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WEC 24 Hours of Le Mans

Le Mans 24 Hours 2014 Thursday: final qualifying

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The Nissan ZEOD has got itself clear of the GTE cars, as Reip logs a 3m50.402s. That's faster than the car managed at the test day, but he's got more than three seconds to find to get ahead of the slowest LMP2 car.
Stopwatch
Provisional poleman Nakajima improves his time in the #7 Toyota with a 3m21.789s. Dumas goes quicker, too, with a 3m22.146s
Stopwatch
Bruni goes even quicker at the front of the GTE battle, putting himself nearly one second faster than the Am car of Bird - who remains his closest challenger.
Frustration for Chandhok in the #48 Murphy ORECA late in today's earlier qualifying session. He hit yellow flags in the final sector while on course for a lap that would likely have been good enough for LMP2 pole position.
Lots of action in the GT ranks. Bruni has gone faster at the front of GTE Pro in the #51 Ferrari, and Bird has slotted the #81 GTE Am Ferrari just behind him, getting well and truly amongst the Pro runners.
Stopwatch
Tincknell goes fastest in P2 for the Jota Zytek with a 3m37.674s. Not bad for a rookie.
Breaking news
This could be a fascinating conclusion to qualifying – set up by a thrilling end to the second segment.

Get yourself in-the-know with our comprehensive report of second qualifying:

Toyota steals provisional pole from Porsche
The top three cars from the last session have all kept the same drivers on board for what is likely to be the pole position shootout over the next few laps. Here's who is in the factory cars right now:

#7 Toyota - Nakajima
#14 Porsche - Dumas
#20 Porsche - Bernhard
#3 Audi - Bonanomi
#8 Toyota - Buemi
#2 Audi - Treluyer
#1 Audi - Kristensen
It's still light, the sun is going down, so expect some quick times pretty much straightaway.
Green flag
The track is open again, and plenty of cars are heading straight back out.
So, after all this, we're just a couple of minutes from the final part of qualifying. Bit mental, but we do have an update (and comprehensive) qualifying report imminent.


While there was progress for the #1 Audi in that it was rebuilt, but if the first crash was unfortunate the second crash was definitely avoidable.

Here's the result. Not good.
The #1 Audi at least managed to get a time on the board in that session courtesy of di Grassi's 3m26.490s. He did sufferer a minor off, nosing the car into the barriers, but it was nothing compared to what happened to team-mate Duval yesterday.
The next session will be designated as a night session from the start, even thought it will still be relatively light. All drivers must complete five laps in the dark to qualifying and many didn't yesterday thanks to the red flags. So plenty need to get some laps in tonight.
GTE Am standings:
1 #72 Ferrari, 3m56.787s
2 #61 Ferrari, 3m56.917s
3 #95 Aston Martin, 3m56.994s
GTE Pro standings:
1 #51 Ferrari, 3m54.754s
2 #73 Chevrolet, 3m55.038s
3 #97 Aston, 3m55.067s
LMP2 standings:
1 #46 Ligier, 3m38.094s
2 #48 ORECA, 3m38.207s
3 #36 ORECA, 3m38.769s
Overall standings:
1 #7 Toyota, 3m22.589s
2 #14 Porsche, 3m22.708s
3 #20 Porsche, 3m22.908s
4 #3 Audi, 3m23.271s
5 #8 Toyota, 3m23.661s
6 #2 Audi, 3m26.490s
7 #1 Audi, 3m26.490s
8 #12 Rebellion, 3m31.180s
9 #13 Rebellion, 3m31.608s
So, during that session Toyota knocked Porsche off top spot with just one minute to go courtesy of Nakajima's late effort.
Checkered flag
Everyone has now finished their laps in this second qualifying session. There's one more session, now extended to two-and-a-half hours, which starts at 2130. That's less than 30 minutes away.
Jarvis improves again in the #3 Audi. He set a 3m23.271s lap and is fourth.
Chandhok, in the #48 Murphy ORECA, had a fast second sector, but lost time in the final sector. The car is second in LMP2.
Leimer improves in the #13 Rebellion. But he stays ninth on a 3m31.608s.
Checkered flag
The chequered flag is out, but there are still some cars on flying laps.
Stopwatch
Gommendy goes fastest in LMP2 driving the TDS-run #46 Ligier. He's put in a 3m38.094s.
We've also seen improvements from Jarvis in the #3 Audi (fourth on a 3m23.330s) and Buemi in the #8 Toyota (fifth on 3m23.661s).
Stopwatch
Nakajima takes pole with a minute to go in the #7 Toyota on a 3m22.589s.
The #60 Ferrari was driven by Gianmaria, while Dalla Lana was driving the #98 Aston.
Nakajima goes second in the #7 Toyota on a 3m23.286s.
Crash
We've had a GT collision at the Ford Chicane. The #60 AF Corse Ferrari was being passed by the #98 Aston, but the pair made contact and both spun.
Yellow flag
Yellow flag.
In LMP2, Gommendy has improved to a 3m39.242s in the TDS Ligier. That car is fourth in class.
Nakajima, third, has also improved to a 3m23.398s, with Jarvis in the #3 Audi putting in a 3m23.710s in fourth place.
Bernhard improves the #20 Porsche's advantage in first place. He's done a 3m22.908s.
It will also be interesting to see if the KGMC ORECA, in the hands of Howson, can improve.
We should also see some LMP2 qualifying attempts. Chandhok is on track in the Murphy ORECA, so it would be no surprise to see that improve. Webb is out in the Signatech ORECA, with Mardenborough in the #35 Ligier. All are serious pole threats.
The #1 Audi is back on track, which is good news. Only cosmetic damage there clearly.
With only 13 minutes remaining and no time for long runs, expect a few qualifying runs here. In LMP1 Bernhard, Buemi, Treluyer, Nakajima, Jarvis and Gene are out.
Green flag
Session restarts

By: Scott Mitchell, Edd Straw, Glenn Freeman, Gary Watkins

Published: