Le Mans 24 Hours Live Commentary and Updates
Minute-by-minute updates for the 2025 Le Mans 24 Hours
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This green flag running didn't last long as a full course yellow is called for, with marshals collecting debris from the middle of the track at Tertre Rouge.
Back to full green flag racing, as the WRT squad gets to work investigating the issue with the #46 car in the garage. Maybe they should call the Doctor to diagnose. No?
Van der Linde has got the car refired and is limping back to the pits, but it has already lost one lap to class leader #21 Vista AF Corse Ferrari.
The #46 had been running so well in class, leading for large chunks, but even if it gets going again that has got to be its class victory hopes dashed. Valentino Rossi fans, please don't head for the exits just yet.
We have a slow zone so the marshals and a tractor can come to the aid of van der Linde in the #46 WRT BMW.
Drama in LMGT3! Kelvin van der Linde, the top dog in the #46 WRT BMW, is off in the gravel at Porsche Curves. He's come to a stop in the gravel and it looks like a mechanical issue as the journey into the gravel was a slow and painful stoppage.
Laurens Vanthoor has got himself comfy in the #6 Porsche, taking over from Kevin Estre, which has handed the lead back to Kubica in the #83 Ferrari for the time being. So, Ferrari vs Porsche, with an outside bet of Toyota, is on.
The dark horse in this victory chase is the #8 Toyota which has quietly gone about its business over the last few hours. Hartley is at the wheel and after a pitstop resumes in fourth place, but that will become third once the #4 Porsche pits in a few laps. The Kiwi has around 1m45s to find on the leaders, but it is in the fight.
It is fair to point out with the temperatures dropping as the night progresses, it appears that is not shaking up the order too dramatically, but it is aiding the leading Porsche.
Meanwhile, the #50 Ferrari pits out of sequence for a tyre set change and comes out in seventh. So far in this race when we've seen that it has been due to a slow puncture. Could that be the same issue?
Are the eyelids getting heavy? Or are you still hanging in there? Still got 13 hours and 45 minutes of this to go...
A change for the lead in LMGT3: Rovera in the #21 Vista AF Corse Ferrari passes Al Harthy in the #46 WRT BMW, which is the first genuine change of lead in that class for many hours. But that is Platinum overtaking Bronze, so we'll cut Al Harthy some slack as that isn't really his fight.
The #101 Caddy has been given a 5s penalty for a pitstop infringement, and is currently languishing down in 18th so that won't help its prospects. We've seen a great deal of penalties in this race picked up either entering the pits or during the pitstops.
A yellow prototype skates over the gravel at the first corner to put some hearts in mouth down at AF Corse, but its car is not the one in strife, as replays show it is the #9 Iron Lynx - Proton with Capietto at the wheel in the kitty litter. Thankfully it gets back on the track without much trouble. That car is third in LMP2 currently.
We told you that Bamber was on a bit of a charge a while ago. Well, it yielded him fastest race lap. He posted a 3m27.534s 20 or so laps ago. The frontrunners, for the most part, are buzzing around the majestic 8.47-mile Circuit de la Sarthe in the 3m29s or 30s.
The leading #83 Ferrari pits to release the #6 Porsche back out in front. Estre leads Kubica by 31s.
More bad news for the #51 Ferrari, it has a 20s stop-and-go penalty for pitlane speeding. Giovinazzi is at the wheel and is already down in seventh, so this really pushes the 2023 winner into a huge challenge to get back in the victory hunt.
So, the #83 AF Corse Ferrari leads with Kubica at the wheel, but the way the #5 Porsche is stretching its stints out each go means it is about one pitstop cycle away from effectively gaining a stop. That'll put the leader under real pressure with the gap currently around one pitstop.
Not trying to wish misfortune on anyone here, but still only three retirements from the entire field: #88 Proton Ford, #60 Iron Lynx Mercedes and #95 United Autosports McLaren. We've not had the jeopardy of rain, but that's still impressive reliability.
But further bad news for Ferrari, as the #51 is given a 5s penalty to serve at its next pitstop. Could it be that the sister squad ends up taking on the victory fight for Ferrari?
The leading #6 Porsche pits to see Kubica in the #83 AF Corse Ferrari put back into the top spot. Estre is back out and in second as the #8 Toyota pitted on the same lap.
Aitken is back out on the track in the #311 Caddy with its new steering torque sensor and ECU, but is last in the Hypercar class and now six laps of the leaders.
Due to various delays for the two factory Ferraris, this all-Prancing Horse party at the front is being disrupted by the #6 Porsche and #8 Toyota, which is largely what the practice week predictions told us, but we are not complaining. A version of Ferrari vs Porsche vs Toyota sounds like brilliant fun.
Cadillac have told us what's wrong with #311. Action Express is replacing the steering torque sensor and the ECU to try to cure a problem reported reported by Vesti before Aitken got in.
Aitken has been stuck in the pits with an unscheduled stop for the #311 Caddy, so is duly sinking down the order and almost last in class now. Just the troubled #93 Peugeot saving it from bottom spot.
Bamber is still making moves, this time up to ninth, passing Christensen in the #5 Porsche on the Mulsanne straight. The Kiwi is asked if he can stay in the #38 Jota Cadillac which he accepts, as he aims to get his head down to continue this mini recovery charge.
That extra stop for Giovinazzi has pushed the #51 Ferrari back to fifth, behind the sister #50 car in fourth, and when the #6 Porsche next pits it will put the #83 AF Corse Ferrari into a useful lead.
While in LMGT3, the #46 WRT BMW - or the Valentino Rossi car as everyone knows it better - has around a 30s gap over the chasing #21 Vista AF Corse Ferrari, but Rovera is eating into that gap held by Al Harthy at the front of the class.
In LMP2, the #43 Inter Europol Competition car has looked supreme so far and once the pitstop cycle plays out it should have a lead of approaching two minutes. Team boss Smiechowski is in the driving seat and putting in a stellar run.
Giovinazzi has made an unscheduled stop after just five laps. Left front puncture.
Aitken and Makowiecki are having a right old ding-dong (or a Ding-a-Dong-a-Dell - see Gary Watkins 23:27 BST entry) as they trade overtakes fighting for 12th place. For now the #311 Cadillac Whelen is winning that battle.
The #15 BMW might have a transponder issue - not its first electrical gremlin - as it keeps flying around the track radar between the first half of the lap, cutting through the campsites and woodlands. Which would be a sight, even if completely illegal.
The #51 Ferrari pits and in pops Giovinazzi, who must be on the same stint strategy as me. New tyres and a helping of fuel and off he goes to chase down the top three.
Good morning everyone, it is far too early for the orange juice and toast, but it is the early hours of Sunday morning. Let's see what the next stage of this race delivers.
It's time for me to pass the baton to Haydn Cobb. Thanks Haydn for taking one of the tougher live stints, and enjoy the last 15 hours everyone!
Someone has decided to lie down right next to me in the media centre, fully hiding under a red blanket with a pillow against the wall. I've been there, and that's not super comfortable.
The reason why the #6 Porsche pitted so early was a slow puncture, which makes sense.
The #51 Ferrari is back in the lead of the Le Mans 24 Hours, with Calado overtaking Hanson shortly before the end of the ninth hour.
The #6 Porsche pits again after a significantly shorter stint, and changes tyres with another set of mediums. It's now down in fifth.
Meanwhile, Sebastien Buemi (#8 Toyota) is putting pressure on Nicklas Nielsen in the #50 Ferrari, but hasn't been able to actually attack him yet.
By: Autosport staff
