Cadillac was the strongest Hypercar package across the Le Mans build-up. The #38 was the reference car, combining the fastest lap, best Top 10 average, best Top 46 average, best Top 139 average, and strong straight-line/sector performance. The #12 and #101 Cadillacs backed that up, so this was not just one car or one driver producing an isolated time.
Lappery – Lap Times – Sectors – Speed Trap – All Cars
BMW had excellent peak pace, Toyota looked especially strong in the Esses and Porsche Curves, and Alpine was close enough to be part of the lead group. Ferrari appeared competitive but not class-leading, Aston Martin had strong sector flashes but weaker sustained lap averages, while Genesis and Peugeot were further back over representative runs. Overall, the build-up picture points to Cadillac as the best all-round performer, with BMW, Toyota and Alpine as the closest challengers depending on conditions, stint length and race execution.
Lappery
Pole and lots of practice laps for BMW.
The most laps by car were completed by the #15 BMW and #009 Aston Martin. The #38 Cadillac, #8 Toyota and #20 BMW were also high-mileage cars, each above 218 laps or thereabouts, giving more confidence in their long-run averages.
Lap Times
Cadillac looked strongest overall across the build-up. The #38 Jota Cadillac was the benchmark on longer-run pace. The sister #12 Jota Cadillac was effectively equal on Top 10 and Top 46 pace, while the #101 WTR Cadillac was also close, making Cadillac the clearest all-round package.
BMW had outright speed but slightly less depth over longer averages. The #15 BMW set the fastest lap in qualifying. The #20 BMW was also competitive, but both BMWs faded slightly relative to Cadillac as the sample size increased.
Toyota and Alpine were close behind. Toyota’s #7 and #8 were both inside the leading group on Top 46 and Top 139 averages, with #8 especially consistent. Alpine’s #35 was strong over Top 10 and Top 46, while #36 was a little further back.
Ferrari sat in the middle of the Hypercar pack. The factory Ferraris were not far away on peak lap time, but their Top 46 and Top 139 averages were generally behind Cadillac, Toyota, BMW and Alpine. The #83 AF Corse Ferrari was weaker on outright and average pace.
Aston Martin showed flashes but not the same average pace. The #009 and #007 were respectable on fastest laps and sector pace, but their Top 10/46 averages were behind the main Cadillac/Toyota/BMW/Alpine group. The #007 in particular dropped back over the Top 139 average.
Genesis and Peugeot were at the rear on sustained lap averages. Genesis had some good individual pace, especially the #17, but both cars dropped away on longer averages. Peugeot was clearly slowest on average lap time, with both cars around 3:27+.
Drivers
Jack Aitken set the fastest individual lap of the build-up when he sort of got pole, but that lap time was deleted. It wasn’t for track limits, but for lining up in the pitlane to early – so it was a real qualifying lap. That car also had the best overall average pace, with Earl Bamber producing the best driver Top 10, Top 20 and Top 40 averages.
Dries Vanthoor was the fastest BMW driver, with his qualifying effort that was only 0.005s off Aitken. The BMW looked especially sharp on single-lap pace.
Charles Milesi was the fastest Alpine driver, while Kamui Kobayashi and Sébastien Buemi carried Toyota’s stronger laps. Toyota’s pace looked more consistent as a car package than explosive from one individual lap.
Genesis had useful peak pace from Mathys Jaubert, but the car’s longer averages fell away. Jaubert also completed the most laps of any driver listed, with 90 laps.
Approach of selected cars
All the charts at the bottom.
When were the times set?
Obviously all the fast times came in qualifying.
Sectors
Cadillac where strong everywhere, but especially the middle sector with the three Mulsanne straights.
Extra Sectors
The sector tables show Cadillac as the most complete car across the long straights and acceleration-heavy parts of the lap. It led or was right at the front in many of the combined straight/acceleration sectors, including Mulsanne 2 + Michelin, Mulsanne 3, D140 + Indy/Arnage, Start Lap, and To Porsche. This fits with Cadillac’s strong average lap performance.
Ferrari was mostly mid-pack by sector. The Ferraris were rarely at the top of the sector rankings, but were also not generally at the very bottom. Their sector profile looks solid but not class-leading in any one area.
Slow Corner Sectors
Fast Corner Sectors
Toyota was particularly strong through the Esses and Porsche Curves. The #7 and #8 topped the Esses long-run ranking, with #7 best on Top 46 Esses at 14.505 and #8 second at 14.521. Toyota #7 also led the Porsche Curves sector at 15.130 and Maison Blanche at 10.248, showing very good high-speed cornering efficiency.
BMW was consistently near the front in medium and high-speed sections. The BMWs were strong through Mulsanne 1 + Daytona, Mulsanne 2 + Michelin, Mulsanne 3, D140 + Indy/Arnage, Porsche, and To Porsche. They looked well balanced, but not quite as dominant over full-lap averages as Cadillac.
Low Speed Acceleration Sectors
Aston Martin at the top – like last year. These are short sectors. The #007 was fastest in the single-best Esses time and led Ford Exit, while both Aston Martins were very strong in Daytona Exit and the early start/slow-corner sectors. That points to good traction and low-speed behaviour, even if it did not translate into the best full-lap averages.
Peugeot was generally weakest on sector pace, especially through the Porsche Curves, Esses, and several straight/acceleration combinations. Its sector rankings match its position at the bottom of the lap-average table.
Medium Straights
Long Straights
Cadillac’s changes seem to be paying dividends here.
Here are last year’s race performance to compare – lap times, sectors and speed traps.
and that leads into Speed Trap…
Speed Trap
Alpine had the highest single speed, with the #36 reaching 350.7 kph, ahead of Toyota, Ferrari, Peugeot, Cadillac and Aston Martin entries clustered in the mid-to-high 340s.
On Top 10 speed average, however, Cadillac #38 led, followed by Alpine #36, Cadillac #12, Toyota #8, and Ferrari #83. That suggests Cadillac combined strong straight-line consistency with strong lap time. They aren’t hitting the very top maximums, but they are quick down the straight, as shown by the sectors, and consistently there. The changes they made over the winter seem to have had the desired effect.
Aston Martin and BMW were not among the fastest in sustained speed-trap averages. Genesis have a good start point to work with here. Peugeot was mixed: the #94 showed a high peak of 347.3 kph, but the #93 had a much weaker mode and long-run speed average, especially over the Top 139 sample.
Build-Up Laps for all cars
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