Le Mans: shy and wet start

After a very wet morning, the drivers expected to do their first laps of the track in the rain on Wednesday. But ultimately it was a wind-dried circuit that presented itself at the start of the session. The team's 908 HDi FAP Peugeot were the fastest, before Audi definitively took power. Allan Mc Nish, Marco Werner then Mc Nish again set the best laps on the track. Made on a dry track, the time of the No. 15 Audi R1 (3:30:708) will remain the reference time until the end of the session, the rain making its appearance before nightfall.

These weather conditions allowed a number of teams to test their cars in night and/or rain conditions, while storms are forecast for Sunday. The drops falling on the Sarthe were therefore welcome. Several cars made mistakes, notably the #39 Lola Mazda, driven by Jean de Pourtales, which ended its race in the wall of the Dunlop corner. At the end of the session, Vanina Ickx sent her Creation-Judd into the Pont bend, tearing off a piece of the bodywork on the right front.

Many other prototypes and GTs made mistakes (Barbosa/Pescarolo, Stone/Oreca?) without any significant damage having to be reported. This session allowed all the teams to adjust, relegating performance far from their minds. But, if it is necessary to establish a hierarchy, it is worth noting the domination of the Audi R15, ahead of the Peugeot 908 HDi FAP, then the Lola Aston Martin, Pescarolo and Oreca.