Le Mans 24Hrs 2015 – Thursday Qualifying

So now for more qualifying, and It’s hot and muggy – a storm is brewing. The early running has not produced the same result as yesterday. We’ve had track warnings and potential penalties for the Pegasus and the leading KCMG entries. Having seen the kerbs close up, I can assure you, they are not kerbs you want to be hitting.

On 50 minutes, Rebellion No.13 has hit the wall. This is followed by KCMG stopping with a possible suspension type problem. Next there’s a Ferrari in the gravel and Buemi in a Toyota is off track. All this in a couple of minutes, so it’s no surprise to see a red flag.

Gary Hirsch is lapping for Greaves. He’s just done a 3.44.6, and judging by the sounds of the cars going past the truck, he should have a nice clear lap to improve further. Delays in the last sector see just a ½ second improvement. Still good laps for the silver rated driver.

There are very few improvements today. I suspect the track is too hot. We could see a big effort in the second part of today’s qualifying, as the sun falls, and the rain stays away.

Another red flag, and this time Jan Magnussen has gone in hard, at Porsche Curves. His Corvette looks to be in a very sorry state. Jan is slow to be removed from the car, but his team report that he is alright.

Session starting again at 8.30, going straight through to 11pm. Still no rain.

First box is ticked. Gary Hirsch has completed his 3 night laps (he didn’t get a run last night). That means all our drivers have done the necessary laps.

Mitch Evans is lapping very consistently, with gradual improvements over 3.40.9.

It’s been a long time coming, but with less than an hour to go, Sam Bird puts the Ligier 2nd quickest. Will this tempt Greaves and Jota into giving it another go?

A GT Porsche is on fire, so the red flag is flown.

Green flag with 30 minutes to go.

Greaves’ front fender flies off the car, causing a ‘slow zone’. Next, an Aston goes off in the same place (not related), so it’s a ‘slow zone’ again. Will anyone be able to go for a time?

The answer was no. There were too many yellows, as people pushed the limits. So it’ll be a Porsche leading the cars off, at the start on Saturday. KCMG held on to their LMP2 pole, with Greaves 3rd and Jota 4th.

Tomorrow is a preparation day for the teams but there are loads of things for the fans to see.

Here’s how they finished in LMP2. Note that most of these times were done yesterday.

POSITION No. TIME TEAM CHASSIS ENGINE DRIVER DRIVER DRIVER
1 47 3.38.032 KCMG ORECA COUPE ORECA-NISSAN LAPIERRE BRADLEY HOWSON
2 26 3.38.939 G DRIVE LIGIER GIBSON-NISSAN BIRD CANAL RUSINOV
3 41 3.38.958 GREAVES GIBSON GIBSON-NISSAN HIRSCH LANCASTER PELATOU
4 38 3.39.004 JOTA GIBSON GIBSON-NISSAN DOLAN TURVEY ALBUQUERQUE
5 36 3.39.699 SIGNATECH ALPINE ORECA-NISSAN CHATIN CAPILLAIRE PANCIATICI
6 46 3.39.805 TDS ORECA COUPE ORECA-NISSAN GOMMENDY THIRIET BADEY
7 34 3.40.058 OAK RACING LIGIER HPD CUMMING VANTHOOR
8 48 3.40.690 MURPHY ORECA ORECA-NISSAN BERTHON PATTERSON CHANDHOK
9 28 3.40.967 G DRIVE LIGIER GIBSON-NISSAN DERANI YACAMAN GONZALEZ
10 43 3.41.250 MORAND MORGAN JUDD WEBB AMBERG RAGUES
11 29 3.42.023 PEGASUS MORGAN GIBSON-NISSAN TUNG ROUSSEL CHENG
12 27 3.42.077 SMP BR01 GIBSON-NISSAN MINASSIAN MEDIANI MARKOZOV
13 42 3.42.237 STRAKKA DOME GIBSON-NISSAN KANE WATTS LEVENTIS
14 37 3.42.417 SMP BR01 GIBSON-NISSAN LADYGIN A ALSESHIN LADYGIN K
15 30 3.42.453 EXTREME SM LIGIER HPD SHARP DALZIEL HEINEMIEIR HANSSON
16 31 3.44.631 EXTREME SM LIGIER HPD VAN OVERBEEK BROWN FOGARTY
17 40 3.44.854 KROHN LIGIER JUDD JONSSON KROHN BARBOSA
18 45 3.45.350 IBANEZ ORECA ORECA-NISSAN IBANEZ BELLAROSA PERRET
19 35 3.52.843 OAK RACING LIGIER GIBSON-NISSAN MERLIN MARIS NICOLET

 

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