Cocker: GT2 Aston moving forward

The Drayson Racing machine, which struggled in the American Le Mans Series last year, has been racing in the Le Mans Series this season. Developments and rules breaks have allowed the car to get closer to the Porsche and Ferrari GT2 pacesetters, and Cocker believes it will continue to improve.

"We're making little improvements all the time and we've made a big step forward," said the 2004 British GT champion after qualifying ninth in class.

He was 3.3 seconds slower than GT2 poleman Jorg Bergmeister in the Flying Lizard Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, but thinks the Aston will be closer in the race.

"It was probably one of the best laps I've ever driven," said Cocker, who suffered a sticking throttle later in the session.

"There's still work to be done, but the time was good. The amount we drop off from qualifying to race pace is less than the others. I don't see why we can't be within two seconds of the pace.

"We'll push as hard as we can for as long as we can."

Cocker is due to start the Aston Martin/Prodrive-supported machine, which he shares with regular co-driver Paul Drayson and Marino Franchitti.