Paul-Loup Chatin scored IDEC Sport its second pole of the season in the #28 ORECA 07 Gibson (1:19.148) and its third pole position overall in the European Le Mans Series.
The Frenchman set his fastest lap just as the chequered flag was waved right at the end of the session. “It was a great lap” said Chatin. “We were on the limit. I had a lot of trafic at the beginning of the session so I could not push as much as I wanted. Later on in the session, we put on two new tyres. It was not perfect but it allowed me to have one or two extra laps to chase pole position”
The #29 Duqueine Engineering ORECA 07 Gibson driven by Nicolas Jamin led most of session but in the end had to settle for second position, with a time less than one tenth behind the pole sitting car. The #24 Racing Engineering ORECA 07 driven by Norman Nato took third (1:19.387).
It was a dominant session for ORECA, 07 Gibsons locking the top three grid spots. In the process, ORECA equalled the record number of pole positions (8) set by the Zytek Z11SN for a chassis since 2012 with its 07. The first of the other chassis was a Ligier JSP217, the #22 United Autosport driven by Filipe Albuquerque with a fastest lap of 1:19.950.
In the LMP3 class, it was hometown team AT Racing which would take pole position, after a 1:26.408 lap by Mikkel Jensen, who had to make multiple improvements in the #9 Ligier throughout the 10-minute session to secure the top spot. (See Below – AT Racing lose Pole)
His time in the session, which saw the order shuffle constantly and ended with 33 laps deleted due to track limits violations, was just over a tenth quicker than the #17 Ultimate Norma which took second spot.
“It was not that easy, I didn’t put a lap 100% together. But the car was on rails for one lap, it’s a surprise,” said Jensen. “This is the place to do the pole (at the team’s home race), I think we can do more this season, but this is a good start.”
The Ultimate Norma’s time was set by Matthieu Lahaye, who managed a to set a best time of 1:26.519. It was just good enough to prevent the hard-charging #18 M. Racing YMR Norma of Lucas Legeret from taking a front-row spot, after his late flyer; a 1:26.583.
The M. Racing YMR Norma did however push the #15 RLR MSport Ligier to fourth after Legeret’s late lap, Job Van Uitert despite topping the times early in the session, unable to take a spot in the top three with his 1:26.703.
Rounding out the top five, and just 0.343 off pole was the #4 Cool Racing Ligier, Antonin Borga the man behind the wheel for the session.
Post-session the polesetting AT Racing car would lose its pole position to a track limits violation decision – That leaves class pole in the hands of the #17 Ultimate Norma
In the LMGTE class, Miguel Molina took pole position in the #66 JMW Motorsport Ferrari F488 GTE (1:28.827). It is the first pole position for the team since the 3 Hours of the Hungaroring back in 2013 and the first pole position for a Ferrari 488 GTE this season.
“I tried to be alone on track. It’s not too difficult with only six cars [competing]” said Molina. “Unlike Bertolini and Cairoli, we did not put on new tyres during the session. That was probably the best decision”
Competition was fierce with the six cars qualifying within six tenths of each other.
Matteo Cairoli led the session temporarily in the #88 Proton Competition. He ultimately finished in second position, less than a tenth behind the pole sitting car (1:28:925). The final podium position went to Andrea Bertolini in the #83 Krohn Racing Ferrari F488 GTE (1:28.967).
Mat Griffin ended up fourth in the #55 Spirit Of Race Ferrari F488 GTE after most of his fastest laps were cancelled following abuse of track limits.
