The middle phase of the opening quarter brings a period of strategic consolidation, yet the track delivers significant drama for the factory Ferrari AF Corse camp.While the overall leaderboard stabilizes, internal tension and on-track incidents complicate the Italian manufacturer’s race progression. Image: Ferrari ©
Hour 4 race update: Toyota controls the pace
As the race completes its 4th hour, stability remains at the absolute front of the field.
The #8 Toyota Gazoo Racing GR010 Hybrid continues its strong opening performance, maintaining its hold on the overall race lead of 29 seconds, thanks to its offset strategy to get clean air. Due to this strategy, lead changes between the #38 Cadillac and #8 Toyota.
Ferrari endures turbulent stint with incidents and penalties
Antonio Fuoco in the #50 Ferrari 499P, narrowly escapes disaster at Tertre Rouge. While trying a brave overtake on the #30 Duqueine Team LMP2 car, Fuoco loses control due to a light contact with the LMP2 machine and sliding dangerously close to his sister car in the process.
The technical attrition continues down the pit lane as the #13 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports entry retreats to the garage after 2 hours and 50 minutes of racing to diagnose a persistent electronic issue.
Roughly 30 minutes later, the #50 Ferrari is involved in further drama. Alessandro Pier Guidi misjudges a braking zone and pushes the #9 Proton Competition Ford Mustang of Jonas Ried, leaving the GT3 machine with visible bodywork damage on its left side. Race control takes a dim view of the optimization attempt, judging the factory Hypercar driver entirely responsible and issuing a costly drive-through penalty to the #50 crew.
Compounding the Italian manufacturer’s operational headaches, the satellite #83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P is also penalized by the stewards, receiving a 5-second time penalty for an unsafe release during its previous pit stop sequence.
In LMGT3, the lead is disputed between #91 Porsche 911 GT3R and #78 Lexus RC F.
The technical problems deepen for the American machinery later in the hour, as the #13 Awa Racing Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R is called back into the pit box for a mechanical component swap to replace a faulty rocker arm.
