Le Mans 24h: Rebellion tops curtailed third practice
Rebellion driver Louis Deletraz led the way in third free practice for the Le Mans 24 Hours, which featured four hours of night time running.
Thursday night’s third practice session was the only opportunity for drivers and teams to get some necessary night running in ahead of the race.
Most of the session’s fastest times were set in the first half, after which many teams switched to tyre work.
Deletraz hit the top of the timesheets in the first hour, setting a 3m19.158s lap in the #3 Rebellion R-13 LMP1 privateer.
Toyota’s Kamui Kobayashi improved on his early lap times in the #7 Toyota TS050 Hybrid to set a 3m19.638s in the second hour, closely followed by the second Rebellion of Gustavo Menezes.
Sebastien Buemi was fourth in the #8 Toyota. LMP1’s fifth and final entrant ByKolles lost a lot of track time after Bruno Spengler spanked the barrier at Tertre Rouge 90 minutes into the session, bringing out a red flag.
In LMP2 Tristan Gommendy set the fastest time early on in the #30 Duqueine Oreca 07, his 3m28.013s remaining untouched for the entirety of the session.
United Autosport’s Job van Uitert took second with just over an hour to go in the #32 Oreca, nine tenths shy of Gommendy’s benchmark. With 30 minutes remaining Jean-Eric Vergne lifted his #26 G-Drive Oreca to third, another tenth in arrears.
Both IDEC Sport LMP2 cars remained in the pits after they suffered heavy accidents earlier on Thursday, the team's #28 Oreca requiring a new tub.
In GTE Pro Porsche’s Kevin Estre took the lead in the first hour.
The Frenchman’s 3m52.177s aboard the #92 Porsche 911 RSR-19 was three tenths faster than Maxime Martin in the #97 Aston Martin Vantage, who set his series of fast times in the final hour.
Marco Sorensen took third in the sister #95 Aston, followed by James Calado (#51 AF Corse) in the first of the Ferraris.
Kei Cozzolino was quickest in GTE Am with the Japanese MR Racing Ferrari, his 3m54.490s effort bettering Paolo Ruberti’s time in the final hour.
In the #98 Aston Augusto Farfus also dipped below the benchmark Ruberti set in the #60 Iron Lynx Ferrari. The Brazilian got to within one tenth of Cozzolino but settled for second.
The session was curtailed 15 minutes early after a huge accident for Bonamy Grimes in the Red River Ferrari. The Briton lost his car under braking for the first Mulsanne chicane and clattered into the barriers, but climbed out unhurt.
Action continues on Friday with a short fourth practice session at 10.00am local time, followed by a Hyperpole shootout in which the six fastest cars of each category will fight for pole.
Practice results:
| Pos. | # | Drivers | Car | Class | Time | Gap | Int |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 |  Romain Dumas Nathanaël Berthon Louis Deletraz | Rebellion R13 | LMP1 | 3'19.158 | ||
| 2 | 7 |  Mike Conway Kamui Kobayashi Jose Maria Lopez | Toyota TS050 Hybrid | LMP1 | 3'19.638 | 0.480 | 0.480 |
| 3 | 1 |  Bruno Senna Norman Nato Gustavo Menezes | Rebellion R13 | LMP1 | 3'19.775 | 0.617 | 0.137 |
