IDEC Sport claims pole in three way fight for top spot
The seven LMP2 cars made their way out onto a damp track all on slick tyres and it was the no22 United Autosports USA Oreca of Oliver Jarvis that set the early benchmark, with Job Van Uitert for Panis Racing and Paul-Loup Chatin for IDEC Sport keeping pace.
For lap after lap the times were lowered with Jarvis, then Chatin, then Van Uitert each taking a turn at the top of the times. With less than a minute on the clock it was Chatin on a 1m36.978, just 0.031 ahead of Van Uitert, with Jarvis a further six tenths behind.
However, Jarvis was on a fast lap and went to the top of the timing screen with a 1m36.726 only to be pushed back to second by the flying no28 Oreca as Paul Loup Chatin claimed the first ELMS pole of the season for the team with a 1m36.153, over half a second ahead. Van Uitert was also on a fast lap but couldn’t better his time and had to settle for third on the grid for tomorrow’s race.
Championship leaders Algarve Pro Racing will start fourth on the grid after James Allen improved on his final lap to move ahead of Olli Caldwell in the no43 Inter Europol Competition.
LMP2 Pro/Am: Proton Competition Takes Debut LMP2 Pole
2018 LMGTE Champion Giorgio Roda secured Proton Competitions first LMP2 pole position in the ELMS with a last lap that put the Italian at the front of the Pro/Am grid by 0.137s. The no99 Oreca had to be repaired overnight after Roda's teammate Jonas Ried crashed into the barriers in the tricky track conditions during the 4 Hours of Algarve. He repaid the team for their hard work with a pole position with a 1m47.179 lap, pushing Salih Yoluç in the no34 Racing Team Turkey Oreca down to second place.
The DKR Engineering Oreca of Tom Van Rompuy will head Row 2 of the LMP2 Pro/Am grid, the Belgian driver challenging for the pole for the whole session but finishing 0.325s shy of the target. 4 Hours of Algarve pole position winner Alexander Mattschull put the no19 Team Virage Oreca in 4th in the tricky track conditions.
LMP3: RLR MSport Claim Pole After Slick Tyre Choice Paid Dividends
The no15 RLR MSport Ligier of Gael Julien took the LMP3 pole position for the 4 Hours of Portimão after the team pitted for slick tyres as the damp track started to dry.
The French driver had to find the grip in the final minutes of the session as the rain started to fall again. He posted a 1m48.519 lap to take pole at the chequered flag, 0.466s ahead of newly crowned LMP3 champion Marcos Siebert in the no17 COOL Racing Ligier, who had also pitted for slick tyres.
Adam Ali will head row 2 on the LMP3 grid in the no11 Eurointernational with a 1m48.992, 0.007s behind Siebert and 0.3 seconds ahead of the no35 Ultimate Ligier of Jean-Baptiste Lahaye, who had topped the timing screens for most of the session, only to be denied at the chequered flag by the cars on slicks.
LMGTE: Proton Competition Claim Final ELMS LMGTE Pole Position
The point for the LMGTE category went to the no16 Proton Competition Porsche with Ryan Hardwick setting the best time of the 15-minute session at the chequered flag.
The American set a 1m58.574, 0.263s ahead of the no57 Kessel Racing Ferrari of Takeshi Kimura. The Japanese driver set the best overall times in sector 1 and sector 2 and looked on course to secure the pole position but took the chequered flag in 1m58.837.
Proton Competition will head the second row as well as Christian Ried posted a 1m58.971, 0.178s ahead of Duncan Cameron in the no55 Spirit of Race Ferrari.
The 4 Hours of Portimão will get underway at 13h00 this afternoon.
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