It was delight for the AF Corse Ferrari Hypercars who 50 years on from their last Le Mans 24-hour pole position successfully locked out the front row of the grid in a red flag disrupted Hyperpole session. Half a century on from Arturo Merzario and Carlos Pace taking pole ahead of teammates Jacky Ickx and Brian Redman in Ferrari 312 PBs, It was another Italian, Antonio Fuoco grabbing pole for the #50 Ferrari 499P. Second place went to the #51 Ferrari of Alessandro Pier Guidi.

The LMP2 pole went to the #14 IDEC Sport of Paul Loup Chatin whilst Ben Keating put in an epic final lap to cement pole position in the LMGTE-AM class.

LE MANS 24 HOURS 2023: QUALIFYING | HYPERPOLE

Hypercar

Behind the wheel of the #50 Ferrari 499P, Antonio Fuoco displayed his exceptional driving skills, clocking an astonishing time of 3 minutes and 22.982 seconds. His teammate, Alessandro Pier Guidi, piloting the #51 Ferrari AF Corse 499P machine, came close but couldn’t surpass Fuoco’s blistering pace. Nevertheless, it was a historic moment for Ferrari as they celebrated their first overall Le Mans pole position since 1973.

Initially, it seemed like the Cadillac Racing V Series.R, driven by Sebastien Bourdais, would challenge the Ferraris for the top spots. Bourdais set an impressive time of 3 minutes and 24.908 seconds, securing the third position on the grid. However, fate had a different plan for the Cadillac team.

As the session progressed, disaster struck Bourdais and the #3 Cadillac. A technical failure engulfed the car in a small fire at the first Mulsanne chicane and although the marshals acted quickly and extinguished the flames, the incident necessitated a red flag, halting the session and adding an extra layer of drama to the proceedings.

Unfortunately for Bourdais, the red flag worked against him. Race officials deemed his technical failure and subsequent fire as the cause of the interruption, resulting in a penalty that dropped him down to eighth place on the grid. It was a heartbreaking turn of events for the Cadillac Racing team, who had shown great promise earlier.

Amidst the chaos, the clock was frozen, intensifying the atmosphere as the session transformed into a final lap shoot-out. The drivers had one last chance to improve their positions and leave their mark on the starting grid. With tensions running high, Brendon Hartley of Toyota Gazoo Racing unleashed a remarkable last-gasp effort, propelling the #8 Toyota GR010 to third place on the grid.

Completing the Hypercar field, the #75 Penske Porsche claimed the fourth spot, followed by the #7 Toyota in fifth place. The #2 Cadillac secured sixth position, while the #5 Porsche Penske and the penalized #3 Cadillac settled for seventh and eighth places, respectively.

LMP2

In the fiercely competitive LMP2 category, IDEC Sport emerged as the team to beat during the qualifying session. Paul Loup-Chatin, behind the wheel of the IDEC Sport car, showcased his exceptional skills and claimed the coveted pole position with a blistering lap time of 3 minutes and 32.923 seconds. It was a remarkable achievement for IDEC Sport, marking their second pole position in the World Endurance Championship (WEC), the first being at Le Mans in 2018.

However, the battle for pole position was incredibly close. Pietro Fittipaldi, once again displaying his prowess in the LMP2 class, put up a strong fight for pole. In a final lap effort, he pushed his car to the limits but fell just short, missing out on pole position by a mere 0.112 seconds. Despite the narrow miss, Fittipaldi showcased his talent and ensured a front-row start for his team.

The #41 Team WRT secured the third position on the grid, thanks to an impressive time set by Louis Deletraz. The Belgian team, victorious at Le Mans in 2021, demonstrated their consistency and ability to challenge the front-runners.

The rest of the LMP2 field fell into line behind the leading trio. The #47 Cool Racing secured the fourth position, followed by the #63 Prema in fifth place. Nielsen Racing claimed the sixth spot, while Jota settled for fifth place. The #9 Prema and Vector Sport completed the top eight, showcasing their determination to fight for positions in the highly competitive LMP2 category.

LMGTE AM

In the LMGTE Am category, the #33 Corvette Racing team emerged victorious during the qualifying session, claiming the coveted pole position. Ben Keating, driving the leading Corvette Racing entry, showcased his skill and determination by setting an impressive pace. Not only did Keating secure pole position, but his remarkable performance also extended their lead in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) points standings.

For Corvette Racing, this marked their third pole position at Le Mans in the WEC and their second in the GTE Am class. The team celebrated their achievement, knowing they were in a strong position to fight for victory in the grueling endurance race.

Ahmed Al Harthy, representing ORT by TF Sport with Aston Martin, put up a spirited challenge and secured the second position on the grid. The gap between Keating and Al Harthy was 1.2 seconds, emphasizing the competitiveness of the category. Al Harthy’s impressive performance showcased his ability to contend for the top spot.

Thomas Flohr, driving the #54 AF Corse Ferrari 488 GTE Evo, made his mark on the qualifying session by grabbing the third position on the grid. Flohr’s achievement ensured that three different manufacturers were represented in the top three positions, highlighting the diversity and competitiveness of the LMGTE Am category.

The rest of the LMGTE Am field lined up behind the leading trio. The #21 AF Corse secured the fourth position, followed by the #83 Richard Mille AF Corse in fifth place. The #57 Kessel Racing team claimed the sixth spot, with GMB Aston Martin in seventh and the #74 Kessel Racing in eighth position.

 
 

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