Tomorrow marks the 90th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In qualifying Audi locked out the front row; in LMP2 Morgan clinched pole while Aston Martin did the same in LM GTE Pro and LM GTE Am.
This is the third year the German team has monopolized the front row of the grid. Thanks to Loïc Duval’s time of 3m22.349s, the R18 e-tron quattro he shares with Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish will start from pole position: it is the eighth time the Ingolstadt brand has set the fastest time in qualifying in the history of the race.
Starting from second is the no.1 car driven by Lotterer, Fässler and Tréluyer, who have won the event for the last two years.
“It’s always better to start from pole,” explains Duval. “Even if it’s not a decisive factor in such a long endurance race. In any case everything worked out according to plan.”
Third on the grid is the third Audi (no.3) with the first of the Toyota TS030 Hybrids (no.8) in fourth spot, followed by its sister car (no.7) in fifth.
Toyota’s practice was upset by changing weather conditions on Thursday, but the team is focused on putting all their efforts into the race.
“The aim here at Le Mans isn’t qualifying,” says team president Yoshiaki Kinoshita. “It’s the finish on Sunday that matters. Anyway I’m delighted with the work done by the team so far.”
Quickest of the private teams in qualifying was the no. 12 Lola-Toyota of Heidfeld, Prost and Jani, which will start from row three.
The battle for pole in LM P2 was much closer. At the end of a thrilling qualifying session, Olivier Pla set the quickest time in the category for OAK Racing with a lap of 3m38.621s.
“The race, though, is a whole other ball game,” says the French driver. “We’ve got the car to do the job.” Given the tiny gaps between the potential winners in the category, the biggest in the race, there will be a no-holds-barred battle between the 22 cars.
It will be the same thing in LM GTE Pro. As has been the case in the first two rounds of the world championship, Aston Martin dominated its rivals. Frederic Makowiecki in no. 99 set a stunning 3m54.635s to beat his sister car, no. 97.
“It’s victory in the first round before winning the race this weekend,” Makowiecki said.
Porsche will be fighting with its two works-based 911 RSRs, while last years winners Ferrari know what it takes to score a victory in the Sarthe. Corvette and Viper, were slightly slower but show good potential going into Saturday. It looks like there will be a thrilling scrap in the 2013 Le Mans 24 Hours between some of the most beautiful road-going cars.
In the GTE class, Aston Martin also dominated with the no. 95 driven by the Danish trio of Nygaard, Poulsen and Simonsen, topping the time sheets in 3m57.776s. But with the quick Larbre Competition Corvettes, the Ferraris 458 Italias, IMSA Performance Matmut and Proton Porsches, this category will also provide its fair share of excitement. On the 24th row is the eagerly-awaited Dempsey-Del Piero Racing team, which set the 47th-quickest time in 4.m00.196s.
Double points will be awarded towards the 2013 FIA World Endurance Championship, making the 24 Hours a decisive step towards a championship. This will push all the drivers to go flat out and make for a thrilling battle day and night.
Full coverage of the 90th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans will be shown on SPEED, starting at 8:30 a.m. (EST) Saturday and running until 9:00 a.m. (EST) Sunday, breaking only twice for motorsports updates.
Photos: LAT Photographic
