The No. 8 Toyota GR010 Hybrid piloted by Sebastien Buemi topped Le Mans 24 Hours night practice (FP2), after Robert Kubica’s fastest lap was deleted for pitlane speeding.
FP2 unfolded under the floodlights of the Circuit de la Sarthe with a blend of drama, speed, and unpredictability as teams and drivers prepared for the grueling 24-hour challenge ahead.
Early on, Robert Kubica in the No. 83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P set an imposing benchmark after clocking a lap of 3:25.101 which placed him over a second clear of the chasing pack.
Kubica’s pace was a statement of intent from the Ferrari camp, signaling their determination to challenge the established order and disrupt Toyota’s dominance.
However, the euphoria in the AF Corse garage was short-lived as stewards deleted Kubica’s fastest lap in the closing stages of the session after he was found to have exceeded the pit lane speed limit, a costly error that stripped him of provisional first place.
With Kubica’s time annulled, the No. 8 Toyota GR010 Hybrid piloted by Sebastien Buemi inherited the top spot with a 3:26.156, demonstrating both the outright speed and consistency that have become hallmarks of the Toyota squad in recent years.
2025 Le Mans 24 Hours Qualifying Results Day 1
The Swiss driver’s performance was particularly significant given the team’s earlier setbacks in qualifying, where both Toyotas had failed to break into the top eight, raising questions about their ultimate competitiveness.
Behind Buemi, the No. 12 Cadillac V-Series.R driven by Norman Nato secured the second-fastest time, showcasing the American manufacturer’s progress and intent to challenge for overall honors.
Nato’s lap was closely matched by Yifei Ye in the No. 83 AF Corse Ferrari who after Kubica’s penalty, ensured the Ferrari remained in the mix with a competitive 3:26.680.
The Porsche Penske Motorsport team also made their mark with Pascal Wehrlein in the No. 4 Porsche 963 posting a late improvement to claim fourth place ahead of Miguel Molina in the No. 50 factory Ferrari, who rounded out the top five.
Raffaele Marciello driving the No. 15 BMW M Hybrid V8 was another late improver, further compressing the competitive order at the sharp end of the field.
Le Mans 24 Hours night practice saw a late incident involving Ryo Hirakawa’s No. 8 Toyota which collided with Casper Stevenson’s No. 57 Kessel Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 at the Ford chicane.
The contact left both cars temporarily stranded on track, with Hirakawa eventually able to rejoin, albeit under the watchful eyes of the stewards who summoned him for a post-session review.
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The session’s momentum was further interrupted by a red flag called to clear debris following a puncture for an Aston Martin Valkyrie. The stoppage lasted around 30 minutes, disrupting teams’ run plans and adding another layer of complexity to their preparations.
Nevertheless, once the track was cleared, the action resumed with renewed intensity as teams scrambled to make up for lost time and gather crucial data ahead of the race.
In the LMP2 category, Dane Cameron delivered a standout performance in the No. 199 AO by TF Oreca 07-Gibson, setting a class-leading lap of 3:37.515.
Cameron’s pace put him ahead of Pietro Fittipaldi in the No. 22 United Autosports Oreca and Tom Blomqvist in the No. 37 CLX Pure Rxcing entry. The LMP2 field as always was closely matched, with multiple teams demonstrating the speed and reliability required to contend for class honors.
The LMGT3 division saw Akkodis ASP Lexus dominate Le Mans 24 Hours night practice, securing a 1-2 finish in the session.
Jose Maria Lopez led the way in the No. 87 Lexus RC F GT3 setting a best time of 3:55.422 with teammate Jack Hawksworth in the No. 78 sister car close behind. The No. 91 Manthey Porsche, driven by Richard Lietz, claimed third in class, albeit over half a second adrift of the leading Lexus.