| 4 | 8 | Sebastien Buemi Kazuki Nakajima Brendon Hartley | Toyota TS050 Hybrid | LMP1 | 3'20.673 | 1.515 | 0.898 |
| 5 | 30 | Jonathan Hirschi Konstantin Tereshchenko Tristan Gommendy | Oreca 07 | LMP2 | 3'28.013 | 8.855 | 7.340 |
| 6 | 32 | William Owen Alex Brundle Job van Uitert | Oreca 07 | LMP2 | 3'28.924 | 9.766 | 0.911 |
| 7 | 26 | Roman Rusinov Jean-Eric Vergne Mikkel Jensen | Aurus 01 | LMP2 | 3'29.082 | 9.924 | 0.158 |
| 8 | 22 | Philip Hanson Filipe Albuquerque Paul di Resta | Oreca 07 | LMP2 | 3'29.341 | 10.183 | 0.259 |
| 9 | 29 | Frits van Eerd Giedo van der Garde Nyck de Vries | Oreca 07 | LMP2 | 3'29.364 | 10.206 | 0.023 |
| 10 | 31 | Nico Jamin Julien Canal Matthieu Vaxivière | Oreca 07 | LMP2 | 3'30.337 | 11.179 | 0.973 |
| 11 | 37 |  Ho-Pin Tung Gabriel Aubry Will Stevens | Oreca 07 | LMP2 | 3'30.402 | 11.244 | 0.065 |
| 12 | 42 | Nicolas Lapierre Antonin Borga Alexandre Coigny | Oreca 07 | LMP2 | 3'30.478 | 11.320 | 0.076 |
| 13 | 36 | André Negrão Pierre Ragues Thomas Laurent | Alpine A470 | LMP2 | 3'30.652 | 11.494 | 0.174 |
| 14 | 16 |  Ryan Cullen Oliver Jarvis Nick Tandy | Aurus 01 | LMP2 | 3'30.652 | 11.494 | 0.000 |
| 15 | 38 | Anthony Davidson Antonio Felix da Costa Roberto Gonzalez | Oreca 07 | LMP2 | 3'30.837 | 11.679 | 0.185 |
| 16 | 27 |  Henrik Hedman Ben Hanley Renger van der Zande | Oreca 07 | LMP2 | 3'30.899 | 11.741 | 0.062 |
| 17 | 35 | Nobuya Yamanaka Nick Foster Roberto Merhi | Ligier JSP 217 | LMP2 | 3'31.067 | 11.909 | 0.168 |
| 18 | 4 | Tom Dillmann Bruno Spengler Oliver Webb | ENSO CLM P1/01 | LMP1 | 3'31.596 | 12.438 | 0.529 |
| 19 | 33 | Kenta Yamashita Mark Patterson Anders Fjordbach | Oreca 07 | LMP2 | 3'31.870 | 12.712 | 0.274 |
| 20 | 21 |  Juan Pablo Montoya Timothe Buret Memo Rojas | Oreca 07 | LMP2 | 3'31.879 | 12.721 | 0.009 |
| 21 | 25 | John Falb Simon Trummer Matthew McMurry | Oreca 07 | LMP2 | 3'32.034 | 12.876 | 0.155 |
| 22 | 39 | James Allen Vincent Capillaire Charles Milesi | Oreca 07 | LMP2 | 3'32.476 | 13.318 | 0.442 |
| 23 | 24 | Garret Grist Alex Kapadia Anthony Wells | Oreca 07 | LMP2 | 3'32.759 | 13.601 | 0.283 |
| 24 | 34 |  Jakub Smiechowski Rene Binder Matevos Isaakyan | Ligier JSP 217 | LMP2 | 3'33.246 | 14.088 | 0.487 |
| 25 | 50 | Tatiana Calderón Sophia Floersch Beitske Visser | Oreca 07 | LMP2 | 3'34.442 | 15.284 | 1.196 |
| 26 | 47 |  Roberto Lacorte Andrea Belicchi Giorgio Sernagiotto | Dallara P217 | LMP2 | 3'34.654 | 15.496 | 0.212 |
| 27 | 11 | Adrien Tambay Erik Maris Christophe d'Ansembourg | Ligier JSP 217 | LMP2 | 3'34.734 | 15.576 | 0.080 |
| 28 | 92 | Michael Christensen Kevin Estre Laurens Vanthoor | Porsche 911 RSR - 19 | LMGTE PRO | 3'52.177 | 33.019 | 17.443 |
| 29 | 97 | Maxime Martin Alex Lynn Harry Tincknell | Aston Martin Vantage AMR | LMGTE PRO | 3'52.442 | 33.284 | 0.265 |
| 30 | 95 | Nicki Thiim Marco Sørensen Richard Westbrook | Aston Martin Vantage AMR | LMGTE PRO | 3'52.632 | 33.474 | 0.190 |
| 31 | 51 | Alessandro Pier Guidi James Calado Daniel Serra | Ferrari 488 GTE EVO | LMGTE PRO | 3'52.800 | 33.642 | 0.168 |
| 32 | 91 | Gianmaria Bruni Richard Lietz Frédéric Makowiecki | Porsche 911 RSR - 19 | LMGTE PRO | 3'53.093 | 33.935 | 0.293 |
| 33 | 82 | Olivier Pla Sebastien Bourdais Jules Gounon | Ferrari 488 GTE EVO | LMGTE PRO | 3'53.367 | 34.209 | 0.274 |
| 34 | 71 | Davide Rigon Miguel Molina Sam Bird | Ferrari 488 GTE EVO | LMGTE PRO | 3'53.760 | 34.602 | 0.393 |
| 35 | 63 | Cooper MacNeil Toni Vilander Jeffrey Segal | Ferrari 488 GTE EVO | LMGTE PRO | 3'53.843 | 34.685 | 0.083 |
| 36 | 70 | Takeshi Kimura Vincent Abril Kei Cozzolino | Ferrari 488 GTE EVO | LMGTE AM | 3'54.490 | 35.332 | 0.647 |
| 37 | 98 | Paul Dalla Lana Ross Gunn Augusto Farfus | Aston Martin Vantage AMR | LMGTE AM | 3'54.590 | 35.432 | 0.100 |
| 38 | 60 | Claudio Schiavoni Sergio Pianezzola Paolo Ruberti | Ferrari 488 GTE EVO | LMGTE AM | 3'54.854 | 35.696 | 0.264 |
| 39 | 88 | Thomas Preining Dominique Bastien Adrien de Leener | Porsche 911 RSR | LMGTE AM | 3'54.868 | 35.710 | 0.014 |
| 40 | 75 | Rino Mastronardi Matteo Cressoni Andrea Piccini | Ferrari 488 GTE EVO | LMGTE AM | 3'54.938 | 35.780 | 0.070 |
| 41 | 77 | Christian Ried Riccardo Pera Matthew Campbell | Porsche 911 RSR | LMGTE AM | 3'55.092 | 35.934 | 0.154 |
| 42 | 61 | Francesco Piovanetti Oswaldo Negri Jr Côme Ledogar | Ferrari 488 GTE EVO | LMGTE AM | 3'55.431 | 36.273 | 0.339 |
| 43 | 83 | François Perrodo Emmanuel Collard Nicklas Nielsen | Ferrari 488 GTE EVO | LMGTE AM | 3'55.445 | 36.287 | 0.014 |
| 44 | 54 | Thomas Flohr Francesco Castellacci Giancarlo Fisichella | Ferrari 488 GTE EVO | LMGTE AM | 3'55.936 | 36.778 | 0.491 |
| 45 | 90 |  Salih Yoluc Charlie Eastwood Jonathan Adam | Aston Martin Vantage AMR | LMGTE AM | 3'55.967 | 36.809 | 0.031 |
| 46 | 86 | Michael Wainwright Ben Barker Andrew Watson | Porsche 911 RSR | LMGTE AM | 3'56.165 | 37.007 | 0.198 |
| 47 | 99 |  Vutthikorn Inthraphuvasak Lucas Légeret Julien Andlauer | Porsche 911 RSR | LMGTE AM | 3'56.168 | 37.010 | 0.003 |
| 48 | 57 | Ben Keating Felipe Fraga Jeroen Bleekemolen | Porsche 911 RSR | LMGTE AM | 3'56.172 | 37.014 | 0.004 |
| 49 | 56 |  Egidio Perfetti Larry ten Voorde Matteo Cairoli | Porsche 911 RSR | LMGTE AM | 3'56.408 | 37.250 | 0.236 |
| 50 | 78 | Horst Felbermayr Jr. Michele Beretta Max van Splunteren | Porsche 911 RSR | LMGTE AM | 3'56.865 | 37.707 | 0.457 |
| 51 | 72 |  Morris Chen Tom Blomqvist Marcos Gomes | Ferrari 488 GTE EVO | LMGTE AM | 3'57.408 | 38.250 | 0.543 |
| 52 | 85 | Manuela Gostner Rahel Frey Michelle Gatting | Ferrari 488 GTE EVO | LMGTE AM | 3'59.065 | 39.907 | 1.657 |
| 53 | 55 | Duncan Cameron Aaron Scott Matt Griffin | Ferrari 488 GTE EVO | LMGTE AM | 3'59.500 | 40.342 | 0.435 |
| 54 | 89 | Philippe Haezebrouck Julien Piguet Andreas Laskaratos | Porsche 911 RSR | LMGTE AM | 4'00.448 | 41.290 | 0.948 |
| 55 | 66 | Richard Heistand Max Root Jan Magnussen | Ferrari 488 GTE EVO | LMGTE AM | 4'00.839 | 41.681 | 0.391 |
| 56 | 62 | Bonamy Grimes Johnny Mowlem Charles Hollings | Ferrari 488 GTE EVO | LMGTE AM | 4'03.239 | 44.081 | 2.400 |
