PETIT LE MANS OPENS WITH HEAD-ON CRASH IN GTD CLASS, FERRARI DRIVER TRANSFERRED TO HOSPITAL

The opening hour of the IMSA season finale in the Motul Petit Le Mans on Saturday afternoon started with heartbreak for five GTD teams when the No. 34 Ferrari 296 GT3 entry of Manny Franco spun around, leaving the driver facing the oncoming race traffic. The No. 70 Ferrari, being piloted by Brenden Iribe, was unable to slow down and hit Franco head-on.

Conquest Racing has reported that Franco has been taken to the hospital as a precaution.

Conquest Racing updated around 2:30 EST. "Franco is doing well and remains in good spirits following this morning's incident. He is currently at a local hospital for precautionary exams."

The No. 70 Inception Racing Ferrari was fighting in the amateur category for a trip to Le Mans next July, but their early retirement from this race ended that dream.

The No. 66 Ford Mustang GT3, No. 44 Aston Martin Vantage GT3, and No. 45 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 were also involved in the crash and retired from the race following the first lap incident.

With five GTD cars involved and four officially retired, the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 clinches the GTD championship, needing only not to be the first car to retire in Saturday's race.

On the opening lap, the No. 7 Porsche Penske 963 made it up to third as the No. 6 Porsche and No. 93 Acura ARX-06 fell back. The race would not complete a green flag lap until 36 minutes had already passed. Before the first attempt at a restart, the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series. R, piloted by Aitken at the time, ran over a Ferrari mirror from the opening lap contact.

The No. 60 Acura ARX-06 held its lead from Tom Blomqvist's GTP lap record Pole until its first pit stop around the one-hour mark.

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2025-10-11T17:56:34Z