6H of Fuji – Qualifying: Kobayashi takes a Toyota double in front Alpine

As expected, the Toyota GR010 hybrids, dominant during the three Free Practice sessions, were the fastest during qualifying for the 6 Hours of Fuji (Japan) this Saturday. In the duel between the two Japanese cars, it is Kamui Kobayashi who got the better of his teammate Brendon Hartley for 0.020 only. THE Peugeot were expected for 3rd and 4th places, especially after their performance during FP3, but it was Matthieu Vaxivière who completed the podium in these qualifications, just 0.212 seconds behind the poleman.

The logic of the test sessions was also respected in the LM P2 category. The fastest car in its class earlier in the day, the #38 JOTA set the fastest time through Antonio Felix da Costa. The Portuguese finished ahead of Nicklas Nielsen in the #83 AF Corse and Robin Frijns in the #31 WRT.

Michael Christensen was the fastest in the LMGTE Pro category. The Dane beat James Calado on the Ferrari n°51 of AF Corse by 0.195 seconds and Gianmaria Bruni on the second Porsche, #91 at 0.429 seconds. The #52 Ferrari driven by Miguel Molina finished the session just off the podium, ahead of the #8 Chevrolet Corvette C64.R of Nick Tandy. 

In LMGTE Am, Ben Keating surprised the Ferraris by taking pole position in his category. The Texan thus took the best by only 0.062 seconds over Sarah Bovy at the wheel of the No. 488 Ferrari 85 GTE Evo of the Iron Dames. Frenchman Franck Dezoteux took third place in another car from Prancing Horse, #71 of Spirit of Race. 

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