Le Mans 2013 Thursday qualifying
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Hello and welcome to AUTOSPORT's live coverage from the Le Mans 24 Hours.
We've got a couple of hours before the first track action of the day; second qualifying, but we'll bring you all the latest news and reaction from the circuit as the day progresses.
We've got a couple of hours before the first track action of the day; second qualifying, but we'll bring you all the latest news and reaction from the circuit as the day progresses.
Today's timetable looks like this:
Qualifying 2: 1900-2100 CET (1800-2000 UK)
Qualifying 3: 2200-0000 CET (2100-2300 UK)
In the mean time, you can catch up with what happened in yesterday's opening qualifying session - including Loic Duval's pace-setting time right here.
We've had some pretty severe internet problems in the press room for the last half hour. Rather than assuring you (and ourselves) that it's fixed, we're just going to hope that it holds out.
We've had a bit of on-track action already this afternoon with practice for the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli, which is supporting the 24 Hours.
Fastest was Daniel Mancinelli, a former Italian Formula Renault champion. Philipp Baron (remember him from the F3 Euro Series a decade ago?) and Stefano Gai rounded out the top three.
Given the range of abilities in this series, a 37-second gap between fastest and 43rd doesn't seem so shabby.
Fastest was Daniel Mancinelli, a former Italian Formula Renault champion. Philipp Baron (remember him from the F3 Euro Series a decade ago?) and Stefano Gai rounded out the top three.
Given the range of abilities in this series, a 37-second gap between fastest and 43rd doesn't seem so shabby.
The Krohn team is hard at work rebuilding its GTE Am class Ferrari around a new chassis.
Another car was sourced even before the 458 team boss Tracy Krohn crashed last night had made it back to the pits.
The car arrived at the track around lunchtime; the team hopeful of being out at some point during qualifying tonight.
Good news too from Greaves Motorsport. The #41 Zytek-Nissan crashed by Eric Lux in practice yesterdy will be ready to take part in second qualifying after the car was stripped back to reveal a fully-intact tub.
Remember to check out the AUTOSPORT Le Mans Gallery too, with all the best images from the event so far.
We will be constantly adding to it as the Le Mans 24 Hours weekend progresses. Currently there's a range of Krohn crash shots and the special one-off livery being carried by the #97 Aston Martin for your viewing pleasure.
Le Mans 2013 Gallery
We will be constantly adding to it as the Le Mans 24 Hours weekend progresses. Currently there's a range of Krohn crash shots and the special one-off livery being carried by the #97 Aston Martin for your viewing pleasure.
Le Mans 2013 Gallery
Just when it looked like we were getting some internet stability, it starts playing up again.
Anyway, earlier today the ACO revealed how they are honouring a pair of Le Mans legends - four-time winner Henri Pescarolo (pictured) will be behind the wheel of the course car while Jacky Ickx, six times a Le Mans victor, will wave the chequered flag.
Breaking news
That came at the same conference in which it was announced that Eurosport will show the final hour of each World Endurance Championship race live from next season through to 2016.
The ACO hailed the deal to broadcast the WEC and Le Mans 24 Hours for the next three years as a "historic announcement" and a "step forward" for the championship and its fans.
The ACO hailed the deal to broadcast the WEC and Le Mans 24 Hours for the next three years as a "historic announcement" and a "step forward" for the championship and its fans.
Checkered flag
A result for you from a bit earlier - Alex Buncombe topped qualifying for the Le Mans Legends support race in his 1952 Jaguar C-Type. His effort of 4m40.864s was three seconds quicker than his nearest pursuers, Ludovic Caron and Jon Minshaw.
This year, the Legends race caters for cars from 1949 up to 1965. They include Jamie O'Leary's favourite, the 1965 Sylvain Stepak/Francois Bourdon Renault Alpine A210/M65 (yes, the picture is clearly not from today, but you get the idea).
There are 12 classes in total, catering for a range of machines - that particular example being entered in to the LML5 class - for '63-'65 cars under 2001cc.
Toyota confirmed earlier that it was a driveline failure that caused Sebastien Buemi to stop. All is fixed and fine now.
Quote
Looking ahead to the GTE Pro battle, Darren Turner, who drives the #97 Aston Martin, reckons it could be special - especially fighting against their class pacesetting team-mates.
"I think GT is more open than ever. You’d say there are four manufacturers in the hunt – I think last night, with one second covering the top seven, was fairly representative, particularly as everyone likely put in a banker given fears about weather.
