LM24, Hour 19: No. 91 LMGT3 Porsche crash leads to lengthy safety car

Five hours left to play in the 2026 Le Mans 24 Hours, and the gaps have been reset. The second safety car of the race was called in the 19th hour, after a big off for the No. 91 Manthey Porsche, which was running fourth in LMGT3.

Ayancen Güven was aboard at the time and was a passenger coming out of the first Mulsanne Chicane, veering straight off into the barriers hard after losing steering input. The result was an on-the-spot retirement for the 911 and a lengthy barrier repair that lasted the majority of the hour, and crucially bunched the field up.

The No. 91 wasn’t the only car to hit trouble in the hour. The No. 8 Toyota had to be looked at during two stoppages as the brake drum mounting on the front-left corner needed changing. It cost valuable track position, dropping the car to fourth.

The No. 50 Ferrari was the next car to hit trouble, and unfortunately of the terminal variety. Miguel Molina pulled off after Tertre Rouge due to an electrical issue that ultimately ended a troubled race for the 2024 winners.

Alpine’s No. 36 A424, meanwhile, had to be pushed into its garage with a battery and anti-roll bar problem, costing it six minutes and dropping it from ninth to 10th, three laps off the lead.

As for the running order, the No. 20 BMW now leads the restart with Robin Frijns in, ahead of Norman Nato in the No. 12 Cadillac, which had previously served a drive-through. The No. 7 Toyota is in the top three now with Kamui Kobayashi strapped in ahead of the sister No. 8 with Ryo Hirakawa aboard.

Remarkably, after a quiet run, the reigning winners in the No. 83 AF Corse Ferrari represent the best of the 499P attack in fifth and are still on the lead lap.

LMP2 is led by the Duqueine ORECA, ahead of the two Inter Europol 07 Gibsons, the No. 343 leading the No. 43. Vector is fourth with the Forestier Racing by Panis entry back in the game in fifth. Crowdstrike by APR leads LMP2 Pro/Am by over a lap; it's had the cleanest run in the class.

In LMGT3, TF Sport’s No. 33 Corvette at the head of the pack, but its 90-second lead has evaporated. Heart of Racing’s Aston Martins are third and second.

HOUR 19 RESULTS