Le Mans Series

Qualifying, Haruki delivers the promised 1.37 lap

The prototypes have the first twenty minutes of qualifying, Haruki will stay in the car throughout, the number of laps he does will depend on traffic, as the tyres must be used at the start of the race. There is no warm up so this is the last time on track before the race. Sam is not concerned about there being no warm up. “Not a bad thing really, all it is, is a chance to prove how big an accident you can have!”

0935 Airlines and fuel rig connected up, unlike F1 you can run the car light and then fuel right up for the start. They are trying an experiment with the Dunlops this week, The fronts are being heated to 70 degrees plus and the rears to 50 degrees, usually they are the same temperature but they want to try to give a little more front end grip from the start

0943 The car is rolled out onto the pit apron.

0944 Tyres set S5 are brought out, the officials mark these and these are the tyres that will start the race unless it is wet. Last year Sam qualified and spun flat spotting the tyres, he had to start from fifth on these and most thought he would stop early to change them but he continued through to the first scheduled stop before changing. He had reached thrird at the stop with the fronts worn through to the canvas. “A little bit dangerous!”

0951 On his second flying lap Haruki delivers 1.37.422 and tops the list, Erdos is second in the LMP2 RML Lola 1.38.852

0954 Minassian sets a stunning 1.35.852

0957 Haruki pits and his time has now slipped down to fifth behind DBA, works Zytek, Pescarolo and Audi, Minassian has further improved to 1.34.562.

0959 Haruki goes out for another two flying laps but cant improve on his earlier time, he will start from fifth first Dunlop runner, those in front are on Michelin tyres.

After the session the tyres come off and are cleaned to remove rubber pickup. It seems that Haruki had a spin but he does not think he has flat spotted the tyres. As they are cleaned flat spots are revealed on three of the tyres, right front (RF), right rear (RR) and left rear (LR) only the left front (LF) is not affected. The Dunlop technician explains that they can change one tyre so he will have to start with two affected tyres unless it rains. It’s suggested he does a rain dance. Once a tyre is flat spotted the Dunlop technician explains every time the car brakes it tends to lock upon the flat spot until it becomes so bad that the vibration can affect the driver’s vision. Silverstone is a mainly right turning circuit so they can reduce the problem a little The flat spots on RR and FR are on the inside so the tyres can be turned on the wheels so that they are on the less loaded outer side. A new LR and the LF front will be used.

Gavin who looks after fuel and tyres explains that the pick up has been collected as the car came off line to enter the pit lane. Pickup is worse at some circuits than others, John explains that at Silverstone the track has more grip than others and creates more marbles (pickup), also if there is only one line through a corner that can increase the problems. John also commented that the Dunlops are worse than Michelins in gathering pickup but that it can be cleared in one or two corners or by working the wheel on the straight.

Pickup has also damaged the louvers above the FR tyre and this is being repaired before the start.

The team are happy with fifth; they have three drivers whereas the Michelin runners ahead have only two. Jota will change tyres at each driver change; the Michelin teams tend to use softer tyres in qualifying which they change at the first stop so they will gain time at the first stop. Also the softer tyres may allow the Michelin runners to pull away at the start but may go off towards the end of the first stint allowing Haruki to come back towards the front. Of course this will all change if it is wet and by 1330 it was raining!