24 hours of Le Mans – H+9: Peugeot in the lead, the suspense remains intact

Hypercar

• The 24 Hours of Le Mans 2023 is hectic. At the start of the night, two major incidents occurred. First of all, Alessandro Pier Guidi (Ferrari), who was then leader, got stuck in the gravel at the Daytona chicane in the Hunaudières. The Italian was disturbed by a Glickenhaus and a Porsche of the GTE AM who touched each other while braking and lost control of his Hypercar while braking just behind. Pier Guidi lost two places in the incident.

Race leader #51 Ferrari beached and has slipped down to fourth 😲@FerrariHypercar # LeMans24 #LeMansCentenary pic.twitter.com/n9ZRB3m0rw

- 24 Hours of Le Mans (@ 24hoursoflemans) June 10, 2023

• A few moments later, a pileup took place in the Esses du Tertre Rouge. As a Slow Zone was set up, several cars braked, including the Toyota n ° 7 of Kamui Kobayashi. The Japanese was hit from behind by the Ferrari 488 GTE of Louis Prette (n°66, retirement), which took off partly on the Oreca of Giedo van der Garde (Graff Racing). L'Alpine No. 35 by Memo Rojas was also hit and returned to the pits.
• Kamui Kobayashi stopped at the side of the circuit and retired, his Hypercar being too damaged. He then returned to the virtual podium.

What an incredible start at night!
The #7 Toyota stopped on the edge of the track at the top of the Mulsanne Straight and got hit by the JMW Ferrari! #LeMansCentenary | @TGR_WEC | @FerrariHypercar pic.twitter.com/s0Mp7O6tLs

- 24 Hours of Le Mans (@ 24hoursoflemans) June 10, 2023

• Team Peugeot occupied first position after 1 a.m., when the safety car was about to let go of the pack after a neutralization of more than an hour. It's Nico Müller's n°94, Loïc duval and Gustavo Menezes who is in front of the No. 8 Toyota of Ryo Hirakawa, Sébastien Buemi et Brendon Hartley.

ALSO READ > Loïc Duval (Peugeot): “It’s not on speed that we can win”

LM P2

• Impossible to identify a favorite in LM P2. Team WRT with the No. 41 Oreca of Louis Delétraz, Robert Kubica and Rui Andrade leading just ahead of the No. 34 Inter Europol Competition Oreca.

GTE Am

• The Iron Ladies (Rahel Frey, Michelle Gatting, Michelle Gatting) lead the GTE Am class ahead of the AF Corse Ferrari driven by Francesco Castellacci.