The complexion of the 24 Hours of Le Mans changed dramatically at the start of the 16th hour when Marcel Fassler brought the No. 7 Audi R18 e-tron Quattro to the pits. The unscheduled stop to replace the rear bodywork cost the No. 7 a lap and dropped last year’s race-winning team from second to fourth. Porsche was in control with its 991 Hybrids running first and second.

At the end of 18 hours of racing, the top three cars were within three minutes. Nick Tandy led in the No. 19 Porsche 991 Hybrid, Mark Webber was second in the No. 17 Porsche, and Rene Rast was third in the No. 9 Audi.

The race’s fourth safety car period began in the 17th hour when GTE Am driver Roald Goethe had a serious shunt in the Porsche Curves with the No. 96 Aston Martin. Racing resumed 25 minutes later after Goethe was transported for examination and the debris was cleared from the track.

Webber was ready for the restart, and powered the No. 17 Porsche 991 Hybrid into second behind teammate Tandy in the No. 19 Porsche.

The three-way battle between Corvette, Ferrari, and Porsche continued in GTE Pro. Oliver Gavin pitted from the lead in the No. 64 Corvette C7.R under the safety car for a rear brake change. That stop ultimately cost the Corvette the lead as Toni Vilander took the point in the No. 51 AF Corse Ferrari 458, passing for the lead while Gavin was stationary in the pit lane. The No. 91 Team Manthey Porsche 911 RSR was also on the lead lap and stalking the GTE Pro class leaders.

Three American teams were gunning for a podium finish in GTE Am. Pat Long was running third in the No. 77 Dempsey-Proton Racing Porsche 911 RSR and fending off the No. 62 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari and the No. 53 Riley Motorsports-TI Automotive SRT Viper GTS-R. The No.98 Aston Martin Vantage V8 led GTE Am at the end of 18 hours.