24 Hours of Daytona – Michelin makes Porsche shine in qualifying

Contested in pouring rain, qualifying for the 2016 edition of the 24 Hours of Daytona, opening round of the IMSA SportsCar Championship, gave a surprising result. Shod with Continental tires and victims of weather getting worse over time, the Prototypes, last to start, were unable to do anything against the cars in the GTLM category, which have Michelin tires. Thus, three months after winning Petit Le Mans, également disputé sur une piste détrempée, la Porsche 911 RSR n°911 a de nouveau dominé les protos. Nick Tandy a signé le meilleur chrono absolu de cette séance en 2’01 »408. Le Britannique, qui partage le volant avec les Français Patrick Pilet et Kévin Estre, a précédé de 0 »956 la n°912 de Frédéric Makowiecki. Suivent la BMW M6 GTLM n°100 (+1 »089) et les Ferrari 488 GTE de Team Corsa (+1 »901) and Risi Competizione (+1 »978). The Ford GTs bring up the rear behind the Corvette C7.Rs. An observation that is not worrying for the Americans given the weather.

But it wasn't an idyllic session for everyone in the category, with Gianmaria Bruni drawing a red flag after smashing the rear wing of SMP Racing's Ferrari 488 GTE into the tire stacks. A few seconds earlier, Toni Vilander, entered in the No. 488 Risi Competizione 62 GTE, also went into a spin, while Frédéric Makowiecki (Porsche 911 RSR No. 912) was the author of a slight straight on without gravity.

Finally, the rain having increased in intensity when the Prototype category cars entered the track, the latter did not even manage to beat Johnny Mowlem, PC poleman in 2'05"708. The Briton, who drives the No. 09 Oreca 20 FLM of BAR1 Motorsports, left no hope to the competition led by Stephan Simpson, who wears the colors of JDC-Miller Motorsports.

To find traces of the first member of the Prototype class, you have to go back to the ninth rank. At the wheel of the No. 01 SMP Racing BR37-Nissan, Mikhail Aleshin completed a lap of the Daytona International Speedway in 2:05. The Russian beat two other LM P793s, the Ligier JS P2-HPD of Extreme Speed ​​Motorsports and Michael Shank Racing. A performance once again confirming the strong potential of Paolo Catone's latest creation.

If in the books, Nick Tandy and Porsche remain the authors of the pole position for the 2016 edition of the 24 Hours of Daytona, it will be the prototypes which will settle on the first rows of the starting grid on Saturday. In fact, IMSA divides the prototypes and GTs into two separate groups, the first named before the second. They will even place the Prototype category ahead of the Oreca 09 FLM in the Prototype Challenge. It is therefore the BR01 n°37 which will lead the peloton when the lights go out.

At the wheel of the No. 911 Porsche 3 GT991 type 73 entered by Park Place Motorsports, Norbert Siedler climbed to the top of the GTD hierarchy. The German was credited with a 2'05"798 which allows him to beat the #0 Lamborghini Huracan GT559 of Marc Basseng, who defends the interests of Konrad Motorsport, by 3"28. The top three in the category is completed by the No. 911 Porsche 3 GT22 from Alex Job Racing.

The start of the race will be given on Saturday at 14:40 p.m. local time, 20:40 p.m. French time.

Video of qualifying for the 24 Hours of Daytona