Anthony Bartone of Miami and Steve Jans of Luxembourg claimed victory Thursday in the Le Mans Cup opener at Circuit de la Sarthe, part of the 24 Hours of Le Mans support program. Bartone took the lead in the closing laps after a strong start and pit sequence by Jans.
Jans started tenth in the No. 14 Bartone Bros. Racing with GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG GT3 and moved to third before handing the car over on Lap 7. The GetSpeed crew completed a smooth pit stop, keeping the team in contention.
Bartone closed a nearly 20-second gap in the final stint, overtaking multiple competitors to win the 55-minute race. The black GT3 car featured the team’s signature skull and crossbones livery.
“Qualifying was chaotic,” Bartone said. “Steve didn’t get a clean lap in, and I only just crossed the line about three seconds before the red flag came out.”
Jans advanced to sixth by the end of Lap 1 and gained more positions following a safety car period. “Steve made an incredible start from tenth — he’s one of the strongest drivers in his classification,” Bartone said.
Bartone credited the pit crew and his ability to manage traffic as key to the win. “I found my rhythm immediately and worked my way to the front,” he said. “There was a significant deficit to overcome, but I managed the traffic well — making passes for second and eventually taking the lead.”
He also acknowledged his father, Tony Bartone, a former NHRA World Champion driver and current team owner with over 89 NHRA national wins. The elder Bartone’s “Killer B’s” team holds multiple championships and national records in Top Alcohol Funny Car competition.
Bartone Bros. Racing also fields GT3 entries in the Asian Le Mans Series, International GT Open, and SRO Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Championship. Anthony Bartone competes in all three series.
The team plans to regroup before Race 2 at Le Mans, set for Saturday at 4:25 a.m. ET. Sponsors include Red Line Synthetic Oil, Roger Dean Chevrolet, Talon Air LLC, and Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed.
