Le Mans 2025 Qualifying Highlights: Record-Breaking Speeds and Surprising Outcomes
Dominance of Cadillac and BMW in the Qualifying Arena
In the opening qualifying session for the 2025 Le Mans 24 Hours, American manufacturer Cadillac demonstrated exceptional performance, with driver Alex Lynn securing the fastest lap at an impressive 3 minutes and 22.847 seconds. This time edged out BMW’s Dries Vanthoor by just four hundredths of a second, setting the stage for a fiercely competitive race.
Under the sweltering evening conditions, with temperatures soaring to 31°C, initial lap times revealed Ferrari’s competitive edge. Yifei Ye, behind the wheel of the #83 Ferrari 499P, clocked a remarkable 3m23.994s, establishing an early lead. This was notably three-tenths faster than Alessandro Pier Guidi’s #51 Ferrari and Nicklas Nielsen’s #50 entry, both showcasing the Prancing Horse’s strength.
Early Challenges and Strategic Battles
Porsche’s Kevin Estre was among the first to challenge Ferrari’s dominance, posting a 3m24.233s that temporarily placed him second. However, Pier Guidi responded with a slightly quicker 3m23.933s, intensifying the battle at the top. Meanwhile, Cadillac’s Sebastien Bourdais and the Jota Cadillac V-Series.R, driven by Lynn, posted competitive times around 3m24.3s, keeping the field tightly packed.
The session saw a flurry of fast laps, with Jack Aitken’s #311 Cadillac setting the pace at 3m23.890s before Estre improved further to 3m23.360s. The excitement peaked when Paul-Loup Chatin’s Alpine experienced a high-speed spin in the Porsche Curves, adding drama to the qualifying.
Final Push for Pole Position
With just four minutes remaining, Dries Vanthoor made a decisive move, setting a blistering 3m22.887s that put BMW at the forefront. However, Lynn’s #12 Cadillac responded swiftly, narrowly surpassing Vanthoor’s time. Ferrari’s Antonio Giovinazzi then posted a 3m23.163s, securing third place, with Estre maintaining fourth.
A subsequent disqualification of the #6 Porsche 963 LMDh for weight infringements shuffled the top positions, promoting Sebastien Bourdais’ #38 Cadillac into the top ten. The revised order saw the #50 Ferrari, #5 Porsche, #20 BMW, #311 Cadillac, #36 Alpine, and #8 Toyota rounding out the top ten.
Advancement to Hyperpole and Disqualifications
Out of the initial 15 qualifiers, the #83 Ferrari, #101 Cadillac, #4 Porsche, and #35 Alpine advanced to the Hyperpole session. The Porsche disqualification elevated the #009 Aston Martin Valkyrie into the Hyperpole lineup. Notably, Nyck de Vries’ #7 Toyota missed out, finishing 16th, over two seconds behind the pace, and trailing Alpine’s Chatin by four-tenths.
Peugeot’s entries failed to qualify for Hyperpole, with both cars eliminated along with the Proton Competition #99 Porsche and the other Aston Martin.
LMP2: Louis Deletraz Sets the Pace, Lotterer Misses Out
The LMP2 category saw intense competition, with times dropping rapidly until a red flag paused proceedings. Iron Lynx’s #60 Mercedes-Benz stalled in the Dunlop chicane, halting the session temporarily. During this period, Louis Deletraz in the #199 AO by TF Oreca 07-Gibson led with a 3m36.020s, narrowly ahead of Ben Hanley’s #23 United Autosports entry at 3m36.116s. Theo Pourchaire’s Algarve Pro Racing #25 was close behind at 3m36.612s.
Deletraz improved his lap to 3m35.472s before a second red flag was raised when the AF Corse Ferrari #150 stopped at the Daytona chicane exit. Despite the interruptions, Deletraz’s time held firm, earning him pole in the class.
Driver comments reflected a cautious approach, with Deletraz emphasizing the importance of consistency over outright speed, noting, “We’re focusing on maintaining a steady pace for the race, rather than pushing for a perfect lap now.”
Ben Hanley’s solid effort placed him second, with Algarve Pro’s Alex Quinn impressing with a strong third. Several other teams, including TDS Racing, United Autosports, VDS Panis Racing, and Inter Europol, secured their spots in Hyperpole, while Andre Lotterer’s #18 IDEC Sport car narrowly missed qualification, finishing over 2.5 seconds behind.
LMGT3: WRT’s BMW Leads the Charge
In the LMGT3 class, Team WRT’s #46 BMW M4 GT3, driven by Ahmad Al Harthy, Valentino Rossi, and Kelvin Van Der Linde, topped the timing sheets with a 3m56.875s. Early on, Ryan Hardwick in Manthey’s #92 Porsche set the initial pace at 3m58.055s, but was soon overtaken by Tom van Rompuy’s #81 Corvette from TF Sport, who posted a mere 11 thousandths faster.
Arnold Robin’s #78 Lexus from Akkodis ASP Team then claimed the top spot with a 3m57.321s before a red flag paused the session. The #27 Aston Martin from Heart of Racing, driven by Ian James, was close behind, trailing by just four-tenths.
Following the resumption, Al Harthy’s BMW secured pole position in the class, with a time of 3m56.875s, edging out the #27 Aston Martin. The #92 Porsche, #78 Lexus, and #81 Corvette also qualified for Hyperpole, ensuring a diverse representation of manufacturers in the final qualifying session.
The session confirmed the competitiveness across brands, with only Mercedes narrowly missing out, as Martin Berry’s Iron Lynx entry qualified just three-tenths behind the top.
Looking Ahead: The Road to the 24 Hours of Le Mans
As qualifying concludes, the focus shifts to the upcoming Hyperpole session scheduled for Thursday, where the top contenders will battle for pole position. The results set the stage for an electrifying race, with manufacturers like Cadillac, BMW, Ferrari, and Porsche all vying for supremacy.
The 2025 Le Mans promises to be a showcase of technological innovation and driver skill, with current statistics indicating a trend toward faster lap times and tighter competition. Fans and teams alike are eager to see who will emerge victorious in this legendary endurance race.
Stay tuned for live updates and in-depth analysis as the 24 Hours of Le Mans approaches.