Le Mans 24 Hours 2015 Thursday: final qualifying
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Yellow flag
Yellow flag - the #71 AF Corse Ferrari driven by Beretta is in the wall at the exit of Indianapolis.
Chatin has found the best part of a second in the Signatech Alpine, improving to a 3m39.699s. It duly moves up to fourth in LMP2, from seventh.
The #21 Nissan has improved to a 3m38.691s in the hands of Ordonez. It's 14th, one place ahead of the sister #22 car and two places behind the leader #23 machine.
Breaking news
Organisers report that Jan Magnussen has left the medical centre. Magnussen crashed his Corvette Racing GTE heavily at Porsche Corners during the first part of the session: "Jan Magnussen has been able to regain the paddock and is debriefing on this track exit with his team."
The #77 Porsche is the latest to be given the black/white warning flag for track limits. Yep, you guessed it, the offence was committed at Terte Rouge.
And now some fun facts from Strakka Racing, currently 13th in LMP2 with its new Dome-Nissan S103.
The team came here having done 2395 miles with the car and before last night’s qualifying a new engine was installed. It had only done dyne running, but by Sunday afternoon, the team hopes it will have completed a little over 4000 miles.
If you’re wondering about the headcount of a single-car LMP2 outfit, Strakka is here with 13 people, including drivers Johnny Kane, Danny Watts and Nick Leventis.
The team came here having done 2395 miles with the car and before last night’s qualifying a new engine was installed. It had only done dyne running, but by Sunday afternoon, the team hopes it will have completed a little over 4000 miles.
If you’re wondering about the headcount of a single-car LMP2 outfit, Strakka is here with 13 people, including drivers Johnny Kane, Danny Watts and Nick Leventis.
Twitter
Some optimism from Kapadia, whose #67 Porsche is languishing at the foot of the timesheets.
@alexkapadia: "We are so close to not being last (I know how that sounds) great driving by @xaviermaassen."
@alexkapadia: "We are so close to not being last (I know how that sounds) great driving by @xaviermaassen."
There are drivers from 29 different countries among the 168 competitors.
Paletou has just had a spin in the Greaves Motorsport Gibson. That car's still second in LMP2, from the time set last night by Lancaster.
Last year's Nissan GT Academy winner, Paletou got a late Le Mans call-up and was behind the wheel when the car crashed last night. No major repercussions this time, though.
Last year's Nissan GT Academy winner, Paletou got a late Le Mans call-up and was behind the wheel when the car crashed last night. No major repercussions this time, though.
With Porsche set for a 1-2-3 on the grid, it's worth a reminder of how illustrious it's history here is. It has 16 wins, three more than next-best Audi, with ACO records reckoning that a total of 770 Porsches have raced here.
We're graced with a former Le Mans 24 Hours winner in the pressroom. Eric Helary, part of the winning Peugeot line-up in 1993, is wandering around.
He's a Eurosport pitlane reporter this weekend, but he is still racing. Check out this video of him winning an historic race at Pau — in a Mini! Not quite a Peugeot 905.
Are those BMW overalls Eric is wearing? If so, I reckon they're from the late-1990s and surely out of date!
He's a Eurosport pitlane reporter this weekend, but he is still racing. Check out this video of him winning an historic race at Pau — in a Mini! Not quite a Peugeot 905.
Are those BMW overalls Eric is wearing? If so, I reckon they're from the late-1990s and surely out of date!
Marco Bonanomi is on track in the #9 Audi. When he's not on circuit-racing duty for the German marque, he likes to relax by doing a spot of rallying in an ex-Marcus Gronholm Ford Focus WRC.
Bonanomi rallying
Another improvement from the #67 Porsche but it's still not enough to lift it from the bottom of the timesheets.
Twitter
@MurphyPrototype: We’ve had an issue with our number board not lighting up. #MurphysMen have been hard at work rewiring and the car will be back on track soon
A reminder that the current pole-position time, set by Jani yesterday in the #18 Porsche, is the fastest ever on this track since the chicanes were put on the Mulsanne. In term of time, it's the sixth-fastest ever, on all configurations.
We've got all three Porsches on track at the moment, with Webber in the #17, Lieb in the #18 and Hulkenberg in the #19.
None of the LMP1s are circulating particularly quickly. Here's how the grid looks with 90 minutes remaining:
1 #18 Porsche
2 #17 Porsche
3 #19 Porsche
4 #8 Audi
5 #7 Audi
6 #9 Audi
7 #2 Toyota
8 #1 Toyota
9 #12 Rebellion
10 #13 Rebellion
11 #4 CLM
12 #12 Nissan
1 #18 Porsche
2 #17 Porsche
3 #19 Porsche
4 #8 Audi
5 #7 Audi
6 #9 Audi
7 #2 Toyota
8 #1 Toyota
9 #12 Rebellion
10 #13 Rebellion
11 #4 CLM
12 #12 Nissan
Another track limits warning this time for Calado. And unsurprisingly it was at Tertre Rouge.
In most forms of motorsport - especially if, say, touring car racing is your bread and butter - saying 'four seconds covers...' doesn't really mean much. But Le Mans isn't most forms of motorsport.
As it stands, four seconds covers the top 12 in LMP2, in other words about two thirds of the runners in the class.
The KCMG ORECA is still on top, and has just left the pits for the first time this session with Lapierre behind the wheel. It stopped on track earlier today with a suspension problem.
As it stands, four seconds covers the top 12 in LMP2, in other words about two thirds of the runners in the class.
The KCMG ORECA is still on top, and has just left the pits for the first time this session with Lapierre behind the wheel. It stopped on track earlier today with a suspension problem.
A new best time for the #92 Porsche but it remains 12th in GTE and slowest of the Pro cars...
