Kamui Kobayashi’s 03:28.467 in the #7 Toyota GR010 Hybrid betters last year’s best Test Day time, set by the AF Corse #51 Ferrari 499P. A good sign for the Japanese team. Porsche Penske Motorsport and BMW M Team WRT currently rank second and third respectively with the #6 Porsche 963 on 03:29.270 and the #20 BMW M Hybrid V8 on 03:29.433. They are followed by the Iron Lynx #63 Lamborghini SC63 and the AF Corse #83 Ferrari 499P.
In LMP2, IDEC Sport  currently holds the top spot with the #28 Oreca 07-Gibson on 03:37.044.
Today is the first time on the full Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans for the glittering new LMGT3 class comprising Aston Martin, BMW, Corvette, Ferrari, Ford, Lamborghini, Lexus, McLaren and Porsche. This morning the Akkodis ASP Team #78 Lexus RC F LMGT3 was fastest to lap the 13.6-km circuit, clocking 04:00.106.

Gathering data... and pace

Questioned at Scrutineering yesterday, Alpine Endurance Team Principal Philippe Sinault shared his team’s Test Day agenda: “We won’t be out for long. We’ll be focusing on two vital elements: balancing the aerodynamics on this very particular circuit. It’s set apart from the rest. And tyre wear over several long stints. Even though we know the weather can change fast and that the track surface is green before it’s rubbered in, it builds drivers’ confidence so they can give us precious feedback. Reliability is also important, to get the week off to a good start.

The morning session saw the Cadillac Racing #3 Cadillac V-Series.R get a puncture on the Mulsanne Straight. Renger van der Zande tried to crawl the car back home but stopped shortly after Mulsanne Corner. The session was suspended for 14 minutes to tow it away. Just 35 minutes later, at 11:32, the Safety Cars came out to rehearse their new procedure.

The Peugeot TotalEnergies #94 Peugeot 9X8 stopped on track on an out lap, but Loïc Duval was able to restart. Akkodis ASP Team’s #87 Lexus RC F LMGT3 also stopped between the Dunlop Chicane and the Forest Esses, as did the BMW M Team WRT #15 BMW M Hybrid V8. 

Lorenzo Fluxa took the Cool Racing #37 Oreca 07-Gibson off track in the Porsche Curves, causing a red flag with 10 minutes to go and consequently a premature end to the session.

Valentino Rossi GOOD TO GO

Forty-six drivers are new to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Regulations stipulate that newcomers, known as rookies, must complete at least ten laps, including five timed, to be declared fit to take the wheel on race day. Drivers who have not competed in the race in the last five years are deemed to be rookies.
One of the newbies is nine-time Moto GP world champion Valentino Rossi, at the wheel of the Team WRT #46 BMW M4 LMGT3. The Italian completed his mandatory ten laps without mishap this morning.
Six drivers also competed in a round of the German Touring Car Masters (DTM) championship this weekend. Kelvin Van der Linde, Marco Wittmann, Jack Aitken, Sheldon Van der Linde, René Rast and Mirko Bortolotti all took the wheel this morning before jetting off to Zandvoort in the Netherlands.

The leaders’ table as it stands:

1. Toyota Gazoo Racing #7 Toyota GR010 Hybrid – José María López / Kamui Kobayashi / Nyck de Vries – 03:28.467
2. Porsche Penske Motorsport #6 Porsche 963 – Kévin Estre / André Lotterer / Laurens Vanthoor – 03:29.270
3. BMW M Team WRT #20 BMW M Hybrid V8 – Sheldon van der Linde / Robin Frijns / René Rast – 03:29.433
4. Lamborghini Iron Lynx #63 Lamborghini SC63 – Mirko Bortolotti / Daniil Kvyat / Edoardo Mortara – 03:29.639
5. AF Corse #83 Ferrari 499P – Robert Kubica / Robert Shwartzman / Yifei Ye – 03:29.732

Top of the other classes:

• LMP2: IDEC Sport #28 Oreca 07-Gibson – Paul Lafargue / Job van Uitert / Reshad de Gerus – 03:37.044
• LMGT : Akkodis ASP Team #78 Lexus RC F LMGT3 – Arnold Robin / Timur Boguaslavskiy / Kelvin Van Der Linde –04:00.106

Track action resumes at 15:30 for another 3 hours. Feast your eyes on some photos in the meantime!