
Saturday 14 June 2025</h2>

<ul>
	<li>from : 20:00 Kool &amp; The Gang</li>
</ul>

Kool &amp; the Gang, officially launched in 1969. Thanks to iconic songs like Celebration, Cherish, Jungle Boogie, Summer Madness, and Open Sesame, they&rsquo;ve earned two Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards, 25 Top Ten R&amp;B hits, 9 Top Ten Pop hits and 31 gold and platinum albums. Kool &amp; the Gang has performed continuously longer than any R&amp;B group in history.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In 1964, Ronald Bell and his brother, Robert &ldquo;Kool&rdquo; Bell, joined Jersey City neighborhood friends Robert &ldquo;Spike&rdquo; Mickens, Dennis &ldquo;Dee Tee&rdquo; Thomas, Ricky Westfield, George Brown, and Charles Smith to create a unique musical blend of jazz, soul and funk.&nbsp;&nbsp;

1973&rsquo;s gold disc Wild &amp; Peaceful took Kool &amp; the Gang to another level, spurred by the immortal party anthems Funky Stuff, Hollywood Swinging and the platinum smash Jungle Boogie.&nbsp; 
The 80&rsquo;s would see them dominate the mainstream, starting with the double&nbsp;platinum- selling album Celebrate (driven by the international monster hit Celebration).&nbsp; 
Kool &amp; the Gang&#39;s years of hard work and talent earned them an induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in June 2018.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In 2019, Kool &amp; the Gang celebrated their 50th Anniversary. The group continues to delight fans around the globe with their timeless hits and amazing live performances.&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>from 23:00 : The Avener</li>
</ul>

Tristan Casara, AKA The Avener, is no ordinary DJ. A piano player since the age of five, he is an accomplished musician and composer.&nbsp; 
His first album&nbsp;The Wanderings of the Avener,&nbsp;and the track&nbsp;Fade Out Lines,&nbsp;were hits in over ten countries. In 2020 he released&nbsp;Heaven, in collaboration with Rick Nowels and other cult musicians.&nbsp; 
The single&nbsp;Quando Quando&nbsp;was the sound of summer 2022, followed by clubbing track&nbsp;Alpaca&nbsp;in 2023.&nbsp;The Morning Sun&nbsp;accompanied the dawn of 2024 &ndash; announcing a project inspired by a variety of sounds and consolidating The Avener&rsquo;s reputation for innovation.&nbsp; 
 
The Avener performed an exclusive &ldquo;lockdown&rdquo; set during the night of the Virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2020. This time, it&rsquo;s for real on the Le Mans stage!

<ul>
	<li>from 00:00 :&nbsp;The 24 Hours of Le Mans Show</li>
</ul>

The 24 Hours of Le Mans Show&nbsp;promises yet another unforgettable display. This year&rsquo;s theme&nbsp;24h&nbsp;On Board&nbsp;will transport the spectators into the heart of the race for a 20-minute immersive experience. Meanwhile, fireworks and a thrilling drone and laser show will light up the night sky, providing a stunning backdrop for the action and endeavour on the racetrack.

Don&rsquo;t miss Practice and Qualifying! 
&nbsp; 
Tickets for the Free Practice and Qualifying sessions, including the all-new Hyperpole format, are still available. You&rsquo;ll also have the added bonus of seeing Eddy de Pretto and Pascal Obispo live!&nbsp;

<a href="https://ticket.24h-lemans.com/selection/event/date?productId=10229239928157&amp;gtmStepTracking=true">&gt;&gt;&gt; TICKETS &lt;&lt;&lt;</a>

Enjoy a VIP experience at the 24 Hours of Le Mans! 
&nbsp; 
The 24 Hours of Le Mans has a range of VIP packages available for an immersive experience you will never forget! Special vantage points, exclusive venues and bespoke services to bring you all the thrills of the race &ndash; and lots more beside &ndash; from a totally unique angle. 
&nbsp; 
Among the many VIP packages proposed,&nbsp;Le Mans Spirit Club&nbsp;takes you right into the heart of the Le Mans legend. In a prime location right next to the paddocks and the pit building&nbsp;you can relax in comfort, enjoy a bite to eat and a refreshing drink, be entertained by musicians and chefs, and visit the paddocks.&nbsp;Le Mans Spirit Club gives you the opportunity to sit out on a stunning terrace with outstanding views of the Motul Raccordement Corner.

