Asian Le Mans Series Paul Ricard Qualifying: Ferrari 499Ps sweep the poles for season opener

With only two Hypercars entered, the Ferrari 499Ps were the favourites for pole, and they took both. Roberto Lacorte put the #47 Cetilar Racing Ferrari 499P on pole for Saturday’s season opener of the Asian Le Mans Series at Circuit Paul Ricard. In the second qualifying session, however, Luis Pérez Companc answered with pole for Sunday in the #90 AF Corse Ferrari 499P.

Sunshine after a lost Thursday

Heavy rain and dense fog wiped out Thursday’s official test, so teams went into Friday short on running. The Cetilar Ferrari 499P led both practice sessions. Antonio Fuoco set the fastest lap of the day in Free Practice 1 with 1m51.114sec. Free Practice 2 ended after an hour, when the #68 Car Blanche by RSL Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 and the #62 Team Qatar by Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG GT3 went off at Turn 7 and the barriers needed repairs. Both drivers were okay. Victor Martins was quickest in LMP2 in the #11 Proton Competition Oreca 07-Gibson, while Mathys Jaubert led GT3 in the #57 CarGuy Racing Ferrari 296 GT3.

Qualifying 1: Lacorte clear, Roda splits the Ferraris

The first qualifying session decided the grid for Saturday’s Race 1. Lacorte lapped in 1m51.979sec halfway through the session, which put him 1.181 seconds clear of the rest of the field. Roda took LMP2 pole with 1m53.160sec in the #22 United Autosports Oreca 07-Gibson, which was quick enough for second overall. The #90 Ferrari made a quick stop so AF Corse could run checks. Pérez Companc then improved to 1m53.172sec at the flag, which left him 0.012 seconds behind Roda in third. Kolovos was second in LMP2 in the #11 Proton Oreca, ahead of Torsten Kratz in the #43 Inter Europol Competition Oreca.

GT3 Qualifying 1 had a red flag when Ameer Naran’s #88 Craft-Bamboo Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG GT3 stopped at Turns 3 and 4. Reigning champion Dustin Blattner then went top in the #58 Garage 59 McLaren 720S GT3 with 2m02.945sec. At the end of the session, however, Jans found another 0.066 seconds and took pole in the #9 GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG GT3. Hubert Haupt was third in the #65 Haupt Racing Team Ford Mustang GT3.

Qualifying 2: The order flips

Pérez Companc turned the tables for Sunday’s grid. He set 1m50.967sec early on and then improved to 1m50.794sec. Lacorte lost a 1m51.102sec lap for exceeding track limits and finished 0.611 seconds behind.

In LMP2, Kolovos turned his second place from Qualifying 1 into class pole with 1m51.955sec, an early lap nobody could beat. Roda was second in class, 0.215 seconds back, ahead of Antti Rammo in the #30 Duqueine Team Oreca.

The GT3 pole for Sunday went to Gray Newell, who lapped in 2m01.257sec in the #26 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3. Peter Dempsey was second in the #50 AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3.