24 Hours of Le Mans Motorcycle Race – Night Tests: Yamaha shines under the moon at Le Mans

The Night Free Practices, held in darkness conditions identical to those in force during the race, allowed the riders entered for the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans to test their package in real conditions to prepare them for the cold Le Mans night that awaits them on Saturday night into Sunday.

During these 90 minutes of track action, the teams were able to validate their settings and get used to the visibility conditions, as well as the behavior of the machines in conditions that were naturally cooler than those of the day.

Reigning world champions and already provisional poles in Q1, YART Yamaha confirmed their complete mastery of the Bugatti circuit. The team's new recruit, Leandro Mercado, set the benchmark time in the night free practice session with a 1:36.117, putting the YZF-R1 at the top of the timesheets.

The FCC TSR Honda France was right behind the number 1 car, less than two tenths of a second behind, while BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team – runner-up in Q1 by just 32 thousandths of a second – completes the provisional podium in this relatively quiet session. The #12 SERT (Suzuki) car sits just behind the top three. Four different manufacturers therefore occupy the top four positions in the third session of the day.

This Friday, the 60 entrants for the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans motorcycle race will take part in the second qualifying session. This will finalize the starting grid for the race, which will start at 15 p.m. on Saturday.

As a reminder, pole position will award 5 points to the team that secures it, while the following teams will receive 4, 3, 2, and 1 point respectively, down to 5th place. This will be the first points awarded this year, with the 24 Hours of Le Mans motorcycle race serving as the opening round of the championship.

ALSO READ > Everything you need to know about the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans motorcycle race

24 Hours of Le Mans Motorcycle Race 2026 

Night Test standings: