Le Mans 24 Hours 2026: Cadillac leads after four hours
Cadillac leads after four hours of racing
Just over four hours into the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the No.38 Cadillac, driven by Aitken being holds a slim lead over No. 20 BMW currently driven by Sheldon van der Linde.
Starting fourth, the No.20 BMW with Rene Rast at the wheel had a great start, passing the sister BMW before the Goodyear Bridge and later overtaking the No.12 Cadillac on the Mulsanne Straight.
Rast was able maintain good pace in free air and, despite having to make an extra pitstop currently sits second less than two seconds off the lead. After being stripped of pole position yesterday and relegated to tenth, the No.12 Cadillac has made good progress.
Aitken took the lead off the No.20 BMW at the first chicane after three hours and 35 minutes and, after losing out following the pitstops, was able to retake the lead at the Ford Chicane just over half an hour later. BMW were eventually able to regain the initiative but as the sun sets it remains to be seen what effect the colder temperatures will have.
After a poor qualifying in which their two entrants could only manage 14th and 15th, Toyota have opted for an offset strategy, similar to the one implemented last time out at Spa.
The No.7 car was the first Hypercar runner to pit around 30 minutes in and was followed by the No.8 car a lap later. The decision to get both cars into clear air paid dividends as, Brendon Hartley in the No.8 car led after three hours.
Having handed the reigns to Ryo Hirakawa, the No.8 car currently sits fourth, 52 seconds off the lead. But given the team’s offset strategy, Toyota will be one to watch going forward.
After a memorable tussle with the No.50 Ferrari, the No.101 Cadillac is holding its starting position of fifth, just ahead of the pole sitting No.15 BMW. With Kevin Magnussen at the helm, the No.15 suffered a poor start, dropping from first to third before the Mulsanne straight.
Despite his best efforts, Magnussen was unable to contend with those behind him and steadily dropped down the order. The car currently sits sixth over a minute off the lead.
The No.51 Ferrari has had a varied race so far. Antonio Giovinazzi passed both the No.101 Cadillac and No.19 Genesis at the start and later jostled for position with his old F1 sparring partner Magnussen.
The team’s efforts were hindered by Alessandro Pierguidi, who tangled with a backmarker in the first sector three and a half hours in. The incident earned Pier Guidi a drive through and the car currently sits sixth.
The No.50 Ferrari has had a lively run to fifth. After missing out on Hyperpole 2 yesterday, Antonio Fuoco suffered a spin at Tertre Rouge two and a half hours in. The incident dropped Fuoco form seventh to ninth.
Alpine currently sit tenth ahead of the No.83 AF Corse that continues it's recovery form 17th on the grid.
In LMP2 Dorianne Pin, currently leads in the No.30 Duqueine car just under 20 seconds ahead of Oliver Grey.
In LMGT3, the No.87 Lexus leads after a lengthy battle with the No.27 Aston Martin. The No.91 Porsche of James Cottitngham has been a constant fixture at the front and currently sits third.
A noteworthy casualty has been the No.88 Mustang that sustained bodywork damage and was given an early technical flag. Having struggled in qualifying yesterday, Ford's woes look set to continue.
Just over four hours into the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the No.38 Cadillac, driven by Aitken being holds a slim lead over No. 20 BMW currently driven by Sheldon van der Linde.
Starting fourth, the No.20 BMW with Rene Rast at the wheel had a great start, passing the sister BMW before the Goodyear Bridge and later overtaking the No.12 Cadillac on the Mulsanne Straight.
Rast was able maintain good pace in free air and, despite having to make an extra pitstop currently sits second less than two seconds off the lead. After being stripped of pole position yesterday and relegated to tenth, the No.12 Cadillac has made good progress.
Aitken took the lead off the No.20 BMW at the first chicane after three hours and 35 minutes and, after losing out following the pitstops, was able to retake the lead at the Ford Chicane just over half an hour later. BMW were eventually able to regain the initiative but as the sun sets it remains to be seen what effect the colder temperatures will have.
After a poor qualifying in which their two entrants could only manage 14th and 15th, Toyota have opted for an offset strategy, similar to the one implemented last time out at Spa.
The No.7 car was the first Hypercar runner to pit around 30 minutes in and was followed by the No.8 car a lap later. The decision to get both cars into clear air paid dividends as, Brendon Hartley in the No.8 car led after three hours.
Having handed the reigns to Ryo Hirakawa, the No.8 car currently sits fourth, 52 seconds off the lead. But given the team’s offset strategy, Toyota will be one to watch going forward.
After a memorable tussle with the No.50 Ferrari, the No.101 Cadillac is holding its starting position of fifth, just ahead of the pole sitting No.15 BMW. With Kevin Magnussen at the helm, the No.15 suffered a poor start, dropping from first to third before the Mulsanne straight.
Despite his best efforts, Magnussen was unable to contend with those behind him and steadily dropped down the order. The car currently sits sixth over a minute off the lead.
The No.51 Ferrari has had a varied race so far. Antonio Giovinazzi passed both the No.101 Cadillac and No.19 Genesis at the start and later jostled for position with his old F1 sparring partner Magnussen.
The team’s efforts were hindered by Alessandro Pierguidi, who tangled with a backmarker in the first sector three and a half hours in. The incident earned Pier Guidi a drive through and the car currently sits sixth.
The No.50 Ferrari has had a lively run to fifth. After missing out on Hyperpole 2 yesterday, Antonio Fuoco suffered a spin at Tertre Rouge two and a half hours in. The incident dropped Fuoco form seventh to ninth.
Alpine currently sit tenth ahead of the No.83 AF Corse that continues it's recovery form 17th on the grid.
In LMP2 Dorianne Pin, currently leads in the No.30 Duqueine car just under 20 seconds ahead of Oliver Grey.
In LMGT3, the No.87 Lexus leads after a lengthy battle with the No.27 Aston Martin. The No.91 Porsche of James Cottitngham has been a constant fixture at the front and currently sits third.
A noteworthy casualty has been the No.88 Mustang that sustained bodywork damage and was given an early technical flag. Having struggled in qualifying yesterday, Ford's woes look set to continue.
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