WEC News: Peugeot and Lexus top Friday practice at Fuji

Under a blazing September sun, Fuji Speedway roared to life for the second Free Practice session of the 2025 6 Hours of Fuji, round seven of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

The air was thick with anticipation, the asphalt shimmering in the heat, as drivers and teams pushed their machines to the limit on the iconic Japanese circuit.

Mikkel Jensen, behind the wheel of the #93 Peugeot 9X8, was in a league of his own. The Dane carved through the track’s sweeping corners, clocking a blistering 1m29.495s lap—narrowly edging out the #5 Porsche Penske 963 of Julien Andlauer and Mathieu Jaminet by a mere 0.017 seconds.

“It’s tight out there,” Jensen radioed to his crew, his voice steady but laced with the thrill of competition. Peugeot TotalEnergies was riding high, their Hypercar program proving its mettle after months of refinement.

Behind them, the Aston Martin Heart of Racing Valkyrie Hypercars showed their teeth. Marco Sorensen and Alex Riberas piloted the #009 entry to third, while its sister car claimed ninth, a testament to the team’s growing confidence. “We’re getting there,” Sorensen muttered, eyeing the data screens in the pit lane. “Just need a bit more in the straights.”

Toyota Gazoo Racing, the hometown heroes, were hungry for a tenth Fuji victory since 2012. The #8 Toyota GR010 Hypercar, driven by Kamui Kobayashi, Nyck de Vries, and a freshly recovered Mike Conway, slotted into fourth. Conway, back after a collarbone injury sidelined him at COTA, gritted his teeth through the high-speed corners. “Feels good to be back,” he said, though his shoulder ached with every turn. The #7 Toyota, meanwhile, sat sixth, sandwiching the #35 Alpine A424, which was chasing a repeat of its third-place miracle from Fuji the previous year.

Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA’s #12 V-Series.R Hypercar roared into seventh, with Alex Lynn, Will Stevens, and Norman Nato still buzzing from their Interlagos triumph in July. The #50 Ferrari 499P, driven by Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina, and the newly re-signed Nicklas Nielsen, held eighth, ensuring seven manufacturers crowded the Hypercar top ten. Defending Fuji champions Laurens Vanthoor and Kevin Estre rounded out the top ten in the #6 Porsche Penske 963, their eyes set on repeating last year’s glory.

LMGT3 Class

In the LMGT3 class, the Akkodis ASP Lexus squad was untouchable. Clemens Schmid, sharing the #87 Lexus with Jose-Maria Lopez and Petru Umbrarescu, scorched the track with a 1m41.431s lap, outpacing the #59 United Autosports McLaren by 0.2 seconds.

Sebastien Baud, who set the McLaren’s best time of 1m41.661s, pushed hard alongside teammates James Cottingham and Gregoire Saucy. “We’re close,” Baud told his engineer, wiping sweat from his brow. “Just need to find that last tenth.”

The sister #78 Akkodis ASP Lexus, driven by Ben Barnicoat, Arnold Robin, and Finn Gehrsitz, took third, hungry to surpass their season-best fourth from Qatar. Behind them, the Manthey 1stPhorm Porsche, with Richard Lietz, Riccardo Pera, and Ryan Hardwick, claimed fourth, determined to tighten their grip on the LMGT3 points lead before the Bahrain finale. The #21 VISTA AF Corse Ferrari and #77 Proton Competition Ford Mustang rounded out the top six, each crew battling for every millisecond.

The session wasn’t without its hiccups. Two brief Full Course Yellow periods paused the action as marshals cleared debris from the circuit, a reminder of how quickly fortunes could shift. As the session ended, the paddock buzzed with strategy talks and data analysis, teams already looking ahead to Saturday’s final practice at 09:50.

Under the shadow of Mount Fuji, the stage was set for an epic showdown. Jensen, Schmid, and their rivals knew Sunday’s race would demand everything—precision, nerve, and a touch of luck. As the sun dipped below the horizon, the engines fell silent, but the tension only grew. The 6 Hours of Fuji was coming, and it promised to be a firefight.

Practice 1 Results

Practice 2 Results