24h Le Mans: Crossing the line with four cars

At the 93rd running of the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans (14 and 15 June), Proton Competition faced a monumental challenge. Fielding five cars across all three classes, the team represented the largest single entry in the FIA World Endurance Championship line-up. In the end, Christian and Michael Ried’s squad emerged from the weekend with a class podium and several strong finishes.

In the top Hypercar category, Proton Competition once again showcased its class. Rarely has the FIA WEC field been as fiercely competitive as it was at Le Mans in 2025, with eight manufacturers going head-to-head at the Circuit de la Sarthe. Undeterred by the intense competition, the drivers of the Porsche 963 held their nerve and delivered a strong performance. Neel Jani, Nicolás Varrone and Nicolas Pino crossed the finish line in 14th place, ahead of several high-profile works entries.

Proton Competition once again demonstrated its ability to master the steep learning curve of the Hypercar class. Compared to its debut with the Porsche 963 at Le Mans in 2024, the team completed this year’s race without any major incidents. The #99 car consistently ran inside the top 15, delivering an impressive, flawless performance over 24 demanding hours of racing.

Strong performance in the world championship

Jonas Ried, Macéo Capietto and Reshad De Gerus had every reason to be proud of their performance in the LMP2 class. The crew of the #9 Oreca, who normally compete in the European Le Mans Series, delivered a superb drive in front of 332,000 spectators, narrowly missing out on a podium with a fourth-place finish.

The weekend also proved successful for Giorgio Roda, Bent Viscaal and René Binder in the #11 sister car. The trio delivered a flawless performance, running inside the top 10 throughout the entire race and ultimately crossing the finish line sixth overall in the LMP2 class and third in the Pro/Am classification – earning a well-deserved podium finish for the team.

Consistency leads to top 10 finish

In the LMGT3 class, expectations were high following strong performances leading up to the season’s highlight at Le Mans. With two Ford Mustang LMGT3 on the grid, Proton Competition was aiming for a top result. Qualifying confirmed the team’s good pace, with Stefano Gattuso setting the sixth-fastest time and securing a place in the Hyperpole shootout for the fourth consecutive race. In Hyperpole, Giammarco Levorato clinched tenth on the grid for himself, Gattuso and Dennis Olsen in the #88. Meanwhile, Ben Tuck, Ben Barker and Bernardo Sousa in the #77 sister car lined up 13th for the start.

As the lights went green on Saturday afternoon, both crews gave it their all to work their way through the field. A clean start saw both Ford Mustangs battling among the top 5 in the early stages. Over the course of the race, Barker, Tuck, and Sousa firmly established themselves in the top 10, ultimately taking the chequered flag in ninth place. However, Levorato, Olsen, and Gattuso’s hopes of a strong finish were dashed early on. In the fourth hour of racing, the car was involved in an incident caused by a loose wheel nut, which led to a wheel detachment.

Frei zur redaktionellen Verwendung.
Copyright: Proton Competition (Paola Depalmas)