No.8 Toyota fastest in final practice for 24 Hours of Le Mans

The No. 8 Toyota Gazoo Racing GR010 Hybrid set the fastest time in the fourth and final Free Practice session ahead of the 92nd annual 24 Hours of Le Mans tonight. Three-time Le Mans winner Brendon Hartley was aboard for the hot lap, the Kiwi …

The No. 8 Toyota Gazoo Racing GR010 Hybrid set the fastest time in the fourth and final Free Practice session ahead of the 92nd annual 24 Hours of Le Mans tonight.

Three-time Le Mans winner Brendon Hartley was aboard for the hot lap, the Kiwi touring the circuit in 3m29.451s amid a relatively quiet 60-minute session that was impacted by late rain showers.

The No. 50 Ferrari AF Corse 499P was second in the hands of Miguel Molina, with Sheldon van der Linde third aboard the No. 20 Team WRT BMW M Hybrid V8.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1416]

Mikkel Jensen sprung a surprise for Peugeot and took fourth place in the No.93 9X8. Dries Vanthoor rounded out the top five in the No. 15 WRT BMW.

With Hyperpole in the books and conditions worsening, a number of cars opted to sit out much of the session, including the pole-winning No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963, which only completed five laps. The No. 2 Cadillac Racing V-Series.R meanwhile, did not set a representative time after qualifying second earlier this evening.

It was also a very quiet session in LMP2, with most teams giving their Am drivers a chance to turn night laps. Ben Hanley in the Np. 23 United Autosport USA ORECA 07 topped the session with a 3m37.121s, right at the start of the session, with the Nielsen Racing No. 24 car in second place.

As the rain began to fall more consistently, most teams elected to box their cars and stay out of trouble. Only a few cars completed a significant number of laps.

Most cars ran final installation laps and mitigated last-minute risks in LMGT3. All drivers appear to have completed the required number of five night-time laps, as Daniel Serra in the No 86 GR Racing Ferrari just reached the mark at the checkered flag.

Akkodis ASP ran Jack Hawksworth round in the No. 87 Lexus RC F. His 3m58.755s was the quickest of the session. Marino Sato posted a 3m59.099s to put the No. 95 United Autosport McLaren second, while Ben Barker and Jordan Taylor reeled off the only other sub-four-minute laps at the end for the No. 77 Proton Competition Mustang and No. 155 Spirit of Race Ferrari respectively.

The No. 44 and No. 88 Proton Mustangs, plus the No. 82 TF Sport Corvette and the No. 92 Manthey PureRxcing Porsche sat out the session entirely.

RESULTS