Le Mans 24 Hours: Toyota tops opening practice twice delayed by red flags

Brendon Hartley posted a 3m26.013s with around 50 minutes of the opening three-hour first practice session remaining in the #8 Toyota GR010 HYBRID - a time that is almost a second faster than Porsche managed at last Sunday's Test Day.

Callum Ilott's 3m26.610s in the #12 Jota-run privateer Porsche 963 LMDh had topped the timesheets for much of the session, before the Briton was relegated to second.

BMW M Hybrid V8 LMDh pilot Dries Vanthoor had briefly assumed second place with an effort in the closing minutes, but this was later deleted for a track-limits breach.

But his subsequent 3m26.671s was still good enough for third spot, ahead of the customer Proton 963 of Julien Andlauer - another late improver.

Nyck de Vries' 3m26.918s in the opening minutes ensured that Toyota had two cars in the top five.

Also within a second of Hartley's benchmark was the #2 Cadillac V-Series.R LMDh of Alex Lynn, who posted a 3m26.928s early on.

However, Lynn later caused one of two red flags when he crashed into the barriers at Terte Rouge with around 20 minutes of FP1 remaining.

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Next up in seventh spot was the second of the two BMWs, courtesy of Robin Frijns.

Ferrari's defence of its Le Mans victory last year began in low-key fashion with the fastest of the trio of AF Corse-run 499Ps in eighth place with Antonio Fuoco in the #50 machine also just under a second off Hartley's time.

The two Alpine A424 LMDhs, on their maiden Le Mans outing, rounded out the top 10, while the best of the Peugeot 9X8s was the #93 in 17th.

The top Lamborghini SC63 was 21st and the rear of the 23-strong Hypercar field was brought up by the Isotta Fraschini Tipo 6 LMH, eight seconds off Toyota's time.

Louis Deletraz topped the LMP2 leaderboard for almost the entire session in the #14 TF Sport-run AO ORECA-Gibson 07, having set a 3m34.245s in the opening 20 minutes.

The class is making a return to the World Endurance Championship for Le Mans, having been dropped from the regular WEC roster for 2024 with the LMGT3 division's introduction.

James Allen was second in the #30 Duqueine with a 3m34.843s, while third was the #23 United Autosports entry, courtesy of Ben Hanley.

#14 AO by TF Oreca 07: Gibson: Pj Hyett, Louis Deletraz, Alex Quinn (Photo by: Emanuele Clivati | AG Photo)

Last year's GTE Am victor Ben Keating later went straight on at the Porsche Curves in that car and had to be pushed out of the gravel.

A late flyer from Esteban Masson gave Lexus top spot in the LMGT3 ranks with a 3m57.808s in the closing minutes.

Inception's #70 McLaren 720S GT3 Evo had previously led the way almost throughout the session with a 3m58.770s in the hands of Brendan Iribe.

That effort was two-tenths faster than the #59 United Autosports-run example.

The sister #78 Lexus was the other car to have brought out a red flag halfway through FP1 when it ground to a halt on the straight after Mulsanne Corner.

