Will Stevens and Callum Ilott secured a milestone victory for Jota in the Hypercar era, clinching a 1-2 finish with the Porsche 963 LMDh, outpacing the factory #6 Porsche Penske Motorsport entry. Their win, 12.363s ahead of the Penske entry, marked the first customer car victory in this era and thwarted Ferrari’s chances of a long-awaited triumph since Le Mans the previous year.
The pivotal moment came when Earl Bamber’s Cadillac collided with Sean Gelael’s BMW, triggering a red flag and allowing strategic fueling that propelled the Porsches to the forefront of the race.
Initially, the factory 499P Le Mans Hypercars seemed poised for a 1-2 finish, with Alessandro Pier Guidi leading the charge, but Bamber’s incident reshuffled the standings. Lotterer and Ilott, initially behind Pier Guidi, emerged in reverse order after their stops, altering the race dynamics significantly. The #51 Ferrari, initially leading, had to take emergency service before pitting again post-restart, putting them at a disadvantage.
With Ilott and Estre needing only one more stop after the race resumed, they maintained control, with Estre unable to challenge the leading Jota car. Despite a gamble on four tires during his final stop, Estre couldn’t bridge the gap. The emergency stop during the safety car restart also affected the #50 Ferrari, which, despite completing the podium, couldn’t reclaim lost ground.
In LMGT3, Manthey Racing secured a remarkable 1-2 finish after the leading Iron Lynx Lamborghini had to pit for fuel on the final lap. This handed victory to the PureRxcing Manthey Porsche, with Richard Lietz at the wheel, who outpaced his teammate Klaus Bachler to secure the win. The Iron Dames Lamborghini, initially dominating, faced setbacks during the race, ultimately finishing fourth after a late splash and a post-race penalty.
The race saw dramatic moments, including a safety car triggered by Phil Hanson’s collision with Rene Rast’s BMW, affecting the standings. The Iron Dames, despite leading at points, faced challenges, including a slow pit stop that dropped them down the order. Ultimately, the podium was secured by Manthey Racing, with the Iron Dames and McLaren completing the top finishes.
