24H Le Mans, 16H update: Heartbreak for Chadwick and Iron Dames

Both Iron Dames and the IDEC Sport team suffered heartbreak after strong night stints, while in contention for the top five following a flawless first half of the race. Lilou Wadoux's Richard Mille Ferrari stays in the fight, within the top ten in LMGT3.

Photo credits: DPPI

Both Iron Dames and the IDEC Sport team suffered heartbreak after strong night stints, while in contention for the top five following a flawless first half of the race. Lilou Wadoux's Richard Mille Ferrari stays in the fight, within the top ten in LMGT3.

With eight hours remaining in the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans, the race has taken a dramatic turn through the night and into daybreak. While all three teams with female entries were still pushing forward through the darkness with strong pace and consistency, two of the most promising efforts were struck by misfortune just as they were firmly in contention for a top five. The #150 Richard Mille AF Corse Ferrari now carries the remaining hopes of a top result among the entries featuring female drivers.

The late evening hours saw André Lotterer climb into the top three overall in LMP2 for IDEC Sport, before handing the #18 Oreca back to Jamie Chadwick, who held firm in the top five. In LMGT3, bronze-rated Célia Martin completed a strong stint in the night, running in the top ten between Pro drivers, before Sarah Bovy returned to the Iron Dames car and began rebuilding ground. The #150 Richard Mille Ferrari meanwhile cycled up through the midfield thanks to Riccardo Agostini and then Lilou Wadoux, who carried the car into 10th and then P12 after the first and only safety car of the race by halfway.

As the night deepened into the 13th hour, Sarah Bovy continued her excellent run in the Iron Dames Porsche, closing the gap to the sister #90 Manthey Porsche ahead. A series of efficient stints saw her break into the top six and, later, climb back into fifth as other cars cycled through the pits. She maintained consistent pace in the low 3:59s and eventually set a 3:58.9—in an impressive effort that helped push the team firmly into top-five contention.

In the #150 Ferrari 296 GT3, Lilou Wadoux delivered one of her typical strong performances, stringing together a sequence of sub-4 minute laps during an inspired night stint. She steadily reeled in competitors and re-entered the top ten, hunting down the #59 McLaren of Grégoire Saucy for ninth. Her pace provided a strong platform as the team continued to work back through the field of LMGT3.

In LMP2, Mathys Jaubert was again one of the fastest on track in class, running consistent 3:41s and pressuring the likes of Sebastian Alvarez and Louis Delétraz for second and third in class. Jaubert even climbed to second briefly during pit cycles before Esteban Masson in the #48 VDS Panis Racing Oreca overtook him just before Jaubert handed over the car to André Lotterer once again.

However, disaster struck IDEC Sport not long after sunrise. Just a few laps into his stint, Lotterer lost the right rear wheel of the #18 car, forcing him to slow dramatically and ultimately bring the car to a halt. Though the veteran German tried to nurse the car back on three wheels, the damage was terminal. IDEC Sport was forced to retire after a brilliant 16 hours that had them fighting for a class podium throughout the night.

That incident triggered a round of pit stops across the field. Sarah Bovy, still lapping under four minutes, pitted and handed the Iron Dames Porsche back to Rahel Frey. The Swiss driver quickly found her rhythm and clocked the team's fastest lap—a 3:57.953 on lap 205—second fastest on track at the time. The Iron Dames were once again in the hunt, running in sixth and closing in on the top five.

Then, more heartbreak.

As Frey continued her charge, she was hit at the second chicane by the #87 Akkodis ASP Lexus of Clemens Schmid, sending the #85 Porsche into the gravel and triggering a Full Course Yellow. Though she was able to rejoin with marshal assistance, the team lost a lap and dropped to P10. Schmid was handed a drive-through penalty for causing the collision.

Just a few laps later, the Iron Dames’ race suffered another blow. While initially back up to speed, the Porsche slowed again on the Mulsanne straight—this time due to a shifting issue. Rahel managed a reset and limped back to the pits, but the car was wheeled into the garage, ending the team’s hopes of a strong finish after a near-flawless night run.

That leaves the #150 Richard Mille AF Corse Ferrari as the final female-driven car still with a shot at climbing up the order. With Custodio Toledo back in the car to complete his required driving time, the Ferrari sits ninth in class.

After spending 6 laps into the garage, Rahel Frey managed to rejoin the track with 8 hours and 44 minutes left on the clock in P18, with Iron Dames now aiming to take the chequered flag, displaying the team’s hallmark fighting spirit.

The #150 Richard Mille Ferrari runs in P9 in LMGT3.

Eight hours remain, and while setbacks have hit two of the standout contenders, the race is far from over at Le Mans.