Le Mans – Audi #3 responds to hybrids

Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich was not wrong when he said that the times would improve during this second qualifying session. Loïc duval took provisional pole by setting a time of 3'24"078 at the wheel of the No. 3 Audi. The Frenchman relegated the No. 18 R1 of Fässler-Tréluyer-Lotterer to almost a second while the second German hybrid of McNish-Capello-Kristensen fell short of almost two seconds. The first one Toyota is now the number 8 of Davidson-Sarrazin-Buemi fourth, two seconds behind, three tenths ahead of the No. 18 R4 of Bonanomi-Jarvis-Rockenfeller. A small worry at the end of the session disrupted the Toyota clan with Anthony Davidson returning to the pits slowly. The No. 7 Toyota Stone-Nakajima-Wurz completes the top six.

The No. 03 HPD ARX-21a of Strakka Racing (Kane-Leventis-Watts) still occupies first position among the private teams, closely followed by Rebellion. The times have also fallen behind the leaders and it is now the #12 Lola of Heidfeld-Jani-Cheers which occupies eighth place ahead of the No. 13 of Belicchi-Bleekemolen-Primat. Olivier Pla took provisional pole in LMP2 at the wheel of the No. 24 Oak Racing Morgan-Judd. The Frenchman achieved a time of 3'38"598 placing him ahead of Nelson Panciatici's #03 Signatech-Nissan Oreca 26 which is more than seven tenths behind.

The positions have also changed in GTE Pro even if the times remain very tight. Frédéric Makowiecki took the lead by setting a time of 3'55"393 at the wheel of the Ferrari 458 n°59. L'Aston Martin V8 Vantage n°97 of Turner-Mücke-Fernandez snatches second place from the Corvette n°74 of Galvin-Milner-Westbrook which is now four hundredths behind the Briton. There Porsche #79 Flying Lizard of Patrick Pilet and the #911 75 RSR of Prospeed Competition (Al Faisal-Curtis-Edwards) are still at the head of GTE Am, the times having not yet been improved at the front.

The session will resume from 22 p.m. for the last two hours of the qualifying session. The sun sets on the Sarthe circuit.