Le Mans 24 Hours FP1 Results

Main Information Additional Data Driver Info Driver Info

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Main Information Additional Data 1  -  2
Cla	Team	#	Drivers	Car	Laps	Time	Interval	km/h
1	Toyota Racing HYPERCAR	8	S. Buemi B. Hartley R. Hirakawa	Toyota GR010 - Hybrid	36	3'26.013		238.109
2	HERTZ TEAM JOTA HYPERCAR	12	W. Stevens N. Nato C. Ilott	Porsche 963	40	+0.597 3'26.610	0.597	237.421
3	BMW M Team WRT HYPERCAR	15	D. Vanthoor R. Marciello M. Wittmann	BMW M Hybrid V8	37	+0.658 3'26.671	0.061	237.351
4	Proton Competition HYPERCAR	99	N. Jani H. Tincknell J. Andlauer	Porsche 963	32	+0.878 3'26.891	0.220	237.098
5	Toyota Racing HYPERCAR	7	J. Lopez K. Kobayashi N. de Vries	Toyota GR010 - Hybrid	40	+0.905 3'26.918	0.027	237.067
6	CADILLAC RACING HYPERCAR	2	E. Bamber A. Lynn A. Palou	Cadillac V-Series.R	31	+0.915 3'26.928	0.010	237.056
7	BMW M Team WRT HYPERCAR	20	S. Van Der Linde R. Frijns R. Rast	BMW M Hybrid V8	33	+0.934 3'26.947	0.019	237.034
8	FERRARI AF CORSE HYPERCAR	50	A. Fuoco M. Molina N. Nielsen	Ferrari 499P	39	+0.960 3'26.973	0.026	237.004
9	Alpine Endurance Team HYPERCAR	36	N. Lapierre M. Schumacher M. Vaxiviere	Alpine A424	39	+1.417 3'27.430	0.457	236.482
10	Alpine Endurance Team HYPERCAR	35	P. Chatin F. Habsburg C. Milesi	Alpine A424	35	+1.470 3'27.483	0.053	236.422
11	AF Corse HYPERCAR	83	R. Kubica R. Shwartzman Y. Yifei	Ferrari 499P	40	+1.500 3'27.513	0.030	236.388
12	HERTZ TEAM JOTA HYPERCAR	38	O. Rasmussen P. Hanson J. Button	Porsche 963	37	+1.648 3'27.661	0.148	236.219
13	CADILLAC RACING HYPERCAR	3	S. Bourdais R. van der Zande S. Dixon	Cadillac V-Series.R	35	+1.659 3'27.672	0.011	236.207
14	PORSCHE PENSKE MOTORSPORT HYPERCAR	5	M. Campbell M. Christensen F. Makowiecki	Porsche 963	34	+1.659 3'27.672	0.000	236.207
15	PORSCHE PENSKE MOTORSPORT HYPERCAR	6	K. Estre A. Lotterer L. Vanthoor	Porsche 963	35	+1.666 3'27.679	0.007	236.199
16	FERRARI AF CORSE HYPERCAR	51	A. Pier Guidi J. Calado A. Giovinazzi	Ferrari 499P	39	+1.724 3'27.737	0.058	236.133
17	PEUGEOT TOTALENERGIES HYPERCAR	93	J. Vergne M. Jensen N. Müller	Peugeot 9X8 2024	33	+2.341 3'28.354	0.617	235.433
18	Whelen Cadillac Racing HYPERCAR	311	P. Derani J. Aitken F. Drugovich	Cadillac V-Series.R	34	+2.466 3'28.479	0.125	235.292
19	PEUGEOT TOTALENERGIES HYPERCAR	94	S. Vandoorne P. di Resta L. Duval	Peugeot 9X8 2024	31	+2.923 3'28.936	0.457	234.778
20	PORSCHE PENSKE MOTORSPORT HYPERCAR	4	M. Jaminet F. Nasr N. Tandy	Porsche 963	30	+2.946 3'28.959	0.023	234.752
21	Lamborghini Iron Lynx HYPERCAR	19	R. Grosjean A. Caldarelli M. Cairoli	Lamborghini SC63	29	+3.042 3'29.055	0.096	234.644
22	Lamborghini Iron Lynx HYPERCAR	63	M. Bortolotti D. Kvyat E. Mortara	Lamborghini SC63	20	+4.734 3'30.747	1.692	232.760
23	Isotta Fraschini HYPERCAR	11	C. Bennett J. Vernay A. Serravalle	Isotta Fraschini Tipo 6 Competizione LMH	32	+7.970 3'33.983	3.236	229.240
24	AO by TF LMP2	14	P. Hyett L. Deletraz A. Quinn	Oreca 07	34	+8.232 3'34.245	0.262	228.960
25	DUQUEINE TEAM LMP2	30	J. Falb J. Allen J. Simmenauer	Oreca 07	39	+8.830 3'34.843	0.598	228.323
26	UNITED AUTOSPORTS USA LMP2	23	B. Keating F. Albuquerque B. Hanley	Oreca 07	30	+8.890 3'34.903	0.060	228.259
27	Proton Competition LMP2	9	J. Ried M. Capietto B. Viscaal	Oreca 07	36	+9.041 3'35.054	0.151	228.098
28	United Autosports LMP2	22	O. Jarvis B. Garg N. Siegel	Oreca 07	39	+9.277 3'35.290	0.236	227.848
29	INTER EUROPOL COMPETITION LMP2	34	J. Smiechowski V. Lomko C. Novalak	Oreca 07	36	+9.347 3'35.360	0.070	227.774
30	IDEC SPORT LMP2	28	P. Lafargue J. Van Uitert R. de Gerus	Oreca 07	34	+9.440 3'35.453	0.093	227.676
31	NIELSEN RACING LMP2	24	F. Scherer D. Heinemeier Hansson K. Simpson	Oreca 07	35	+10.242 3'36.255	0.802	226.832
