Cadillac Hertz Team Jota has stunned the sportscar world by locking out the front row for the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans, securing both P1 and P2 in a dramatic two-part Hyperpole qualifying format.
The team’s #12 and #38 entries led the way in a high-stakes shootout that unfolded across two separate sessions, resulting in the team’s first-ever pole position.
HYPERPOLE 1:
The first Hyperpole session saw 15 of the top Hypercar entries take to the track on medium compound Michelin tyres, with only the top eight advancing to the final shootout.
It was Jack Aitken, driving the #311 Cadillac Whelen Engineering V-Series.R, who topped the timesheets with a scorching 3:22.742s, laying down the benchmark for the weekend.
Behind Aitken, New Zealand’s Brendon Hartley made his presence felt in the #8 Toyota Gazoo Racing machine, setting a strong 3:23.546s lap to advance through to Hyperpole 2.
Mick Schumacher (Alpine #36), Robin Frijns (BMW #20), and Sébastien Bourdais in the #38 Cadillac Hertz Team Jota entry also featured at the sharp end.
Bourdais briefly stole the provisional pole late in the session with a 3:23.141s, showing Cadillac’s potential before being bettered by Aitken’s lap.
The Porsche Penske challenge was blunted after the #5 of Julien Andlauer, fastest early on, lost a tyre while entering pit lane in dramatic fashion.
Top 10 Advancing from Hyperpole 1:
- #311 Cadillac Whelen – Jack Aitken – 3:22.742
- #38 Cadillac Hertz Team Jota – Sébastien Bourdais +0.399s
- #20 BMW M Team WRT – Robin Frijns +0.508s
- #50 Ferrari AF Corse – Antonio Fuoco +0.531s
- #36 Alpine Endurance – Mick Schumacher +0.720s
- #8 Toyota Gazoo Racing – Brendon Hartley +0.804s
- #4 Porsche Penske – Felipe Nasr +0.805s
- #12 Cadillac Hertz Team Jota – Will Stevens +0.899s
- #5 Porsche Penske – Julien Andlauer +1.237s
- #15 BMW M Team WRT – Raffaele Marciello +1.319s
Eliminated:
- #51 Ferrari – Alessandro Pier Guidi +1.401s
- #35 Alpine Endurance Team – Paul-Loup Chatin + 1.411s
- #83 AF Corse – Yifei Ye + 1.585s
- #101 Cadillac WTR – Ricky Taylor + 2.069
- #009 Aston Martin Thor Team – Marco Sorensen +2.516s
HYPERPOLE 2:
It was Alex Lynn, behind the wheel of the #12 Cadillac Hertz Team Jota, who rose to the occasion with a searing 3:23.166s lap on his third and final run, clinching Cadillac’s first-ever pole at Le Mans.
“I think every time you have the opportunity to drive this kind of car around Le Mans with low fuel, new tyres, is an honour, first of all,” said Lynn.
“It’s a pleasure to be here in front of you all tonight. Honestly, I’m truly honoured to be able to put in a performance like that in front of everyone and deliver the car to Cadillac how they deserve – in the first position.
“It’s a special feeling. I can’t describe it. It’s such a magical circuit, a wonderful place, and a place I really love to try and perform my best. We’ll enjoy this tonight. Good sleep and reset.”
Teammate Earl Bamber came alive late in the session as well, finding big gains to slot into second with a 3:23.333s, sealing an all-Jota Cadillac front row to the amazement of many.
Porsche Penske’s Mathieu Jaminet pushed hard and ended up third, while Dries Vanthoor kept BMW WRT in the mix with a strong fourth. Hartley’s co-driver in the #8 TGR GR010 HYBRID, Sébastien Buemi, wasn’t so lucky—he ran off at Mulsanne on his first push lap, resulting in a punctured tyre and failing to set a time. The #8 Toyota Gazoo Racing car with Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa will start 10th.
Hyperpole 2 Results (Top 10 Grid for the Race):
- #12 Cadillac Hertz Team Jota – Alex Lynn – 3:23.166
- #38 Cadillac Hertz Team Jota – Earl Bamber +0.167s
- #5 Porsche Penske – Mathieu Jaminet +0.309s
- #15 BMW M Team WRT – Dries Vanthoor +0.493s
- #4 Porsche Penske – Nick Tandy +0.817s
- #20 BMW M Team WRT – Sheldon van der Linde +0.843s
- #50 Ferrari AF Corse – Antonio Fuoco +1.047s
- #311 Cadillac Whelen – Felipe Drugovich +1.214s
- #36 Alpine – Frédéric Makowiecki +1.232s
- #8 Toyota Gazoo Racing – Sébastien Buemi – No Time
KIWIS IN THE MIX:
New Zealand’s Earl Bamber will start the race from the front row in the #38 Jota Cadillac, while fellow Kiwi Brendon Hartley will line up tenth in the #8 Toyota GR010 HYBRID.
Both remain strong threats for race victory in what’s shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable Le Mans grids in years.
The 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans goes green this Sunday, with Cadillac leading the charge, but with Porsche, Toyota, BMW, Ferrari, and Alpine all lurking, the battle for endurance racing’s ultimate crown is only just beginning.
Header Image: Jack Martin Photography
