The 92nd edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the fourth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship, concluded with the Ferrari 296 LMGT3s number 55, 155, and 86 securing sixth, eighth, and twelfth places, respectively. The race was significantly affected by rain during the night, causing substantial aquaplaning and reduced visibility, which led to the Safety Car being on track for nearly five hours.
In the early stages of this highly anticipated endurance race, the Ferrari 296 LMGT3 number 66 of JMW Motorsport, driven by Larry Ten Voorde, took the lead. This was a result of the strong qualifying performance by his teammates, Salih Yoluc and Giacomo Petrobelli, who had secured third place on the starting grid during the Hyperpole session. Vista AF Corse’s number 55 car also had a promising start, with the crew of François Heriau, Simon Mann, and official Ferrari driver Alessio Rovera moving up to fourth place. However, they lost ground due to a puncture just before midnight, amid heavy rain and with the French driver at the wheel. The air temperature had dropped to 13.9°C, and the track temperature to 16.3°C.
Daniel Serra, an official driver for Ferrari, also had an excellent start. Driving the 296 LMGT3 number 86 prepared by GR Racing, he moved up to ninth place in the opening laps, despite starting from the back of the grid due to a qualifying issue that prevented him and his teammates from setting times. Unfortunately, Serra’s crew had to retire less than half an hour before the end of the race. Similarly, the 296 LMGT3 number 54, driven by Thomas Flohr, Francesco Castellacci, and official Ferrari driver Davide Rigon, was forced to retire in the third hour after sustaining damage from a barrier impact during the first sector with the Swiss driver at the wheel.
The rain played a significant role throughout the night, with the prolonged Safety Car period limiting on-track action and surprises. JMW Motorsport’s number 66 fell out of contention due to a technical problem around the ninth hour. As dawn broke and the first rays of sunlight appeared, the Safety Car left the track around 8 a.m., and all teams gradually switched to dry tyres. However, the rain returned during the 22nd hour, with the air temperature at 16.7°C and the track at 17.5°C. The final stages of the race saw no major changes: on a wet track, the Ferrari 296 LMGT3 number 55 finished in sixth place with Alessio Rovera driving. The 296 LMGT3 number 155 of Spirit of Race, driven by Taylor, and the number 86 of GR Racing, completed the race in eighth and twelfth places, respectively. The focus now shifts to the fifth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship, scheduled from 12 to 14 July in São Paulo, Brazil.
