The final free practice session for the 2025 Lone Star Le Mans witnessed tricky track conditions, as light rain showers dampened the COTA track
The treacherous conditions tested the 36 entries to the maximum as final preparation before qualifying took place
Topping the timing screens was last year’s winning Ferrari, the #83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P Hypercar, as Robert Kubica lapped in 1m51.967s
That effort was 0.190s clear of the #50 Ferrari, as Nicklas Nielsen peaked with a lap of 1m52.157s
While Ferrari locked out the top two positions, behind them it was an ultra-close multi-manufacturer battle, with the #35 Alpine A424 Hypercar ending up third as Charles Milesi mastered the slippery conditions to register a 1m52.171s lap
The #38 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA entry took fourth in the hands of Earl Bamber, in the car he shares with US-domiciled aces Jenson Button and Sébastien Bourdais
Ferrari got all three of its Hypercar entries into the top five as the #51 499P of Antonio Giovinazzi, James Calado and Alessandro Pier Guidi continued to show strong pace
Aston Martin consolidated its positive start to the Lone Star Le Mans weekend, as the #007 Valkyrie took the sixth-best time with a 1m52.396s lap
But the car’s session ended when Tom Gamble suffered a huge spin at Turn Six after hitting dirt thrown onto the track and losing control
The sister #009 Aston Martin Valkyrie placed 12th after being forced to pit midway through its programme due to slowing on track
The Hypercar top ten was completed by the #36 Alpine, #6 Porsche, #8 Toyota and #20 BMW
LMGT3
The LMGT3 category sees the #77 Proton Competition Ford Mustang set the pace as it races at home this weekend
Ben Barker sets the pace in the unique LMGT3 design that he shares with Bernardo Sousa and Ben Tuck by peaking on a 2m05.947s lap
The Englishman’s lap is 0.2s clear of the #87 Akkodis ASP Team Lexus entry as Jack Hawksworth continues to impress after being parachuted in to the team after Jose-Maria Lopez is moved across to replace the injured Mike Conway in the #7 Toyota Hypercar
Fourth in LMGT3 is the #54 VISTA AF Corse Ferrari as it just heads the similar stablemate Ferrari with Davide Rigon and Alessio Rovera respectively setting the times
Completing the top six is the first of the McLarens with the #95 car of Marino Sato, Darren Leung and Sean Gelael sharing the cockpit
Gelael survived a lurid spin early in the session when the Indonesian gyrated amid the damp conditions
The No. 10 Racing Spirit of Léman Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo returned to the track after missing much of Friday’s running after a crash during FP1
The qualifying and Hyperpole sessions are scheduled to begin at 15.00 local time on Saturday afternoon.
Watch FIA WEC live or on-demand via the official FIA WEC TV app – your full-access pass to the FIA World Endurance Championship including the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans. Don’t miss a moment. For further information, check out the app.
