Intense Battle as Le Mans 24 Hours Enters Final Practice Session
In preparation for the 2023 FIA WEC season, the field of 62 entries took to the track for the third free practice session of the Le Mans 24 Hours, with a focus on race preparation and long runs.
Antonio Fuoco set the quickest time in the LMP1 class, clocking a 3m27.283s in the #21 LMP2 Oreca, nearly three seconds slower than the #15 BMW’s qualifying effort yesterday. Dries Vanthoor was close behind, posting a 3m27.432s in the #15 BMW, while Kevin Estre secured second place for Porsche with a 3m27.391s effort in the #6 963. Sebastien Bourdais rounded out the top four with a 3m27.471s lap in the #3 Cadillac.
“These practice sessions are crucial for fine-tuning the cars and strategies. With Hyperpole on the horizon, the teams will be looking to make the most of every opportunity to gain an edge.”
The top five was completed by Toyota, with Kamui Kobayashi setting a 3m27.803s in the #7 Toyota. The remaining three Cadillac drivers were hot on their heels, with Alex Lynn, Alex Palou, and Felipe Drugovich all lapping within a second of the leading Porsche.
Brendon Hartley steered the #8 Toyota to eighth place with a 3m28.642s, despite a brief excursion through the gravel for team-mate Sebastian Buemi. Alpine, Lamborghini, BMW, and Peugeot all registered times under 3m30.000s, while Isotta Fraschini lagged behind with a 3m31.461s.
The #12 Jota entry, shared by Callum Ilott, Norman Nato, and Will Stevens, did not participate in the session as it undergoes repairs on a new monocoque following Ilott’s crash in FP2.
In LMP2, the #65 Panis Racing ORECA topped the times with a 3m37.217s lap before suffering two crashes, while Cool Racing’s #47 machine and AO by TF’s #14 entry trailed closely behind.
In the GT3 category, United Autosports’ #59 McLaren 720S LMGT3 Evo claimed the top spot despite a spin by James Cottingham at Tertre Rouge, which triggered a red flag. The #60 Iron Lynx Lamborghini and GR Racing’s #86 Ferrari completed the top three.
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