<a href="https://hospitality.24h-lemans.com/content">&gt;&gt;&gt;&nbsp;Find out more about our packages &lt;&lt;&lt;</a>

24 Hours of Le Mans shows : Kungs, Kool and the Gang, The Avener and more!

The 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship is preparing for a flying start with the Qatar 1812km. From 26–28 February, 36 cars built by the world’s top manufacturers and driven by some of the best racers on the planet will be at the Lusail International Circuit for what is shaping up to be a highly intense battle.

The 2025 season promises to be one of the most spectacular in FIA WEC history with a remarkable 13 marques represented in the Hypercar and LMGT3 classes. The Hypercar class sees Aston Martin join Alpine, BMW, Cadillac, Ferrari, Peugeot, Porsche and&nbsp;Toyota. The British make will introduce the eagerly awaited Valkyrie to the FIA WEC field. Meanwhile, Mercedes-AMG will line up on the LMGT3 grid alongside Aston Martin, BMW, Corvette, Ferrari, Ford, Lexus, McLaren and Porsche.

The teams competing in the Qatar 1812km will firstly have a chance to tweak their settings during the Official Prologue on 21&ndash;22 February. These two days of testing will be crucial for measuring the performance level of the new cars and giving drivers an opportunity to acclimatise to the special conditions of the Qatari circuit. 
The 5.38-km Lusail International Circuit is renowned for its long straight (1,068 metres) and quick sequence of turns that will offer a stern challenge to the Hypercars and LMGT3s. The ambient conditions will also be a key factor with high afternoon temperatures and an emblematic night-time conclusion offering a stunning spectacle.

Check out&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.googleapis.com/fiawec-prod/assets/ressources/2025/Qatar%202025/2025_FIA_WEC_Qatar_1812Km_Provisional%20Entry%20List_v1%201.pdf" target="_blank">the Qatar 1812km entry list</a>.

Last year&rsquo;s race was <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/fia-wec-porsche-penske-motorsports-6-porsche-963-wins-qatar-1812-km-58384" target="_blank">won by the #6 Porsche 963 entered by Porsche Penske Motorsport</a>. The German manufacturer achieved a clean sweep of the podium with Hertz Team JOTA&rsquo;s #12 Porsche finishing second, and the winner&rsquo;s sister car (#5) third. Yet another Porsche, the #92 911 GT3 R fielded by Manthey PureRxcing, took the LMGT3 honours ahead of a pair of Aston Martin Vantage AMR LMGT3s (#27 of Heart of Racing Team and #777 of D&rsquo;Station Racing).

After the curtain-raiser in Qatar, the FIA WEC season will take in five continents. The 24 Hours of Le Mans (11&ndash;15 June 2025) will once again be the focal point of the championship. 
The scene is set and all the ingredients required for an outstanding season are ready. From the opening exchanges, the Qatar 1812km promises to set the tone for a thrilling season that will keep endurance fans on the edge of their seats.

FIA WEC 2025 – Qatar 1812km set to ignite explosive season

The American marque is not returning to Le Mans haphazardly: it is looking particularly to showcase what its EcoBoost engine is made of and its expertise in lightweight vehicles. This video highlights the undercarriage of the car which will more than likely delight fans as will its spoiler, voil&agrave; the Ford GT40...

	<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wC8IX1AqS1s?feature=oembed" width="480"></iframe>

	&nbsp;

	Text: C&eacute;cile Bonardel / ACO - Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt / ACO

	Video: YouTube - Ford Performance&nbsp;

24H LE MANS

The Ford GT like you've never seen it before (video)

Related News

Aston Martin Valkyrie makes its first official outing at the FIA WEC Prologue in Qatar

Stellar showing for BMW M Team WRT at the 2025 FIA WEC Prologue

24 Hours of Le Mans shows : Kungs, Kool and the Gang, The Avener and more!

FIA WEC 2025 – Qatar 1812km set to ignite explosive season

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