On November 22, 2005, Angela Merkel became the first female German chancellor and has proceeded to serve three consecutive terms. On June 21, 1930, Odette Siko and Marguerite Mareuse became the first women to take the start at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, in a Bugatti Type 40.

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Ferrari is off to a flying start! Antonio Giovinazzi put the #51 Ferrari 499P in pole position at the end of a breathtaking Hyperpole ahead of the Qatar 1812km, the season’s opening race. Let’s look back on a hotly contested session, clinched with a last-gasp lap!

For the 2025 season, the FIA World Endurance Championship has introduced an improved qualifying system that sees the Hypercar and LMGT3 classes take part in two qualifying sessions each. Both classes have a 12-minute opening session followed by a 10-minute Hyperpole for the top 10 qualifiers that decides pole position for each class.

The season&rsquo;s first Hypercar Hyperpole kept all its promise, offering intense action through to the dying moments. After the first phase of qualifying, 10 cars secured a place in the final showdown that shut out the Porsche 963s of Porsche Penske Motorsport and the Aston Martin Valkyries of Aston Martin THOR Team. Porsche fans can however take comfort in the fact that, while the car has difficulty in finding single-lap pace, its performance on long stints inspres much greater confidence.

The drivers gradually stepped up the pace during the Hyperpole session. Dries Vanthoor was the first to catch the eye with a 1:38.495 lap in the #15 BMW M Hybrid V8, placing the Bavarian manufacturer at the top of the charts ahead of the #51 Ferrari 499P and the #20 BMW. But the pack was reshuffled in the final minutes.

Alex Lynn briefly took up second place in the #12 Cadillac V-Series.R, before he was in turn knocked down by Antonio Fuoco in the #50 Ferrari. But it was fellow Ferrari AF Corse driver Giovinazzi who had the final word. The Italian snatched pole on the final lap in the #51 Ferrari in a time of 1:38.359, one-tenth faster than Vanthoor.

With this performance, Ferrari AF Corse takes the first pole position of the season and confirms its ambitions in the face of some stellar competition. The race promises to be an exciting battle, where endurance and strategy management will play key roles.

&nbsp;

<h4>Hypercar Top Five</h4>

1. #51 Ferrari 499P | Ferrari AF Corse | 1:38.359 
2. #15 BMW M Hybrid V8 | BMW M Team WRT | +0.136 
3. #50 Ferrari 499P | Ferrari AF Corse | +0.333 
4. #12 Cadillac V-Series.R | Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA | +0.364 
5. #38 Cadillac V-Series.R | Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA | +0.677

<h2>United Autosports and McLaren take the season&rsquo;s opening LMGT3 Hyperpole</h2>

The ten Hyperpole qualifiers were, in order, the #95 McLaren 720S LMGT3 Evo of United Autosports, the #78 Lexus RC F LMGT3 of Akkodis ASP Team, the #59 McLaren of United Autosport USA, the #87 Lexus of Akkodis ASP Team, the #21 Ferrari 296 LMGT3 of Vista AF Corse, the #46 BMW M4 LMGT3 of Team WRT, the #27 Aston Martin Vantage AMR LMGT3 of Heart Of Racing, the #54 Ferrari of Vista AF Corse, the #81 Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R of TF Sport and the #88 Ford Mustang LMGT3 of Proton Competition.

United Autosports&rsquo; Sean Gelael, at the wheel of the #95 McLaren 720S LMGT3 Evo, was first to set the time to beat in 1:54.338. With less than two minutes left on the clock, Zacharie Robichon went on the attack in the #27 Aston Martin Vantage AMR LMGT3 fielded by Heart Of Racing, but the Canadian fell short. At the same moment, Akkodis ASP Team&rsquo;s Finn Gehrsitz spun in the #78 Lexus RC F LMGT3.

Gelael managed to hang on to his lead throughout the breathtaking session and clinch Hyperpole ahead of the #59 McLaren of United Autosports, driven by S&eacute;bastien Baud, just two-tenths of a second in arrears. Gehrsitz recovered from his error to take third place in the #78 Lexus, while the two Vista AF Corse Ferrari 296 LMGT3s (#21 and #54) rounded out the top five.

Qualifying Highlights I 2025 Qatar 1812 KM I FIA WEC

FIA WEC : revivez les qualifications des 1812 Km du Qatar

FIA WEC – Ferrari AF Corse clinches first Hyperpole of the season in Qatar

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.

<div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tvdCHq2i4AI?si=gnLSLUWXqq4szdhj" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div>

&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!

24 Heures du Mans 1930

The duo crossed the finish line in seventh place overall,&nbsp;second in its class, and returned the following year with the same car (disqualified). In 1932, Odette Siko -&nbsp;who would be at the start four times in all - achieved&nbsp;the best&nbsp;performance for a woman to-date at Le&nbsp;Mans, finishing fourth overall and winning her class with&nbsp;Louis Charavel, alias Sabipa, in an&nbsp;Alfa Romeo&hellip;

Photo: Copyright -&nbsp;Archives/ACO

24H LE MANS

Today's Photo Story - Marguerite Mareuse and Odette Siko, first women at Le Mans in 1930

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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!

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