Ferrari heading for a hat trick at Le Mans

Defending champions Ferrari were heading for a third straight win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, after leading the 93rd edition of the race through the night and into Sunday morning at the Sarthe circuit.

With six hours remaining, the number 51 factory 499P car of 2023 winners Alessandro Pier Guidi, Antonio Giovinazzi and James Calado led the number 83 AF Corse entry of Robert Kubica, Yifei Yi and Philip Hanson by some six seconds.

The number 50 factory car crewed by last years winners Antonio Fuoco, Nicklas Nielsen and Miguel Molina completed the lockout of the podium places.

Porsche Penskes number six hypercar, which had led at the halfway stage after a safety car period, was fourth and Toyotas number eight car fifth.

With six hours being the regular length of a World Endurance Championship race, and temperatures rising, there was however still plenty of room for late drama.

The number 51 Ferrari had already fought back from eighth place after a puncture, a five second penalty and 20 second stop and go punishment to retake the lead by dawn.

Swiss tennis great Roger Federer had waved the French flag to get the race underway on Saturday afternoon, with Porsche immediately seizing the lead from pole-sitters Cadillac.

Cadillac had swept the front row in Thursdays qualifying but any advantage was short-lived as Porsche Penskes Julien Andlauer slipstreamed into the lead from third on the grid before the first chicane on the opening lap.

We’re trying to hang in there, but it’s tough out on track to be honest, said Sebastien Bourdais, who shares the number 38 Cadillac with 2009 Formula One champion Jenson Button and was in ninth place.

We’re struggling with tyre degradation. And we’re struggling with the balance.

Ferrari worked their way to the front and