Toyota looks well on their way to a 1-2 for the 2020 Le Mans 24 Hours after the #7 Toyota TS050 topped the qualifying session with a lap time of 3:17.089. A further 0.247 seconds behind the No. 7 Toyota was the #8 Toyota TS050. With all five entrants in LMP1 guaranteed a spot in Hyperpole, there was little motivation to put it all on the line with the bigger prize still to come.
The #1 Rebellion R13, who ended the session third, was over four seconds behind the #8 Toyota. Their best time was a 3:21.598. The sister #3 Rebellion R13 was fifth with a 3:24.632.
The #4 ByKolles CLM was fourth with a time of 3:24.468. Unless Rebellion or ByKolles can find something remarkable before this evening, Hyperpole looks set to be a Toyota coronation.
In LMP2, Nyck De Vries led the way in the No. 29 Team Nederland ORECA 07 with a time of 3:26.648.
Second in the class and showing good pace on Goodyear tires was the #37 Jackie Chan DC Racing ORECA 07. Their best time was a 3:27.097.
Meanwhile, United Autosports were able to get both of their cars a spot in Hyperpole with the No. 22 ORECA 07 ending the session in third. The No. 32 ORECA moved into fifth at the end of the session with a strong lap from Alex Brundle.
The No. 26 G-Drive Racing Aurus ended the session in fourth with a lap time of 3:27.366. High Class Racing earned the last spot in Hyperpole with their #33 ORECA setting a 3:27.611.
Multiple cars in LMP2 had lap times deleted for violations of track limits, including a lap from Jean Eric-Vergne late in the session that would have been good enough to top the class. Thomas Laurent in the #36 Alpine also had a chance at Hyperpole but he carried too much speed into the Ford Chicane and took a trip through the gravel.
In GTE Pro, Aston Martin Racing continued their strong showing as the #95 Aston Martin Vantage lead an AMR 1-2 in the session with a time of 3:50.872.
The #97 Aston Martin Vantage was just 0.053s behind their teammates with a time of 3:50.925.
The two full-season AF Corse Ferrari entries spent most of the session in danger of missing out on Hyperpole but the #51 Ferrari 488 GTE and #71 Ferrari 488 GTE were able to lay down solid times late in the running. The #51 Ferrari with Alessandro Pier Guidi set a time of 3:51.244 on the car’s last lap of the session. Meanwhile, the #71 Ferrari set a time of 3:51.988.
Porsche completed the top six, meaning all of the full-season WEC entries will have a chance at pole position. The two Porsche 911 RSR 19s ended the session in fifth and sixth with the #91 Porsche getting the better of their teammates in the #92 Porsche.
The #63 Weathertech Ferrari 488 GTE and the #82 Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 GTE both missed out on Hyperpole.
In GTE Am, it was more of the same with Aston Martin Vantages spearheading another 1-2 in the class. The factory-backed #98 Vantage topped the session with a 3:52.778 lap time. Along with the #98, the #90 TF Sport Aston Martin Vantage and the #86 Gulf Racing Porsche 911 RSR were the only runners to set times under 3:53.000.
Luzich Racing was the big surprise in the session, their #61 Ferrari 488 GTE ended the session in fourth. The #77 Dempsey Proton Porsche 911 RSR and the #56 Team Project 1 Porsche 911 RSR completed the top six.
