At Le Mans, the qualifying format is still debated

It all started on Wednesday evening, with the fiery tweet from the LM P2 title holder, Filipe Albuquerque. The Portuguese, qualified 12th, was furious because of the traffic encountered on his fast lap. And he didn't hesitate to let it be known. “We need to rethink the qualification system, he got excited on Twitter. It's so frustrating. The GTE Pro drivers destroy (our) laps when they leave the pits, it's just unacceptable... We will start 12th even though we had the pace to aim for the top 6 (reserved for Hyperpole competitors. Editor's note).” 

We have to rethink qualify. This is so frustrating, Pro GT drivers destroying laps on their out laps is just unacceptable…
Qualified P12 and not lacking pace to be on top6 😤😤😤😤.@ 24hoursoflemans

— Filipe Albuquerque (@Albuquick) August 18

For the driver of the United Autosports team's No. 22 car, it is the new qualifying format that is in question. The drivers only have one hour to try to qualify in the first six, in order to reach the hyperpole. Established last year to highlight the always spectacular exercise of the flying lap, it necessarily complicates the task of the crews who have to deal with more traps. “There is so much traffic that the main goal is to take as little traffic as possible to try to grab the top 6, noted Louis Deletraz, happy 3rd in qualifying with the WRT team. It's obviously strategic, and you need a little luck too. I’m happy with my session.” 

For his part, the double winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans Romain Dumas has the impression that things are even worse this year. “Traffic is always a discussion from year to year, he analyzed. However, I find that in recent years, particularly in the Indianapolis corner, where Mike Rockenfeller had his accident in 2011, amateur drivers had understood that there were two lines. And there, I had two pilots who turned on me. Once I had to jump to the other side when passing on the left when it was a right turn. I don’t know if it’s a problem with the simulator or the briefing, but there are quite a few that are really scary…”

“Traffic is clearly one of the qualities that we ask a pilot to have.Endurance»

Obviously, the old format, which consisted of four qualifying sessions, was less risky for the crews, who were less likely to fall by the wayside. “It all depends on what you want. Traffic is clearly one of the qualities we ask an Endurance driver to have, but we need to know what we want to do with qualifying? The ACO has taken a direction with the Hyperpole to highlight this exercise which is not of much use in Hypercar because we are five cars. This impacts the LM P2 much more but it remains a 24-hour race so qualifying is limited. Afterwards, I also think that we need a show” recognized Franck Mailleux, Glickenhaus driver (n°708) in Hypercar. In any case, the debates have been open in the paddock since Wednesday evening.

Even if most drivers, like Kevin Estre, are content to adapt, without asking too many questions: “It’s Le Mans, nous a confié le pilote Porsche qui officie sur la n°92 dans la Sarthe. Qualifying has always been like that. Before there was no Hyperpole, there were four qualifying sessions. However, it has always been a bit of a lottery all the same. There are 62 cars on the track and everyone is trying to make their time. I did not see the action in relation to Filipe's statements (Albuquerque, editor’s note) and I don't know if he's right or not but they usually do separate qualifications in WEC. Usually, they only race between LM P2 while we, in GTE Pro, are used to being hampered by the Ams. It's a shame for him because I'm sure he has a great car. But for me, a qualifying like that is part of Le Mans. You need a little luck. »