QUALIFYING: Van Uitert Claims Top Pole for IDEC Sport’s Home Race
In another frantic ELMS qualifying the identity of each of the four-class pole position holder wasn’t known until the final minute of each session.
The LMP2 session started with last year’s pole time being immediately smashed by three seconds by the no9 Iron Lynx-Proton Oreca of Matteo Cairoli, the Italian setting a 1m41.042 before that time was beaten by the no43 Inter Europol Competition Oreca of Tom Dillmann.
After everyone came in to swap tyres, the times started to tumble further, with Louis Deletraz making a bid for the top spot in the no14 AO by TF, the Swiss driver posting a 1m40.884 before being knocked off first by James Allen in the no30 Duqueine Team Oreca and the Job Van Uitert in the no28 IDEC Sport Oreca, the Dutch driver posting a 1m40.365.
Deletraz bounced back with a 1m40.350 lap, just 0.015s ahead with the no47 COOL Racing Oreca of Fred Vesti with a 1m40.382, meaning the top 3 were covered by just 0.032 seconds.
Louis Deletraz came into the pits with three minutes left on the clock to save his tyres as his rivals continued to circulate.With 10 seconds left Job Van Uitert crossed the line in 1m40.276 and then set a 1m40.104 as he took the chequered flag to claim the pole by 0.246 seconds.
Matteo Cairoli put the no9 Iron Lynx-Proton at the head of Row 2 at the chequered flag, pushing the no47 COOL Racing Oreca into 4thposition.Row 3 of the 4 Hours of Le Castellet grid will see the no22 United Autosports Oreca line up alongside the no37 COOL Racing Oreca-Gibson.
LMP2 Pro/Am: Another Pole for Roda and Proton Competition
Giorgio Roda claimed his second pole position in a row with a lap time that was three seconds faster than last season’s LMP2 Pro/Am pole.The Italian set a blistering lap of 1m43.067 early in the session in the no9 Proton Competition Oreca and it was never bettered by his seven rivals.
Reigning champion Francois Perrodo was second fastest, the French driver’s best lap of 1m43.445 in the no83 AF Corse Oreca was set right at the end of the session but was still 0.378s behind Roda’s best lap.
Row 2 of the LMP2 Pro/Am grid will be headed by the no29 Richard Mille by TDS Oreca-Gibson of Rodrigo Sales after the American posted a 1m43.672 late in the session to finish 0.087s ahead of the fellow American John Falb in the no24 Nielsen Racing Oreca.
LMP3: RLR M Sport Claim Pole at Le Castellet
Gael Julien took pole for his home race at Le Castellet, posting the best time of 1m48.867, 2.4 seconds faster than last year’s LMP3 pole time.There was a fantastic battle for the top spot on the LMP3 grid for tomorrow’s 4 Hours of Le Castellet, with the no17 COOL Racing Ligier of Manuel Espirito Santo finishing the session just 0.124s behind the no15 RLR M Sport Ligier.
Round 1 winner Gillian Henrion put in a fast lap at the chequered flag to claim third place on the grid in the no8 Team Virage Ligier-Nissan, just 0.046s ahead of Oscar Tunjo in the no12 WTM by Rinaldi Racing Duqueine.
LMGT3: Two from Two for Bovy
Sarah Bovy claimed her second pole position of the season with a lap time that was two tenths of a second faster than last year’s LMGTE pole.The Belgian driver finished the session with a 1m56.003, finishing ahead of the no55 Spirit of Race Ferrari of Duncan Cameron, the British driver improving his lap at the chequered flag.
The top 4 cars in the LMGT3 session were from the four different manufacturers, with the Iron Dames Porsche on pole, the no55 Ferrari in second, while row 2 of the grid will be filled by the no63 Iron Lynx Lamborghini Huracan after Hiroshi Hamaguchi posted his best time at the chequered flag with a 1m56.619 to push the no59 Racing Spirit of Leman Aston Martin Vantage into 4th place.
American Derek Deboer’s best time of 1m56.898 in the Aston Martin was just 0.044s ahead of the 5thplaced no57 Kessel Racing Ferrari, with Round 1 winners Formula Racing in 6th.
The 4 Hours of Le Castellet will take place on Sunday 5 May with the race due to start at 11h30 CEST.
Results are HERE
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