Qualifying for the 93rd running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2025 delivered early drama and set the stage for a thrilling Hyperpole showdown.
Cadillac, with Alex Lynn at the wheel of the #12 Hertz Team Jota V-Series.R, set a new Hypercar lap record at Circuit de la Sarthe, clocking a blistering 3:22.847 – nearly two seconds faster than last year’s pole time.
Qualifying-Performance at a glance
- Cadillac: Both factory-backed Cadillacs featured in the top five, with the #12 of Lynn, Nato, and Stevens leading the way and the #38 (Bamber, Bourdais, Button) close behind.
- BMW: Dries Vanthoor in the #15 M Hybrid V8 missed out on the top spot by just 0.040 seconds, confirming BMW as a genuine contender this year.
- Ferrari: Antonio Giovinazzi placed the #51 AF Corse 499P third, with the second works Ferrari (#50) also advancing to Hyperpole.
- Porsche: Despite strong laps, the #6 Porsche Penske was disqualified post-session for being underweight and will start from the back of the grid. The remaining works Porsches (#5 and #4) are through to Hyperpole.
- Toyota: The biggest shock: the #7 Toyota (Conway, Kobayashi, de Vries) failed to make Hyperpole, qualifying only 17th. Only the #8 Toyota made it through, in tenth place.
New Qualifying Format & Hyperpole Structure
For 2025, the Le Mans qualifying format has been revamped again. After a 30-minute session on Wednesday, the 15 fastest Hypercars, 12 LMP2s, and 12 LMGT3s advance to Thursday’s Hyperpole. Hyperpole is now split into two knockout rounds:
- Hyperpole 1 (20 minutes): The fastest 15 Hypercars, 12 LMP2s, and 12 LMGT3s compete for a place in the final shootout. The top 10 Hypercars and top eight from LMP2 and LMGT3 move on.
- Hyperpole 2 (15 minutes): This decisive shootout determines pole position in each class. Importantly, a different driver must be used in H2 than in H1, adding a strategic layer.
What to Expect from Hyperpole
The field is tighter than ever, with the Balance of Performance (BoP) updates bringing Cadillac, BMW, and Ferrari onto a level playing field. Cadillac enters as the favorite, boasting perfect setup and consistency, but BMW and Ferrari are close behind. Porsche will be seeking redemption after the #6’s disqualification, with its remaining entries as outsiders.
Toyota enjoys more power than last year but remains the heaviest car and struggled in qualifying. The team faces pressure with only one car in Hyperpole and a tough starting position. Alpine and Aston Martin could benefit from the new BoP, but a front-row challenge will require flawless laps.
Hyperpole promises a thrilling fight, with every tenth of a second crucial and strategic driver changes potentially decisive. The competitive field suggests a close contest for pole position – Cadillac, BMW, and Ferrari are the top candidates, but surprises are possible under the new format.
Here you’ll find all Hypercar and LMP2 / LMGT3 results.
Images © Endurance-Archive (Walter Schruff)