ORECA on pole at Algarve
The ORECA Peugeot 908 HDi will start this evening's Le Mans Series event at the Algarve circuit from pole position
Nicolas Lapierre topped qualifying for the day-night race with a 1m30.681s aboard the Peugeot turbodiesel, which was only three tenths of a second clear of the fastest petrol-powered LMP1 machinery.
Neel Jani ended up second in the best of the Rebellion Racing Lola-Judds on a 1m30.937s and Franck Mailleux third in the Signature Lola-Aston on a 1m30.973s.
Lapierre, who shares the ORECA Peugeot with Olivier Panis and on-loan factory driver Stephane Sarrazin, said: "My first lap was not too bad, but my second was better. Then came the red flag, but we were ready to go again because we need the point for pole position."
The petrol P1s, the two Rebellion Lolas and the Signature Aston, have edged closer to the pace at the Algarve circuit. They were given a performance break ahead of the race in the form of a four percent larger air-restrictor.
Danny Watts claimed LMP2 qualifying honours in the Strakka HPD on 1m33.489s, which was six tenths of a second ahead of Olivier Pla in the ASM Zytek. Gianmaria Bruni took GT2 pole in the lead AF Corse ahead of team-mate Toni Vilander.
Pos Drivers Class/Team/Car Time Gap 1. Panis/Lapierre/Sarrazin P1 ORECA Peugeot 1m30.681s 2. Prost/Jani P1 Rebellion Lola 1m30.937s + 0.256s 3. Ragues/Mailleux/Ickx P1 Signature Aston 1m30.973s + 0.292s 4. Belicchi/Boullion P1 Rebellion Lola 1m31.831s + 1.150s 5. Leventis/Watts/Kane P2 Strakka HPD 1m33.489s + 2.808s 6. Amaral/Pla P2 Quifel Ginetta 1m34.096s + 3.415s 7. Erdos/Newton/Collins P2 RML Lola 1m34.755s + 4.074s 8. Lahaye/Nicolet P2 Oak Pescarolo 1m35.108s + 4.427s 9. Hein/Moreau P2 Oak Pescarolo 1m35.242s + 4.561s 10. Ojjeh/Greaves/Ebbesvik P2 Bruich. Ginetta 1m35.514s + 4.833s 11. Toulemonde/Beche LC Formula Le Mans 1m39.193s + 8.512s 12. Pillon/Capillaire/Verdonck LC Formula Le Mans 1m39.323s + 8.642s 13. Zacchia/Moro/Lombard LC Formula Le Mans 1m39.967s + 9.286s 14. Kraihamer/de Crem/Delhez LC Formula Le Mans 1m40.517s + 9.836s 15. Barlesi/Cicognani/Chalandon LC Formula Le Mans 1m41.043s + 10.362s 16. Firth/Hughes LC Formula Le Mans 1m41.279s + 10.598s 17. Schell/Metz/da Rocha P2 Pegasus Courage 1m42.638s + 11.957s 18. Bruni/Melo GT2 AF Corse Ferrari 1m43.310s + 12.629s 19. Fisichella/Vilander/Alesi GT2 AF Corse Ferrari 1m43.512s + 12.831s 20. Schroyen/van Dam/Walchhofer GT1 Larbre Saleen 1m43.975s + 13.294s 21. Kirkaldy/Mullen GT2 CRS Ferrari 1m44.009s + 13.328s 22. Ragginger/Ried/Henzler GT2 Felbermayr Porsche 1m44.305s + 13.624s 23. Narac/Pilet GT2 IMSA Porsche 1m44.367s + 13.686s 24. Lieb/Lietz GT2 Felbermayr Porsche 1m44.524s + 13.843s 25. Gardel/Goueslard/Rees GT1 Larbre Saleen 1m44.752s + 14.071s 26. Companc/Russo GT2 AF Corse Ferrari 1m44.774s + 14.093s 27. Bell/Turner GT2 JMW Aston Martin 1m44.832s + 14.151s 28. Holzer/Westbrook GT2 Prospeed Porsche 1m44.963s + 14.282s 29. Farnbacher/Simonsen GT2 Farnbacher Ferrari 1m45.000s + 14.319s 30. Ehret/Quaife/Kaffer GT2 CRS Ferrari 1m45.387s + 14.706s 31. Dumbreck/Bleekemolen GT2 Spyker 1m45.526s + 14.845s 32. Kutemann/Basso/Hartshorne LC Formula Le Mans 1m47.863s + 17.182s
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