"It’s possible our strongest competition comes from within the team, as the #99 has looked massively strong. We have them to contend with, along with all the other cars."
Breaking news
The #8 Toyota is not planning a qualifying run tonight - their focus is on the race because, as Alexander Wurz put it, the Audis are out of reach over one lap.
So how do they intend to take the fight to them? By eking out an extra two laps between fuel stops.
So how do they intend to take the fight to them? By eking out an extra two laps between fuel stops.
Checkered flag
Another result to bring you as we tick towards the start of tonight's Le Mans activity (19:00 local time - or 18:00 in Britain) - this time qualifying for the Ferrari Challenge.
Stefano Gai was fastest in that session, with a best time of 4m05.962s.
Stefano Gai was fastest in that session, with a best time of 4m05.962s.
Rain
We've been hit by a sudden burst of rain here at the circuit. That could throw a spanner in the works for second qualifying, which is due to start at the top of the hour.
Breaking news
The first of our exclusive daily Le Mans insights from Caterham Technology chief Mike Gascoyne is available to read online. First up is a look at how the Caterham-backed Greaves Motorsport team had to recover from Eric Lux's huge practice crash.
Mike Gascoyne: From the Le Mans pitwall
Darren Turner said Aston's forecast was for more rain tonight, and so "any extra dry running would be a bonus". Well, after that 10-minute downpour, the track's very much wet - though it's stopped raining, so the teams will hope it dries as quickly as yesterday.
Green flag
The two-hour qualifying session has begun. Can anyone budge the Loic Duval-led #2 Audi from provisional pole?
The Krohn Ferrari - shunted by team boss Tracy Krohn last night, causing signficant damage - is not leaving the pits just yet. Work continues to get the replacement chassis ready for action.
Rain
The rain's started falling again. But with only 10 minutes of the session run, there's plenty of time for it to stop and the teams to get some meaningful running in.
Richard Westbrook takes a spin at the first Mulsanne chicane in the #74 Corvette. A quick 360 and he gets going again.
That lap of Westbrook's was 57 seconds off the car's dry best from yesterday. Taking the spin into account we can deduce that a 45-or-so second loss for the conditions make any improvements in the next hour pretty unlikely.
There is still a lot of reason to get some laps in; particularly for the cars that were thwarted by accidents and mechanical problems yesterday.
There is still a lot of reason to get some laps in; particularly for the cars that were thwarted by accidents and mechanical problems yesterday.
Among those to suffer yesterday was the LMP2 #42 Greaves Motorsport Zytek Nissan.
Drivers Michael Krumm and Lucas Ordonez told AUTOSPORT earlier that gearbox issues and and a lack of general straighline speed had compromised their session.
And speaking of Nissan, AUTOSPORT had a quick chinwag with its global motorsport director Darren Cox, who revealed that the DeltaWing, which was supported by Nissan at Le Mans last year, appears (in the dramatic black livery, of course) in the Prologue version of Gran Turismo 6.
According to Cox, game developer Polyphony Digital had to redo its vehicle dynamics system to accomodate the car, but was desperate to. This is not, apparrently, breaking news. It is the first time we've heard it though.
Driver Lucas Ordonez, who was the first winner of the GT Academy, with which Nissan is so heavily involved, has been helping Polyphony with development of the full game, which is yet to be released.
According to Cox, game developer Polyphony Digital had to redo its vehicle dynamics system to accomodate the car, but was desperate to. This is not, apparrently, breaking news. It is the first time we've heard it though.
Driver Lucas Ordonez, who was the first winner of the GT Academy, with which Nissan is so heavily involved, has been helping Polyphony with development of the full game, which is yet to be released.
Breaking news
The #41 Greaves car (we do seem to be talking about this team quite a lot right now, don't we?) is now on the move for the first time since Eric Lux's practice shunt yesterday.
Don't forget you can read the views of Caterham Technology CEO Mike Gascoyne, who is involved in the running of that Lux/Tom Kimber-Smith/Alexander Rossi car, in his exclusive AUTOSPORT blog.
Don't forget you can read the views of Caterham Technology CEO Mike Gascoyne, who is involved in the running of that Lux/Tom Kimber-Smith/Alexander Rossi car, in his exclusive AUTOSPORT blog.
The fastest GTE lap so far was an effort somewhere in the 4m24s from Frederic Makowiecki, who has since handed the #97 car over to Darren Turner.