| 57 | 52 | Christoph Ulrich Steffen Gorig Alexander West | Ferrari 488 GTE EVO | LMGTE AM | 4'06.052 | 46.894 | 2.813 |
| 58 | 17 | Dwight Merriman Kyle Tilley John Kennard | Oreca 07 | LMP2 | |||
| 59 | 28 | Paul Lafargue Paul Loup Chatin Richard Bradley | Oreca 07 | LMP2 |
Related video
Previous article
Le Mans 24h: Toyota dominates first qualifying session
Next article
Porsche driver Pilet replaces Merriman at IDEC Sport
About this article
| Series | Le Mans |
| Event | 24 Hours of Le Mans |
| Sub-event | FP3 |
| Drivers | Louis Deletraz |
| Teams | Toyota Gazoo Racing WEC |
| Author | Filip Cleeren |
Le Mans: Dan Gurney - Le Mans 1967
All Le Mans 24 hour-winning cars
Why Ferrari is ending its 50-year top-flight sportscar racing exile
Making a return to top-flight sportscar racing after 50 years away, Ferrari will enter the Le Mans Hypercar ranks in 2023. The Italian marque denies the link with Formula 1's new cost cap that frees up resources, but it's certainly no coincidence...
Oliver Gavin's Corvette Racing highlights
Oliver Gavin has stepped down from the full-time Corvette Racing line-up after a stellar career with the team spanning nearly 20 years. He looks back on a stint that encompassed, among other successes, five Le Mans 24 Hours victories.
How Tandy joined an exclusive club of endurance legends
Victory at last year's Spa 24 Hours meant Nick Tandy had completed the unofficial sextuple crown of the world's six biggest endurance races, becoming the first Briton to do so. Ahead of his fresh start with Corvette Racing, he explains how he did it…
The cherished curios kept by motorsport's professionals at home
Keeping trophies and momentos of key triumphs is par for the course for motorsport professionals, but what are the most cherished souvenirs picked up by the drivers and engineers who have seen and done it all?
The Porsche icon that forged sportscar racing's greatest era
Porsche is returning to the top class of Le Mans with an LMDh prototype that it hopes will write its next successful chapter in sportscar racing. But it will have to go some to emulate its 956/962, a car which defines the Group C age more than any other.
How Tom Kristensen forged his ‘Mr Le Mans’ legend
He is synonymous with success at the Circuit de la Sarthe, but Tom Kristensen's sportscar legacy amounts to much more than his record-breaking nine Le Mans wins, as the most successful driver ever at Sebring and a world champion to boot…
Why Audi’s shock return promises a new age for sportscars
OPINION: The news that Audi will return to Le Mans means we'll at last get to see the fight promised in 2012 against Peugeot and Toyota. It also gives LMDh a tangible form, which could open the floodgates for more like-minded marques to follow suit…
The eternal debate revived after the 2019/20 WEC season
It may have been missed amid the clamour over Lewis Hamilton's seventh F1 title, but Britain had another world champion crowned last weekend. Mike Conway's WEC crown raises an old conundrum - does title glory make up for the pain of Le Mans defeat?
