Introduction to the 24h Le Mans starting grid
The 24 Hours of Le Mans 2025 has already started; this iconic 93rd race will be held on 14-15 June at Circuit de la Sarthe. This race is one of the most famous endurance races in the world, featuring over 60 cars competing continuously for 24 hours. This is a significant race for the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). This time the race is going to be a lot of fun, because Cadillac surprised everyone in Le Mans qualifying by securing the first 2 top positions. A total of 116 drivers will participate in this race, including approximately 19 who have previously competed in Formula 1 races. So this race is very competitive and exciting.
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| 24 hrs le mans 2025 starting grid |
Today in this blog post we are going to tell you in detail about the 24 Hours of Le Mans grid. The race has begun, but there are several vital factors to be aware of.
Le Mans 2025 Starting Grid Overview
If we discuss the Le Mans 2025 starting grid, there are a total of 62 cars in it. All these cars are divided into 3 major categories. First came hypercars (21), then LMP2 cars (17), and finally LMGT3 cars (24). All the cars are from different companies, but the drivers driving them are very experienced drivers. Some are those who have already won such races many times, and some are those who are still on the list of freshers.
The front row of the 24 Hours of Le Mans grid features two Cadillacs, #12 and #38. After that, automobiles such as Ferrari, Porsche, Toyota, BMW, Aston Martin, Alpine, and Peugeot are added to the field.
This time, 24h Le Mans used the Hyperpole qualifying format to select the starting grid, which had 2 parts (H1 and H2) in the second round. The top ten Hypercars, as well as the top eight LMP2 and LMGT3 cars, were required to compete in the Hyperpole's double race format.
This competition is expected to be next level, as it includes Formula 1 stars like Jenson Button and Kamui Kobayashi.
Hypercar Class Starting Grid Breakdown
The first class in the 24 Hours of Le Mans grid is that of Hypercars, in which a total of 21 cars have entered this season. This time the starting grid has become quite wonderful because many surprising things have happened. For example, 2 Cadillac cars have taken the top position. Now the front row will be in their control, which they can benefit from in the long term.
Porsche Penske has secured the third position this time, whereas last year it secured the top position.
Thereafter, #15 BMW M Hybrid V8 (WRT) secured the fourth position.
If Ferrari had not missed a little, it could have gotten the fifth position, but #51 Ferrari 499P has gotten the sixth position, meaning it has qualified for the hyperpole.
After this, Toyota Gazoo Racing's #8 Toyota GR010 got 10th position. Its drivers were Sébastien Buemi, Kamui Kobayashi, and Ryo Hirakawa, but due to a mistake by Buemi, his position went down.
But overall, in the HyperCar class, everyone got good positions. And on top of that, this team has mostly experienced and champion drivers. Jenson Button, like the driver of Cadillac #38, won the Formula One championship in 2009.
There are some technical rules for Le Mans, like what the BoP calls Balance of Performance. According to this, there are some restrictions on the car's structure, weight, and aerodynamics. That is why whenever there are trials or practice sessions of the races, all these things are checked. Every manufacturer has its own specialty, so, as per the rules for lanes for all the cars in the same line, if a car is faster, then it is restricted by some rules, and the car that is slower is given a benefit. And because of these rules, Aston Martin Valkyrie and Peugeot were given positions outside the top 10 on the basis of their performance.
LMP2 Class Starting Grid Highlights
The LMP2 class is also a strong contender in the 24h Le Mans starting grid, in which a total of 17 cars have been taken this time. All its cars use the Oreca 07 chassis with the Gibson engine, which keeps the competition fair, as all the cars use almost the same setup.
In the 24 Hours of Le Mans grid, the #29 TDS Racing Oreca holds the pole position, with the #43 Inter Europol Competition and #199 AO by TF vying for second place.
Apart from that, amateur drivers compete in the LMP2 class with professional racers. Just like silver-rated, below it there is a subclass called bronze-rated, which is also known as the Pro/Am subclass. It has all amateurs, i.e., new drivers who compete with experience. This feature adds to the race's appeal.
Some teams in the LMP2 class are also attempting to move up to the Hyperclass. The Le Mans race is like a learning platform for them, which teaches them how to race in a high-pressure environment, how to apply pit strategies, and how to build coordination within the team.
The LMP2 class is a favorite of most fans. Because all the cars use the same chassis, the Oreca 07, the manufacturing or capability of the car is not relevant; now the main role here is of the racer/driver. Driver's skills, team coordination, and staying in the race—all these things create excitement and real competition. Additionally, there is a pro/am group that includes experienced drivers alongside newcomers, making the race very unpredictable.
LMGT3 Class Starting Grid Insights
This time a total of 24 cars are included in LMGT3 in the 24 Hours of Le Mans grid. This includes 9 differently manufactured cars. This category is a new class that has been participating in the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the last 2 years.
The #27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 took the pole position and also set a new track record.
The legendary Valentino Rossi is driving the #46 BMW M4 LMGT3 (Team WRT), which is also attracting attention. The #92 Porsche 911 GT3 R is also giving excellent competition.
This time McLaren, Lexus, and Mercedes-AMG have shown good performance.
Different cars, different manufacturers, and experienced drivers are making the MGT3 Class a must-watch class.
Key Factors Influencing the 2025 Starting Grid
The Le Mans 2025 starting grid has changed, the main reason for which is the new Hyperpole format applied this time. Although some people like this format, some people also find it complex. But the concept of Hyperpole has helped in selecting the perfect qualifying members from all classes for the 24 Hours of Le Mans grid.
A 2-day level competition was held in Hyperpole, in which the top 15 Hypercars and the top 12 LMP2 and LMGT3 contenders were selected in Hyperpole 1 (H1). Hyperpole 2 (H2) then selected the final top 10 Hypercars and 8 other classes from these contenders. This selection was only for positions.
For more information, read about the qualifying teams for the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2025.
How to Follow the Starting Grid and Race for Le Mans 2025
Le Mans 2025 has already started, and it is also starting live. If you are a fan of the Le Mans race and want to get live event coverage and live grid updates, then many platforms are available for this.
- FIA WEC App: This is the official platform; here you will get all the live updates of the race from the Le Mans grid at a time.
- TNT Sports and Discovery+: These are premium subscription-based platforms; here you can enjoy the race along with commentary.
- Social media handles: The official social media handles of 24 Hours of Le Mans are @24hoursoflemans. Here you get live updates related to the race from time to time. These updates include reports on Le Mans crashes, incidents, and highlights.
Conclusion and Call to Action
The 24 Hours of Le Mans 2025 starting grid is all set for a thrilling race where Cadillac has secured pole position, and we are going to witness fierce competition in the Hypercar, LMP2, and LMGT3 classes.
But in Le Mans, the starting grid doesn't matter much; any change can happen in the duration of 24 hours. This is an unpredictable race, so we can't guess who will win Le Mans 2025.
So now it remains to be seen whether Ferrari will be able to make a comeback, Cadillac will be able to show its dominance in the upcoming race, or McLaren will do something amazing. You will know all this today. So without delay, bookmark our blog; soon we will give you updates of LE Mains' 2025 results.
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