Le Mans Cup newcomer R-ace GP #85 Duqueine M30 D08 will start the opening round of the 2024 Le Mans Cup season in Barcelona from pole position, after an impressive performance from Frenchman Fabien Michal.
Michal spent almost the entire LMP3 Qualifying session at the top of the timing screens after an early banker of 1:40.497 before a red flag placed him on provisional pole. The stoppage came after an error from Patrice Lafargue saw him end up in the gravel at Turn 5 in his #17 IDEC Sport Ligier.
Once the action got going again it was fast and frantic. Most of the field improved on their first flying laps and the top eight drivers in LMP3 all came within a second of pole.
In the end, Michal would set his best time with five minutes remaining, a 1:36.344 to go almost two seconds clear of the other contenders.
The #44 Team Virage Ligier will start alongside the R-ace GP Duqueine on the front row, with Jamie Falvey setting a 1:36.533.
Jens Reno Moller meanwhile, put High Class Racing’s #20 Ligier third with a lap just over two-tenths off the pole time, splitting the two Virage Ligiers after Oscar Bittar put the #59 fourth. The #87 from COOL Racing will start fifth.
In GT3 Matthew Kurzejewski stole the headlines. The American set a 1:41.856 hot lap at the death of the session to snatch pole position in the #51 AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3.
The lap saw him take the top spot from Custodio Toledo who was unable to improve on his 1:41.922 set halfway through the session in the #88 Ferrari. Nevertheless, it was a strong performance to make it a front-row lockout for AF Corse and American drivers.
Behind Iron Dames’ Lamborghini ended up third, half a second off after Celia Martin’s efforts late in the session to better her benchmark time. It will share row two on the grid with the #74 Ferrari from Kessel Racing.
Steller Motorsports’ Audi completed the top five.
Only seven GT3 cars made it out for Qualifying. The Ferrari from newcomer Biogas Motorsport has been withdrawn from the meeting after only completing a single lap in the final practice session this morning. An engine issue is believed to be the cause.
The Proton Huber Competition Porsche also didn’t take part and will not race due to the tragic events in the paddock earlier in the week.
The opening race of the season is set to get underway later today, starting at 17:50 local time.
