Le Mans Series - 8 Hours Of Le Castellet - LMP1 Qualifying

We were looking for something special to indicate the potential of the diesels and we got it, sort of!

Rinaldo Capello was out early on in the session in the #7 Audi R15 Plus and set an early 1:42.3 with Loic Duval out at the same time and also getting under 1:43 in the #6 Oreca 01 AIM.

Capello though wasn't done yet, he went round quicker still next time around setting the fastest sector times in 1 and 2 once again (but losing out by 0.8 seconds in the final sector to the AIM engined car!).  The net result though was a 1:41.632.  Job done for now Dindo pitted for adjustments and waited to watch the Oreca Peugeot's response.

That was the cue for several of the LMP1s to have their first shot, Greg Mansell and Pierre Ragues were both in the 1:44s but Stefan Mucke's first effort in the #009 Lola Aston was immediately in the 1:43s, the German kept on it too, whilst the pair of Rebellion Lolas squabbled around 4th quickest with Neel Jani (#12) just edging out Jean-Christophe Bouillon's first effort in the #13 car, 1:44.032 ahead of 1:44.057.

Both though would immediately find their battle relegated to a squabble over fifth as Nicolas Lapierre blasted round in 1:41.195 in the #4 Oreca Peugeot 908, courtesy of similar sector times in 1 and 2 to the Audi but a much better final sector.

Bouillon wouldn't match that (and neither would Capello, now circulating once again) but JCB would secure fifth fastest with a late 1:43.435 just as Mucke cemented his grip on third with a big improvement in #009 (1:42.728).

First blood to Peugeot then, but did we see Audi's best?

GG