32	Cool Racing LMP2	37	L. Fluxá M. Jakobsen R. Miyata	Oreca 07	39	+10.589 3'36.602	0.347	226.468
33	VECTOR SPORT LMP2	10	R. Cullen P. Pilet S. Richelmi	Oreca 07	33	+10.623 3'36.636	0.034	226.433
34	DKR Engineering LMP2	33	A. Mattschull R. Binder L. Hörr	Oreca 07	35	+10.829 3'36.842	0.206	226.218
35	Algarve Pro Racing Team LMP2	25	M. Kaiser O. Caldwell R. De Angelis	Oreca 07	35	+10.929 3'36.942	0.100	226.113
36	Crowdstrike Racing by APR LMP2	45	G. Kurtz C. Braun N. Catsburg	Oreca 07	36	+10.955 3'36.968	0.026	226.086
37	PANIS RACING LMP2	65	R. Sales M. Beche S. Huffaker	Oreca 07	35	+11.025 3'37.038	0.070	226.013
38	AF Corse LMP2	183	F. Perrodo B. Barnicoat N. Varrone	Oreca 07	22	+11.405 3'37.418	0.380	225.618
39	Cool Racing LMP2	47	N. Rao M. Bell F. Vesti	Oreca 07	32	+12.134 3'38.147	0.729	224.864
40	AKKODIS ASP Team LMGT3	87	T. Kimura E. Masson J. Hawksworth	Lexus RC F GT3	35	+31.795 3'57.808	19.661	206.273
41	INCEPTION RACING LMGT3	70	B. Iribe O. Millroy F. Schandorff	McLaren 720S GT3 Evo	32	+32.757 3'58.770	0.962	205.442
42	United Autosports LMGT3	59	J. Cottingham N. Costa G. Saucy	McLaren 720S GT3 Evo	31	+32.962 3'58.975	0.205	205.266
43	Heart of Racing Team LMGT3	27	I. James D. Mancinelli A. Riberas	Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3	22	+33.045 3'59.058	0.083	205.195
44	GR RACING LMGT3	86	M. Wainwright D. Serra R. Pera	Ferrari 296 GT3	19	+33.264 3'59.277	0.219	205.007
45	IRON LYNX LMGT3	60	C. Schiavoni M. Cressoni F. Perera	Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo2	32	+33.304 3'59.317	0.040	204.973
46	Vista AF Corse LMGT3	54	T. Flohr F. Castellacci D. Rigon	Ferrari 296 GT3	32	+33.324 3'59.337	0.020	204.956
47	Proton Competition LMGT3	77	R. Hardwick Z. Robichon B. Barker	Ford Mustang GT3	28	+33.337 3'59.350	0.013	204.945
48	Manthey PureRxcing LMGT3	92	A. Malykhin J. Sturm K. Bachler	Porsche 911 GT3 R	34	+33.380 3'59.393	0.043	204.908
49	Manthey EMA LMGT3	91	Y. Shahin M. Schuring R. Lietz	Porsche 911 GT3 R	37	+33.408 3'59.421	0.028	204.884
50	IRON DAMES LMGT3	85	S. Bovy M. Gatting R. Frey	Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo2	28	+33.443 3'59.456	0.035	204.854
51	United Autosports LMGT3	95	H. Hamaguchi N. Pino M. Sato	McLaren 720S GT3 Evo	35	+33.521 3'59.534	0.078	204.787
52	D'Station Racing LMGT3	777	S. Hoshino E. Bastard M. Sorensen	Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3	36	+33.621 3'59.634	0.100	204.702
53	Spirit of Race LMGT3	155	J. Laursen C. Laursen J. Taylor	Ferrari 296 GT3	33	+33.622 3'59.635	0.001	204.701
54	JMW Motorsport LMGT3	66	G. Petrobelli L. ten Voorde S. Yoluc	Ferrari 296 GT3	33	+33.663 3'59.676	0.041	204.666
55	AKKODIS ASP Team LMGT3	78	A. Robin T. Boguslavskiy K. van der Linde	Lexus RC F GT3	23	+33.688 3'59.701	0.025	204.644
56	Vista AF Corse LMGT3	55	F. Heriau S. Mann A. Rovera	Ferrari 296 GT3	36	+33.690 3'59.703	0.002	204.643
57	TEAM WRT LMGT3	46	A. Al Harthy V. Rossi M. Martin	BMW M4 GT3	29	+33.789 3'59.802	0.099	204.558
58	TF Sport LMGT3	82	H. Koizumi S. Baud D. Juncadella	Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R	37	+34.041 4'00.054	0.252	204.344
59	TF Sport LMGT3	81	T. Van Rompuy R. Andrade C. Eastwood	Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R	36	+34.181 4'00.194	0.140	204.224
60	TEAM WRT LMGT3	31	D. Leung S. Gelael A. Farfus	BMW M4 GT3	30	+34.208 4'00.221	0.027	204.201
61	Proton Competition LMGT3	44	J. Hartshorne B. Tuck C. Mies	Ford Mustang GT3	30	+34.329 4'00.342	0.121	204.099
62	Proton Competition LMGT3	88	G. Roda M. Pedersen D. Olsen	Ford Mustang GT3	27	+36.191 4'02.204	1.862	202.530
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