Le Mans 24H: JOTA top tightly-packed LMP2s to reach Hyperpole shootout

Cars #7, #38, #52 and #88 claimed their respective class pole positions during a thrilling fight to get into tomorrow’s Hyperpole shootout.

The first of the two qualifying sessions take place in cool conditions for a 1-hour intense fight for a spot in the top-six entries in each category.

All Hypercars went through to Hyperpole but they were keen to show their pace.

Just two cars in GTE-Pro were eliminated after this session with total eight entries.

Glickenhaus Racing used two different tyre compounds between the two cars: the #709 using the soft slicks as the #708 used mediums.

Most of the field came out to begin their first flying lap, predictably setting up F1-qualifying-style congestion into the Ford Chicane en route.

A FCY was deployed 10-minutes in when Paul Loup Chatin got the left-rear wheel off-track into Tetre Rouge, thus entering a slide to put the left into the wall.

The #48’s session came to an end due to gearbox damage from the left-side impact.

Times were coming in as it emerged the LMP2 field was tightly-packed to pursue the all-important threshold.

Paul Dalla Lana got his #98 Aston Martin Racing GTE-Am stuck into the gravel trap at the Forest Curves but drove away once he was retrieved – during which a Slow Zone was declared.

Halfway through the session, the #7 lead over the #8 ahead of the #36 Alpine.

Just 15 minutes before the end, Rahel Frey in the #85 got stuck in the gravel trap at the Dunlop Chicane but drove away once helped by the marshalls.

However, the resulting slow zone affected a few cars having to back off their flying runs.

In LMP2, the #38 JOTA with Antonio Felix Da Costa behind the wheel secured top position ahead of the #26 G-Drive Racing and the #41 Team WRT.

Reigning winners United Autosports had two cars get into Hyperpole, but not their #22 which one last year.

With apparent pace, Filipe Albuquerque was frustrated with having his flying lap put to a stop by GTE traffic and a FCY from earlier in the session.

The #84 Innovative Car qualified above two LMP2 competitors by the end.

In GTE-Pro, the #72 WeatherTech Racing and #63 Corvette Racing were eliminated, the latter of whom struggling to surpass the GTE-Am times set.

Speaking of which, it was the #88 of Julien Andauler who topped the class ahead of the #86 and the #47 Cetilar Racing.

Notable work from Ben Barnicoat from the #72 Inception Racing Ferrari to make it into Hyperpole.

They make their Le Mans debut this weekend and were unable to participate at the WEC 6 Hours of Monza due to induced damage in FP2.