Grapevine: Herbert Targets Second Le Mans Win

Former F1 driver Johnny Herbert will start his bid for his second Le Mans victory on Saturday and is confident he can take victory 11 years after his previous win in the endurance sportscar race.

Herbert won the event in 1991 with Mazda, when he was also racing for the Lotus Formula One team, and this year he heads the dominant Audi squad's quest for a third successive victory at the historic French circuit.

The 37-year-old claimed pole position along with co-drivers Rinaldo Capello and Christian Pescatori and has admitted that he has his best chance to land a second victory.

"We go into it as favourites to win the race so from that point of view we want a good start to the race and get ahead of the number one car because that is going to be the one we will have to beat," he said.

"If we can do that, which I believe we can, I think we will have a good race and a good result. The important thing is to get that third consecutive win for Audi."

Capello set the fastest time to gain the pole position for Herbert's car, with the quickest lap ever at the 8.48-mile track ahead of Audi's number one car of Frank Biela, Tom Kristensen and former Benetton and Dallara F1 driver Emanuele Pirro.

Herbert added: "We gained pole with the fastest lap time ever recorded at Le Mans which proves just how quick we are. We've not only got a very fast car but also a reliable one that has won the last two years.

"I was with the works team in Sebring and we won there earlier this season so it would be great to win the Le Mans 24-Hours for them as well.

"MG maybe could challenge us but I think that reliability is their biggest problem so I still think the Audi will be the strongest and it will be a straight battle."

Another former Formula One driver Mark Blundell - who raced for Brabham, Ligier, Tyrrell and McLaren between 1991 and 1995 - will race for British marque MG and will start from sixth on the grid.