Le Mans Series

LMS Silverstone 1000km – Qualifying report

© Planetlemans – Gabriel Portos

A strong pole for Peugeot yet again at Silverstone, Stéphane Sarrazin was a mere 11/1000ths of a second quicker than team mate Nic Minassian completing a French lion front row ahead of the Audis. Anticipated champion Jos Verstappen grabbed yet another pole for the van Merksteijn Porsche in LMP2 . In GT1 the IPB Lamborghini was quickest with a very good lap from Peter Kox just ahead of the Modena Aston, Rob Bell on the Virgo Ferrari was the poleman in GT2 ahead of three Porsches.

The GTs took to the track first, in dryer conditions than during morning practice. A lot of parity in GT1 with all 4 cars within 7/10ths of a second. A 1.45.327 by Peter Kox got the IPB Lamborghini the top spot despite the late efforts by Tomas Enge on the Modena Aston, the Czech managing 2nd on 1.45.899. The Luc Alphand Corvette was 3rd in 1.45.987, Darrent Turner on the Strakka Aston 4th in 1.46.041.

In GT2 Rob Bell got yet another pole for Virgo in 1.48.950, the 76 IMSA and 91 Farnabcher Porsches completed the top 3. title challengers 77 Felbermayr were 4th, 1.8 seconds behind the pole time. Ralf Kelleners qualified the #85 Spyker on 6th while the JWA Aston was 13th and last in this reappearance.

After the usual short break the prototypes came out with the noted absence of Epsilon Euskadi #20 after the heavy crash Miguel Angel de Castro had this morning (luckily without any consequences for himself) .Allan McNish set the pace with 1.31.323 on his very first flying lap while Casper Elgaard was initially the quickest LMP2 on the Essex Porsche until Jos Verstappen came out to play in the van Merksteijn car. Mc Nish improved his time a couple of laps later to 1.31.000 as Michal Vergers (Barazi Zytek) and Xavier Pompidou (Speedy-Sebah Lola) were following Verstappen in LMP2.

Stéphane Sarrazin was the first Peugeot driver out on #8 but returned almost immediately to the pits as Nicolas Minassian took to the track on the #7 car, the title rivals Audi #2 being placed 2nd at the time with Prémat (1.32.122) behind the wheel. Minasian got too greedy going into Club and collided with the Speedy-Sebah Lola ruining an overall best first sector and the right rear of the 908.

As the Peugeot crew was fixing #7, Sarrazin went out again on #8 for his first flying lap. No changes on LMP2 while behind the Audis LMP1 saw the Lola Charouz (Muecke), #6 Oreca (Lapierre) and #16 Pescarolo (Boullion) completing a provisional top 5. and provisional it was… since Sarrazin managed 1.30.474 ( 0.5 secs quicker than McNish) even being blocked by Jamie Campbell-Walter into the main straight.

Minassian retook to the track, was not blocked and went into the top position in 1.30.370 with less than one and a half minutes to go into the session but 11/1000ths of a second would be enough for Sarrazin to grab provisional pole again with a minute to go. Another 1-2 for Peugeot with 1.30.359. Minassian 2nd in 1.30.370. No changes in LMP2 during the last phase either.

The top 5 per class:

LMP1
8 Peugeot
7 Peugeot
1 Audi
2 Audi
10 Charouz Lola-Aston Martin

LMP2
34 van Merksteijn Porsche
32 Barazi-Epsilon Zytek
33 Speedy-Sebah Lola
40 Quifel ASM Lola
31 Essex Porsche

GT1
55 IPB Lamborghini
59 Modena Aston Martin
72 Luc Alphand Aventures Corvette
61 Strakka Racing Aston martin

GT2
96 Virgo Ferrari
76 IMSA porsche
91 Farnbacher Porsche
77 Felbermayr Porsche
99 JMB Ferrari