24H Le Mans, 8H update: Doriane Pin's Duqueine extends LMP2 lead, Wadoux gets behind the wheel

Doriane Pin and the #30 Duqueine Team Oreca remain in control of the LMP2 category after an exceptional first-third of the race, with Pin completing a pair of outstanding stints to help build a commanding advantage – however neutralized by a safety car. Lilou Wadoux took the wheel for her first stints, lapping very solidly with the car remaining on the lead lap after the neutralization.

Photo credits: DPPI

As the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans reached the eight-hour mark, both female drivers in this year's race were already protagonists of strong stints. In LMP2, Doriane Pin and the #30 Duqueine Team Oreca remain in control of the category after an exceptional first-third of the race, with Pin completing a pair of outstanding stints to help build a commanding advantage.

In LMGT3, Lilou Wadoux brought the #150 Richard Mille Racing Ferrari just outside the top 10 after a strong night stint, having to wrestle Ferrari's not optimal straight-line speed with pace and consistency as the team is recovering from its 19th-place starting position.

The race had already begun positively for both crews. The #30 Duqueine Team entry, shared by Pin, Julien Andlauer and Richard Verschoor, started from sixth on the grid; Andlauer immediately charged into contention, climbing to second in the opening laps before taking the LMP2 lead during the first pit cycle. Through flawless strategy and relentless pace, Duqueine's crew emerged as the team to beat.

Meanwhile, the #150 Ferrari 296 GT3 of Wadoux, Custodio Toledo and Riccardo Agostini began from 19th in LMGT3: Toledo completed a measured opening stint, steadily gaining positions while executing strategy well. Agostini then continued the charge, climbing into the top ten during the pit cycles before settling into the fight for P15.

When Doriane Pin climbed aboard the #30 Oreca approximately three and a half hours into the race, Duqueine already held a healthy lead in LMP2. What followed was one of the most impressive performances of the race so far for that class. Immediately at ease, Pin began producing great pace, with her opening laps consistently in the 3:38 range, among the fastest by any LMP2 at that time.

Already leading by around 20 seconds when she took over, Pin rapidly extended the margin to 30 seconds and then nearly 40 seconds by lap 66. When she brought the Duqueine Oreca into pit lane on lap 67, she remained behind the wheel for a second consecutive stint, aiming to continue stretching the team's advantage. Once the Inter Europol Competition car of Bijoy Garg completed its stop, Pin comfortably reclaimed the LMP2 lead.

Behind her, Custodio Toledo continued his second stint in the #150 Ferrari. The Brazilian recorded his first laps under the four-minute barrier and showed encouraging progress throughout the afternoon. Although he slipped to 17th as many rival teams cycled their pro-rated drivers into the race, Toledo continued with consistency.

Back at the front of LMP2, Pin maintained superb pace throughout her second stint. Despite navigating increasing traffic as the race entered a more complex phase, she remained fully in control of the category lead. Five hours into the race, Pin returned to pit lane on lap 79 but once again stayed in the car, committing to a triple stint. Running on older tyres, she could no longer extract quite the same pace as during her sensational opening run, and the chasing Forestier Racing by Panis Oreca began to close slightly on fresher rubber. Even so, Pin managed the car expertly while preserving the lead.

At the same time, Toledo continued what was arguably one of his strongest stints of the season. The Brazilian climbed as high as 14th in LMGT3 and found himself battling directly with Antares Au for position. Au eventually moved ahead, while Toledo also found himself locked in duel with Prince Jefri Ibrahim's #2 Corvette.

After more than two hours in the cockpit, Pin finally completed her great first driving sequence and handed the car back to Julien Andlauer. Across three consecutive stints she had controlled the race, extended the lead significantly and demonstrated exceptional pace in only her second Le Mans appearance.

With fresh tyres, Andlauer immediately resumed the attack.

As the sun began setting over Circuit de la Sarthe, creating one of motorsport's most iconic scenes, the Frenchman started pulling away once more. The Duqueine Team Oreca remained the only LMP2 machine consistently capable of running below the 3:40 mark, and by lap 98 Andlauer had stretched the advantage beyond 40 seconds.

Meanwhile, Toledo had successfully kept the TF Sport Corvette behind him despite the two cars running within a second of one another. On lap 93, Toledo completed his assignment and handed the Ferrari over to Lilou Wadoux for her first stint of the race.

As darkness descended over Le Mans, the French star immediately demonstrated why she has become one of the most respected GT drivers in international endurance racing. Rejoining in 18th position, Wadoux's first push lap was already close to the car's best time of the race; despite the Ferrari's disadvantage that had affected the team all week, she quickly settled into a sequence of 3:57 laps - the pace was among the strongest in class.

Wadoux soon improved further, recording a 3:56.7 and climbing into 15th position. As the pit cycles unfolded she moved up to 13th, consistently matching the class leaders while managing traffic.

Duqueine's Andlauer meanwhile increased the lead beyond 50 seconds before pitting on lap 102. Although the Inter Europol entries continued running alternative strategies and often stayed out longer, Andlauer repeatedly reclaimed the class lead once the cycles completed.

By lap 105, after the latest round of stops, the Duqueine Oreca held an advantage of approximately one minute and thirty seconds over CLX Motorsport, and as tyre performance began to fade across the category, Andlauer's consistency became even more valuable.

In LMGT3, Wadoux continued her climb. She lowered the Ferrari's benchmark with a 3:56.119, establishing a new car-best lap and confirming the pace she had shown all season. She then overtook Conrad Laursen's Kessel Racing Ferrari on lap 107 to move into 13th position.

Wadoux focused on logging clean, competitive laps and steadily bringing the Ferrari back into contention.

The race changed dramatically on lap 120. With 7 hours and 39 minutes remaining, contact between the VistaJet Ferrari and a Ford Mustang sent the Ferrari deep into the gravel trap, triggering the first Safety Car intervention of the race.

For Duqueine Team, the timing introduced uncertainty despite their commanding position. The #30 Oreca held a margin approaching two minutes, but the Safety Car procedure initially split the field into separate groups and opened the possibility of strategic reshuffling during the caution period.

For Wadoux and the #150 Ferrari, however, the neutralization represented an opportunity, with the team immediately taking advantage of the caution to pit, bringing Riccardo Agostini back into the car. Wadoux completed an excellent opening stint, handing over the Ferrari in 15th place, consistently matching the class frontrunners at this stage of the race.

As Le Mans approached its third of the race, Doriane Pin's Duqueine Team Oreca continues to lead LMP2 after a dominant first part of the race however with neutralized gap, while Lilou Wadoux and the Richard Mille Racing Ferrari has climbed into the heart of the LMGT3 battle, being the last LMGT3 car on the lead lap.