Peugeot ahead of Audi at Petit Le Mans

Despite a fundamentally different route, Petit Le Mans could present a remake of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. During qualifying, Peugeot dominated its competitors, with Audi in the lead. Behind a diesel top 4, Simon Pagenaud and Nicolas Lapierre stood out.

Published on 25/09/2009 à 22:11

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This second major endurance duel of the year, contested in Georgia, once again turns to the advantage of Peugeot before the departure of “Petit Le Mans ". On a circuit which has nothing to compare with the series of 24 Hours, the 908 HDi FAP is also competitive. Nicolas Minassian (7) in 1'06"937 and Franck Montagny (8) relegated Capello (2) and Luhr (1) to more than a second in 4,088 kilometers, while staying away from the 2008 record established by Stéphane Sarrazin in 1’06”242.

If in the French clan, satisfaction is the order of the day, on the German side, the tone remains the same as in Sarthe: the R15 TDIs have been prepared for the race. We even hear that the lions have already drawn on their resources during these qualifications... remake of the 24 Hours.

simon pagenaud once again stood out. Very popular in the American Le Mans Series, the Frenchman (Peugeot reserve driver) took his Acura to fifth place, 0 behind the second Audi. The other petrol LM P120s, including the Oreca of Nicolas lapierre, are more than a second away.

The second Acura, destroyed by Scott Sharp during free practice, was not yet ready to participate in this session. The leaders of the ALMS will therefore have to start from the last row tomorrow.

In GT2, David Murry places a Ford GT in first place for the first time ahead of the #28 and #4 Corvettes and the #92 and #90 BMWs.

Last season, the No. 908 Peugeot 07 HDi FAP took pole but it was an Audi R10 TDI that won the next day... First answers from 17:00 p.m. French time on Saturday for a 10-hour race or 1 000 miles.