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Drama as four-time Le Mans winners Toyota Gazoo Racing miss out on pole

Brendon Hartley's late crash gifts Glickenhaus Racing its first Le Mans pole

Porsche and Ferrari complete the top three as Toyota Gazoo Racing endures late heartbreak

Drama struck late in the third and final qualifying session for the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans as Toyota Gazoo Racing's hopes of claiming a fifth consecutive pole position were dashed by a dramatic crash for Brendon Hartley. The Kiwi driver lost control of his GR010 Hybrid at the high-speed Porsche Curves with just minutes remaining on the clock, triggering a red flag that effectively ended the session.

Hartley's accident handed pole position to Glickenhaus Racing, with Ryan Briscoe taking the American team's 007 LMH to a shock first pole at Le Mans. It's a remarkable achievement for the small, family-run operation, which is competing in its third year at Le Mans.

Porsche and Ferrari will start alongside Glickenhaus on the front row, with Kevin Estre and Alessandro Pier Guidi claiming second and third respectively. Andre Lotterer was at the wheel of the #6 Porsche 963 when the red flag was shown, while Pier Guidi had just completed a stunning lap in the #51 Ferrari 499P.

Toyota Gazoo Racing will have to start from fourth and fifth on the grid, with Sebastien Buemi and Ryo Hirakawa setting the best times for the Japanese manufacturer. It's a disappointing result for Toyota, which has dominated Le Mans in recent years, but the team will be confident of fighting back during the race.

The 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans gets underway at 4pm local time on Saturday, June 15.

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