Kobayashi fastest for Toyota; No.92 Porsche Top in LMGTE Pro
Dramatic Session sees rain and a red flag punctuate qualifying practice in readiness for tomorrows Hyperpole session....
A dramatic weather affected qualifying practice session saw Kamui Kobayashi set the pace in the hour long session at Le Mans this evening.
The No.7 Toyota Gazoo Racing driver set his fastest lap in the dry first 30-minutes of the session before a red flag and then rain showers affected any improvements.
In the LMGTE Pro class the No.92 Porsche headed the field, while in LMP2 it was the No.31 WRT entry in front.
The Northwest AMR squad sit atop the LMGTE Am class, while there was drama for Hollywood actor Michael Fassbender as he crashed heavily under braking for first Mulsanne Chicane.
The Headlines from the 90th 24 Hours of Le Mans First Free Practice Session
Hypercar
· No.7 Toyota quickest with Kamui Kobayashi claiming best lap of 3m27.247s in early part of qualifying session
· Japanese Le Mans qualifying legend just outpaces the No.708 Glickenhaus Racing entry
· Olivier Pla sets second fastest time of 3m27.355s in the quickest of the Glickenhaus 007LMH cars
· The Frenchman’s time was just 0.108s off Kobayashi’s best
· The No.8 Toyota Gazoo Racing GR010-Hybrid Hypercar is only able to complete one dry lap after repairs to the right rear of the car are undertaken in the dry first part of the session
· Alpine ELF Team end session fourth on a 3m29.656s best
LMGTE Pro
· Porsche GT Team top of the pile in LMGTE Pro as Laurens Vanthoor peaks on a 3m50.999s in No.92 Porsche 911 RSR-19
· Vanthoor’s lap eclipses the No.63 Corvette Racing car by just 0.133s.
· No.91 Porsche 911 RSR-19 places in third place with a 3m51.352s set by Frederic Makowiecki
· Corvette fourth with No.64 car as Nick Tandy gets to within 0.109s of third placed Porsche
· AF Corse Ferrari fifth and sixth with No.52 Ferrari 488 GTE Evo heading the sister No.51 car which was repaired in free practice after technical issues
LMP2
· WRT’s Robin Frijns continues strong form as he and teammates Rene Rast and Sean Gelael look to make it back-to-back WEC victories, while Frijns aims for second consecutive Le Mans LMP2 triumph
· The Dutch aces 3m29.898s lap is quickest and only lap to go below the 3m30s mark
· Antonio Felix da Costa gets close to Frijns’ time but is ultimately thwarted by just 0.026s
· Norman Nato puts the Realteam by WRT entry third, while the United Autosports No.23 and No.22 cars are fourth and fifth respectively
· Final qualifier for Hyperpole is the Prema Orlen Team entry
· Three cars are unable to set times in session – Vector Sports. TDS Racing Vaillante and No.45 Algarve Pro entries after issues in earlier free practice session
LMGTE Am
· Nikki Thiim's 3m52.559s ensures that the Northwest AMR squad continue momentum from free practice and head the 23-car LMGTE Am field
· No.57 Kessel Racing Ferrari place second as future Peugeot Hypercar driver Mikkel Jensen laps just under a second away from the Aston Martin
· No.54 AF Corse Ferrari is third with Nick Cassidy setting quickest lap, ahead of Iron Dames Ferrari
· Final two Hyperpole qualifiers are No.77 Dempsey Proton Porsche and No.61 AF Corse Ferrari
· Michael Fassbender emerges unhurt from large accident on Mulsanne straight
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