The first seven laps set by Pegasus Racing in this session will be deleted, after stewards acted on its track limit abuse.
Also in LMP2, the #37 SMP Racing BRE-Nissan is in pitlane with a lot of smoke coming from the right-rear corner. Inside the wheel, to be precise. The rear bodywork has come off the car, and is now back on.
Also in LMP2, the #37 SMP Racing BRE-Nissan is in pitlane with a lot of smoke coming from the right-rear corner. Inside the wheel, to be precise. The rear bodywork has come off the car, and is now back on.
However, Nissan hasn't quite (yet) lived up to its belief that it would be "way ahead" of the 3m37s bracket that is fast LMP2 territory.
Andrea Bertolini has moved the #72 SMP Ferrari up to 10th in GTE and third in GTE Am, ahead of the #64 Corvette and #92 Porsche (both Pro entries).
Nissan has lived up to its claim that it will outqualify the fastest LMP2 car: Mardenborough's 3m37.291s moves him nearly eight-tenths clear of the #47 KCMG entry.
Interesting comparison on track in LMP1 at the moment. Duval is chasing the #17 Porsche, and it's clear the Audi is no match for the Porsche on the straights, but it hangs on nicely through the twisty stuff.
The Audis have regularly been quicker than their rivals through the short first sector (that doesn't really include a straight), although provisional polesitter Jani's Porsche currently holds the fastest times in all three sectors.
The Audis have regularly been quicker than their rivals through the short first sector (that doesn't really include a straight), although provisional polesitter Jani's Porsche currently holds the fastest times in all three sectors.
Webb has found some more time in the Team SARD Morand entry, improving to a 3m41.250s and ninth place.
Another good lap from Calado and the #71 Ferrari goes fifth now in GTE, fourth in Pro.
The Briton's best is now a 3m55.582s.
The Briton's best is now a 3m55.582s.
Bernhard's 3m21.0s is the fastest time of this session, but it's some way off the pacesetting times from yesterday.
That mark doesn't last long though - Albuquerque improves the #9 Audi's time with a 3m20.997s, staying sixth.
That mark doesn't last long though - Albuquerque improves the #9 Audi's time with a 3m20.997s, staying sixth.
Now that the Pegasus Racing entry has its lights on, officials can see that it's abusing the track limits. It's duly been reported to the stewards. Ho-Pin Tung is behind the wheel at the moment.
We've got a record-holder on the track. Alex Wurz, currently in the #2 Toyota, is the youngest winner of the Le Mans 24 Hours.
He was 22 years and 91 days when he won the 1996 race in the Joest Porsche WSC-95 alongside Manuel Reuter and Davy Jones.
This will be his ninth Le Mans. He also won in 2009 for Peugeot.
He was 22 years and 91 days when he won the 1996 race in the Joest Porsche WSC-95 alongside Manuel Reuter and Davy Jones.
This will be his ninth Le Mans. He also won in 2009 for Peugeot.
Black and white flag for Bruni for track limits. Ditto Pilet in the #92 Porsche. Both at Tertre Rouge. Unsurprising.
Seems notifying you readers that track limits offences are taking place at Tertre Rouge is about as necessary as pointing out the Le Mans 24 Hours lasts an entire day.
Seems notifying you readers that track limits offences are taking place at Tertre Rouge is about as necessary as pointing out the Le Mans 24 Hours lasts an entire day.
Another improvement for Calado, 3m56.386s, takes the #71 back above the #91 Porsche.
We've just passed 10pm local time. Were it not for the disruptions to the first session this evening, this final qualifying would only just be starting now.
Bergmeister bumps Calado and the #71 Ferrari down a place on a 3m56.618s.
The Strakka Dome is currently 13th in LMP2, with Nick Leventis at the wheel. The 2010 Le Mans LMP2-winning squad switched tyre supplier from Michelin to Dunlop shortly before the pre-Le Mans test.
"We’ve been looking at every opportunity we have to close the gap to the front-running P2 cars," explained Strakka technical director Jay Davenport. "We were the sole runners on Michelin in the WEC, and by switching to Dunlop, it takes away a key variable."
"We’ve been looking at every opportunity we have to close the gap to the front-running P2 cars," explained Strakka technical director Jay Davenport. "We were the sole runners on Michelin in the WEC, and by switching to Dunlop, it takes away a key variable."
The other AF Corse Ferrari to have lost its times yesterday, the #71 458 Italia, continues to make up ground.
Calado's transgression caused that punishment to be dished out but he's trying to make amends. He's not as quick as Bruni, but does go sixth in class and seventh in GTE on a 3m56.713s.
Calado's transgression caused that punishment to be dished out but he's trying to make amends. He's not as quick as Bruni, but does go sixth in class and seventh in GTE on a 3m56.713s.
Scott Sharp, 1996 IndyCar co-champion, is currently at the wheel of the #30 Ligier. The 47-year-old is making only his second appearance in the Le Mans 24 Hours, a remarkable 18 years after his first in 1996.
Back then, he failed to finish in the Riley & Scott MkIII he shared with Wayne Taylor and Jim Pace.
Back then, he failed to finish in the Riley & Scott MkIII he shared with Wayne Taylor and Jim Pace.
Kraihammer improves ever-so-slightly in the #13 Rebellion, but the car stays 10th.
Twitter
@Audi__Sport: "And a new tail for our No. 9 No worries, the guys are only trying out several things"
There's an interesting visitor down at Toyota HQ in the paddock. It's none other than Ukyo Katayama, who came within a puncture of delivering the Japanese manufacturer victory here back in 1999 at the wheel of the GT-One.
By: Scott Mitchell, AUTOSPORT staff, Edd Straw, Glenn Freeman, Mitchell Adam, Gary Watkins
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