Hartley, Kobayashi, Pla, and Lapierre were all in the mix until Hartley recorded his fastest time.
LE MANS, France—It took a last-minute flying lap from Toyota Kiwi driver Brendon Hartley to edge its sister car driven by hyperpole champion Kamui Kobayashi to take pole with a 3:24:408 fastest lap in preparation for Saturday’s 90th running of the 24 Hours of Lemans at the Circuit de la Sarthe.
Hartley did not win the pole easily. It took the last minute of the hour-long session to achieve. Kobayashi was in front with the best time, but the Japanese driver had to hold off great laps taken by Frenchman Olivier Pla in the American Glickenhaus entry and Nicholas Lapierre in the Alpine. Kobayashi then took what looked to be his second hyperpole win, only to have Harley better it.
“It feels awesome,” said Hartley. “I came close to pole last year. Sorry to Kamui (Kobayashi), who was looking for his fifth pole, but the car felt amazing. It was the best feeling to experience a clear track. Now we focus on the race.”
In the LMP 2 class, WRT driver Robin Frijns, who was very successful in the opening hyperpole event, went another step further and was the highest qualifier in his class. Frijns took the best time of 3:28:394 by defeating challengers such as the Real Team WRT car and the United Autosports entry.
Many figured it would be a battle between the Porsches and the Ferraris for the GTE Pro event, but instead, it went to the Corvette team, led by another Kiwi in Nick Tandy, a former Lemans winner. He recorded a 3:51:491 time ahead of the sister car, driven by Antonio Garcia. The Porsche car number #91, driven by Frederic Makowiecki, could only manage third, following a lap that had him in second only temporarily before Garcia overtook his time.
The GTE AM class was a fight between all drivers. Vincent Abril was best in his Ferrari AF Corse entry, clocking a 3:52:594 ahead of the Kessel Racing Ferrari and the Dempsey/Proton Porsche.
Later in the evening, practice four was the last chance to exhibit how final set-ups would work well for Saturday’s grueling race. Toyota was easily 1-2 with Jose Maria Lopez and Sebastian Buemi in front, setting 3:30 lap times before the Glickenhaus and the Alpine cars ever had a chance to take a lap.
The United Autosports entry was the top car in the LMP 2 class, while Corvette Racing remained the car to beat in the GTE PRO division. While finishing an impressive third in the earlier hyperpole event, the Dempsey-Proton team had the fastest car in the GTE AM class.
With qualifying and practices now finished. Friday afternoon will be devoted to the traditional Le Man’s parade around the city’s center. Drivers will move around the area, giving fans a close-up of their favorites.
Saturday’s Motor Trend TV coverage will air at 9:30 AM Eastern time in the U.S.
