Sarthe

Ferrari last competed at Le Mans in 1973 but returned to Circuit de la Sarthe this year as part of a new hyperclass category that features hybrid technology.

France’s start to the race got off to a mixed start, though, when the No. 31 Cadillac was involved in an opening-lap crash at the same time France was celebrating a stock car circling the Circuit de la Sarthe.

Until 2021, Mr. Molesworth was the director of the de Sarthe Gallery, and Ms. Cheung, a fiction writer and essayist, was the managing editor of ArtAsiaPacific magazine until 2019.

Jose Maria Lopez of Argentina followed a couple of minutes behind for Toyota’s No. 7 at the Circuit de la Sarthe in northwestern France.

New Zealander Brendon Hartley led a qualifying one-two for champions Toyota at the 24 Hours of Le Mans on Thursday with the Japanese team taking their sixth successive pole position at the Sarthe circuit.