P1racenews AI automatic summary:
James Calado of the #51 Ferrari 499P held the lead at the FIA World Endurance Championship’s 24 Hours of Le Mans after eight hours of racing.
James Calado from the #51 Ferrari 499P team was leading the FIA World Endurance Championship’s 24 Hours of Le Mans after eight hours of intense racing.
As midnight approached at Circuit de la Sarthe, Ferrari maintained their dominance, while Porsche Penske remained competitive amidst the challenging night conditions at Le Mans.
A strategic move by the #51 AF Corse Ferrari team saw Calado overtaking Hanson at Mulsanne, securing a narrow one-second lead.
Hanson had earlier led in the privateer Hypercar, managing his pace and fuel consumption effectively to stay ahead of the Ferraris and Porsche Penske.
Several penalties, such as a drive-through for Nicklas Nielsen’s #50 Ferrari, influenced the running order, with Hanson in the lead followed by Calado, Estre, Rast, and Nielsen at the eighth hour.
In LMP2, the #48 VDS Panis Racing Oreca was leading, while WRT controlled the LMGT3 category with Al Harthy in the lead for BMW, followed by Lietz for Porsche and Mann for Ferrari.
The racing action was eventful, with notable incidents like Duval’s unfortunate tap by Chatin’s Alpine and technical issues forcing some teams to retire or face challenges during pit stops.
