Toyota take second consecutive pole position
As dusk fell over the Bahrain International Circuit and temperatures started to drop (to 22oC, with 88% humidity), the five LMP1s and 9 LMP2s took to the track for the final qualifying session of the year. At the end of the typically tense 25 minute session, it was a Toyota Racing front row lock out, the Japanese manufacturer claiming its second consecutive pole position.
The use of a different Michelin compound in qualifying compared to this morning’s third and final practice session was, according to Kazuki Nakajima, key to the No.7 TS 030 Hybrid’s claim on pole position. The Japanese driver and his team mate Alex Wurz set a combined fastest average time of 1:42.449 to put them ahead of the No.8 Toyota of Sarrazin-Davidson by 0.332 seconds.
Two tenths of a second behind the Toyotas was the first of the two Audi R18 e-tron quattros, the No.1 of Lotterer-Fassler with a combined time of 1:42.976 – despite a last minute effort by Fassler to try and improve the average lap time of the two drivers. In fourth place was the No.2 Audi, the World Champions Elect just 0.169 seconds behind their team mates, while in fifth overall was the No.12 LMP1 Privateer entry of Rebellion Racing, Nicolas Prost and Mathias Beche having completed qualifying duties.
Pecom Racing’s No.49 ORECA 03 Nissan, driven by Nicolas Minassian and Pierre Kaffer, claimed its first pole position since the 6 Hours of Spa Francorchamps earlier this season, with a best average lap time of 1:50.941. This put the only Michelin-shod car in the LMP2 class ahead of all its competitors by the tiny margin of 0.062 seconds, the No.26 G-Drive Racing ORECA Nissan of Martin-Conway taking second place in the category.
The No.24 OAK Racing Morgan Nissan of Pla-Brundle will start from third place in the class, their lap time of 1:51.718 placing them ahead of the No.41 Greaves Motorsport Zytek Nissan – newcomer to the FIA WEC Jon Lancaster doing a good job alongside Bjorn Wirdheim in that car to put them ahead of some more established competitors.
The No.31 Lotus Praga of Vitantonio Liuzzi and another newcomer from single-seaters, Lucas Auer, overcame a long delay in the pits for technical issues to take 7th in class – the young Austrian coping well with late-session pressure.
The 28 cars for the 6 Hours of Bahrain will be back on the grid tomorrow for the race into darkness, beginning at 15:00 hours local. Before then fans can enjoy a pit walk (12:45 to 13:30) and a driver autograph session (12:50-13:20) – all within the price of the entry ticket.
Full results can be found HERE
16:48:43 All 14 LMP cars set a time
16:48:12 In LMP2 No.49 Pecom Oreca fastest from No.26 G-Drive Oreca and No.24 Oak Morgan
16:46:41 In LMP1 No.7 first from No.8 Toyota and No.1 Audi
16:45:49 Chequered Flag
16:44:42 Fassler back out in No.1 Audi
16:42:32 Toyotas lock out front row as Audis in pits
16:41:29 1:50.941 average for No.49 Oreca from No.26 Oreca
16:39:06 1:51.008 now fastest 4 lap ave in LMP2 for No. 49 ORECA
16:38:11 1:53.105 4 lap ave for No.25 Oreca fastest in LMP2
16:37:01 2:03 lap for Davidson - very slow?
16:36:02 1:42.449 4 lap ave for No.7 Toyota fastest
16:35:19 1:43.116 first 4 lap ave for No.1 Audi
16:34:31 No.7 Toyota sets 3 lap ave of 1:42.356
16:33:57 No.1 Audi first to set 3 lap ave with 1:42.685
16:32:50 Fassler and McNish in Audis and Nakajima and Davidson in Toyotas
16:30:58 All LMP cars have done 2 timed laps except No.31 Lotus
16:29:28 1:50.212 fastest 2 lap ave in LMP2 for No.49 Oreca
16:28:46 Wurz in No.7 in pit lane No.1 Audi also in
16:27:40 1:42.218 fastest 2 lap ave for No.7 Toyota
16:26:52 1:50.251 for No.49 Oreca fastest in LMP2
16:25:36 1:42.257 for No.7 Toyota
16:24:54 1:42.252 for No.1Audi
16:23:34 McNish will be 2nd qualifying driver in No.2 Audi
16:22:59 Lotterer and Duval in Audis Wurz and Sarrazinn in Toyotas
16:21:35 Tyre change for No.8 Toyota
16:20:40 Green Flag
16:19:54 No.7 Toyota at head of queue
16:18:46 2 Minutes to LMP qualifying