That's some 30 seconds slower than the car's best from yesterday, a sign of an improvement in track conditions from just 20 minutes ago.
The LMP1 and P2 cars have still completed only a handful of laps each, although Alex Wurz has ventured out on track in his #7 Toyota TS030 HYBRID.
That's some 30 seconds slower than the car's best from yesterday, a sign of an improvement in track conditions from just 20 minutes ago.
The LMP1 and P2 cars have still completed only a handful of laps each, although Alex Wurz has ventured out on track in his #7 Toyota TS030 HYBRID.
Who remembers Jim Downing racing with the first incarnation of the HANS device when he brought his Mazda-engined Kudzu DLM to Le Mans back in 1996?
The co-creator of the head restraint device has donated the HANS Model I - or the Darth Vader - to the American Museum of Speed in Nebraska.
That lap of Wurz's, which we mentioned earlier, was the fastest of the session in a smidgin over 4m01s. It's still a long way off the dry pace, as you might expect.
That photo of an early HANS device reminds us of another sportscar driver to wear one back in the late 1990s - none other than 'Rael', the self-styled 'world's fastest religious leader'.
An ultra-quick time for Anthony Davidson, given the conditions. A 3m45.984s lap for the Brit is just the 16 seconds faster than anybody else! Intermediates?
Whatever, he's still 15 seconds off the car's own dry time of yesterday.
Whatever, he's still 15 seconds off the car's own dry time of yesterday.
Twitter
@dunlopMsport: Most cars are in the garages - the track is part very wet (too wet for inters) and part completely dry (too dry for full wets) at #LM24
We really don't care that the Audis have only done five laps collectively, Marino Franchitti's third spot on the timesheets - in an LMP2 car, remember - is still very, very impressive.
Franchitti leads the class standings in this session ahead of Tristan Gommendy (Signatech ORECA-Nissan) and John Martin (G-Drive/Delta-ADR ORECA-Nissan).
Franchitti leads the class standings in this session ahead of Tristan Gommendy (Signatech ORECA-Nissan) and John Martin (G-Drive/Delta-ADR ORECA-Nissan).
Davidson improves his benchmark time to 3m43.422s in the #8 Toyota. 'Fast Ant' is pushing.
With an hour gone, here are your class leaders from second qualifying...
LMP1: #7 Toyota (Alex Wurz), 3m43.422s
LMP2: #33 Level 5 HPD (Marino Franchitti), 4m12.964s
GTE Pro: #99 Aston Martin (Frederic Makowiecki), 4m17.862s
GTE Am: #96 Aston Martin (Stuart Hall), 4m18.829s
LMP1: #7 Toyota (Alex Wurz), 3m43.422s
LMP2: #33 Level 5 HPD (Marino Franchitti), 4m12.964s
GTE Pro: #99 Aston Martin (Frederic Makowiecki), 4m17.862s
GTE Am: #96 Aston Martin (Stuart Hall), 4m18.829s
The times are coming down as we speak though. With a dry line emerging in many areas there are plenty of cars - including Lucas di Grassi and Marcel Fassler in the Audis - on intermediates.
Wurz has taken the #7 Toyota back over and lowered the benchmark to a 3m40.924s.
Wurz has taken the #7 Toyota back over and lowered the benchmark to a 3m40.924s.
Tony Burgess just spun the HVM Status Lola, but continued. The drivers will be pushing harder and harder now, so the odd error is to be expected.
Rain
Just now we had a bit of rain reported at Indianapolis and Arnage - now it's at the Porsche Curves, and it looked quite heavy on the on-board camera. There's also word of rain on the Mulsanne straight.
That's s shame, if it continues, because the times had been dropping fast - though with 45 minutes to go, there's still hope of some late dry running.
That's s shame, if it continues, because the times had been dropping fast - though with 45 minutes to go, there's still hope of some late dry running.
Krumm
In the space of a few minutes Franchitti has been shuffled back to fifth in LMP2. Now at the head of the standings is John Martin in the #26 G-Drive/Delta-ADR ORECA-Nissan.
Tom Kimber-Smith and Michael Krumm are now second and third. Remember these are still damp times and have made no impact on the overall shape of the grid.
Rain
That rain was bad news for some of the LMP1 drivers. Reports from the pits were that Wurz had gone out on slicks.
By: Jamie O'Leary, Scott Mitchell, Gary Watkins, Sam Tremayne
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