Alpine, BMW and Cadillac Head into Hyperpole as Le Mans Battle Intensifies
The final daylight running at Le Mans has delivered a clear message ahead of tonight’s Hyperpole showdown: Alpine, BMW and Cadillac are the teams to beat. All three manufacturers ended Free Practice 3 at the sharp end, setting the stage for a fierce fight for grid supremacy under the lights.
The #36 Alpine A424, both BMW M Team WRT entries and both Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA cars all featured prominently in the final classification, confirming the trio as the standout contenders heading into the decisive qualifying shootout.
BMW Steals Late Glory After Cadillac Dominance
Cadillac looked set to lock out the top positions after a strong afternoon, with the #101 Wayne Taylor Racing machine and both JOTA‑run Cadillacs consistently near the top. Will Stevens’ 3:24.058 in the gold #12 car stood as the benchmark for much of the session.
But in the closing minutes, BMW launched a late attack. Both M Hybrid V8s surged forward, and Dries Vanthoor ultimately put the #15 BMW on top with a 3:23.302, the fastest time of FP3. Alpine followed closely, with Victor Martins placing the #36 A424 second, ahead of Stevens’ Cadillac.
Genesis Continues to Impress
The surprise of the week remains Genesis, whose brand‑new GMR‑001 Hypercar continues to exceed expectations. The #19 car ran as high as fourth and eventually finished fifth, proving the Korean manufacturer is a genuine outside threat for a front‑row start. Both Genesis entries have made it into Hyperpole 1, though reliability over 24 hours remains their biggest unknown.
LMP2: Dillmann sets the benchmark in opening Hyperpole session
The first LMP2 Hyperpole session delivered an incredibly tight battle, with Tom Dillmann putting in a superb lap to top the timesheets. The Frenchman clocked a 03:33.762, securing the fastest time of the session in the #24 entry and placing himself firmly in contention for class pole.
Laurin Heinrich followed closely, just over a tenth behind with a 03:33.889, while Oliver Gray secured third thanks to a strong 03:34.108. The margins throughout the field were razor‑thin, with the entire top ten covered by less than two seconds.
Nico Müller, Mathias Beche and Valerio Rinicella all delivered competitive laps within half a second of the leading time. Behind them, Ben Barnicoat, Richard Verschoor, James Allen and Edward Pearson completed the top ten, each within striking distance and showcasing the remarkable depth of the LMP2 field this year.
| Pos | Driver | Car | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tom Dillmann 🇫🇷 | #24 | 03:33.762 |
| 2 | Laurin Heinrich 🇩🇪 | #20 | 03:33.889 |
| 3 | Oliver Gray 🇬🇧 | #47 | 03:34.108 |
| 4 | Nico Müller 🇨🇭 | #25 | 03:34.179 |
| 5 | Mathias Beche 🇨🇭 | #34 | 03:34.542 |
| 6 | Valerio Rinicella 🇮🇹 | #28 | 03:34.612 |
| 7 | Ben Barnicoat 🇬🇧 | #23 | 03:34.789 |
| 8 | Richard Verschoor 🇳🇱 | #19 | 03:34.813 |
| 9 | James Allen 🇬🇧 | #30 | 03:34.845 |
| 10 | Edward Pearson 🇬🇧 | #31 | 03:35.140 |
LMGT3: Aston Martin Tops a Tight Field
Early on, the #21 AF Corse Ferrari and #87 Akkodis ASP Lexus were inseparable, setting identical lap times. But in the final hour, Eduardo Barrichello pushed the Heart of Racing Aston Martin (#23) to the top of the LMGT3 timesheets, ahead of the Team WRT BMW and the Lexus.
FP3 Top 5 (Hypercar)
- BMW M Hybrid V8 #15 – 3:23.302
- Alpine A424 #36 – 3:23.725
- Cadillac V‑Series.R #12 – 3:23.816
- BMW M Hybrid V8 #20 – 3:24.162
- Genesis GMR‑001 #17 – 3:24.195
Hyperpole Coming Up
With Alpine, BMW and Cadillac all showing race‑winning pace, tonight’s Hyperpole promises a spectacular showdown. Two knockout rounds per class will determine who starts at the front for the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans.
More WEC: the full 2026 calendar, every race result and all of our reporting from the World Endurance Championship are collected on our FIA WEC hub.
