As the sun begins to set over the Circuit de la Sarthe, Toyota has maintained a strong lead over the rest of the 24 Hours of Le Mans field. As had been the case for much of the race up to the eight hour mark, the No. 7 Toyota led the field with virtually no problems. The No. 8, by contrast, has suffered a puncture and a dirty brake duct.
The No. 88 of Dempsey-Proton Racing, which had initially been pegged as the first retirement, made its way back out on the track. Because driver Thomas Preining had crashed on track, he was required to perform all repairs on his own as per the rules—which he managed to do. While the team rejoined several laps down, Le Mans is always a wild time; there’s still a shot the No. 88 could finish well in its class. When it made it back out, 74-year-old Dominique Bastien became the oldest person to ever race at Le Mans.
This segment of the race also saw the first safety car of the race after the No. 52 Pro-Am Ferrari crashed into the barriers at the Porsche Curves.
The Basics
If you haven’t hunted down a place to watch this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, you can find it on MotorTrend TV in the United States and Velocity in Canada. You can check out a full list of all viewing and streaming services here. If you’re looking for a slightly less official way to watch, Reddit will have you covered.
Motul is offering several different viewing options on YouTube, such as the full race onboard and a live view from the pit lane.
There are also live onboard cameras on the Toyota Nos. 7 and 8.
The full entry list is available here.
To catch up on the previous parts of the race, check out our recap of the first four hours.
Who’s Struggling
- No. 4 ByKolles Racing Team came into the pits with an alternator issue and lost its final chance to secure a win at Le Mans.
- No. 16 G-Drive by Algarve: Nick Tandy crashed into the No. 24 Nielsen Racing of Tony Wells. Neither car was completely taken out of contention, but Wells lost the modesty panel on the rear of his car, a legal requirement to race.
- No. 39 Graff: Vincent Capillaire spun in the gravel; while he was able to back out and get on track, he brought some of the gravel with him.
- No. 16 G-Drive by Algarve: Ryan Cullen spun on his own and was hit by the No. 57 Team Project 1 car that had been following close behind him. Both cars were forced to pit with damage, bringing out a yellow flag.
- No. 56 Team Project 1 Porsche received a drive-through penalty for speeding through slow zones.
- No. 88 Dempsey-Proton Racing: After all that work to get back on track, Dominique Bastien sent the Porsche off the track.
Retirements So Far
- No. 52 Pro-Am Ferrari: Alexander West spun into the wall in the Porsche Curves near the five hour mark, becoming the second car to retire from the race and the first safety car of the event.
Top 5 Overall
1. No. 7 Toyota Gazoo Racing
2. No. 8 Toyota Gazoo Racing
3. No. 1 Rebellion Racing
4. No. 4 Rebellion Racing
5. No. 26 G-Drive Racing
Top 5 LMP1
1. No. 7 Toyota Gazoo Racing
2. No. 8 Toyota Gazoo Racing
3. No. 1 Rebellion Racing
4. No. 4 Rebellion Racing
5. No. 4 ByKolles Racing Team
Top 5 LMP2
1. No. 26 G-Drive Racing
2. No. 32 United Autosports
3. No. 38 Jota
4. No. 22 United Autosports
5. No. 31 Panis Racing
Top 5 LM GTE Pro
1. No. 97 Aston Martin Racing
2. No. 51 AF Corse
3. No. 71 AF Corse
4. No. 95 Aston Martin Racing
5. No. Risi Competizione
Top 5 LM GTE Am
1. No. 90 TF Sport
2. No. 98 Aston Martin Racing
3. No. 83 AF Corse
4. No. 56 Team Project 1
5. No. 77 Dempsey-Proton Racing