ORECA on pole at Algarve
Date published : 17 Jul 2010 - 10:26:10
The ORECA Peugeot 908 HDi will start this evening's Le Mans Series event at the Algarve circuit from pole position. Nicolas Lapierre topped qualifying for the day-night race with a 1m30.681s aboard the Peugeot turbodiesel, which was only three tenths of a second clear of the fastest petrol-powered LMP1 machinery.Neel Jani ended up second in the best of the Rebellion Racing Lola-Judds on a 1m30.937s and Franck Mailleux third in the Signature Lola-Aston on a 1m30.973s.Lapierre, who shares the ORECA Peugeot with Olivier Panis and on-loan factory driver Stephane Sarrazin, said: "My first lap was not too bad, but my second was better. Then came the red flag, but we were ready to go again because we need the point for pole position."The petrol P1s, the two Rebellion Lolas and the Signature Aston, have edged closer to the pace at the Algarve circuit. They were given a performance break ahead of the race in the form of a four percent larger air-restrictor.Danny Watts claimed LMP2 qualifying honours in the Strakka HPD on 1m33.489s, which was six tenths of a second ahead of Olivier Pla in the ASM Zytek. Gianmaria Bruni took GT2 pole in the lead AF Corse ahead of team-mate Toni Vilander.Pos Drivers Class/Team/Car Time Gap 1. Panis/Lapierre/Sarrazin P1 ORECA Peugeot 1m30.681s 2. Prost/Jani P1 Rebellion Lola 1m30.937s + 0.256s 3. Ragues/Mailleux/Ickx P1 Signature Aston 1m30.973s + 0.292s 4. Belicchi/Boullion P1 Rebellion Lola 1m31.831s + 1.150s 5. Leventis/Watts/Kane P2 Strakka HPD 1m33.489s + 2.808s 6. Amaral/Pla P2 Quifel Ginetta 1m34.096s + 3.415s 7. Erdos/Newton/Collins P2 RML Lola 1m34.755s + 4.074s 8. Lahaye/Nicolet P2 Oak Pescarolo 1m35.108s + 4.427s 9. Hein/Moreau P2 Oak Pescarolo 1m35.242s + 4.561s10. Ojjeh/Greaves/Ebbesvik P2 Bruich. Ginetta 1m35.514s + 4.833s11. Toulemonde/Beche LC Formula Le Mans 1m39.193s + 8.512s12. Pillon/Capillaire/Verdonck LC Formula Le Mans 1m39.323s + 8.642s13. Zacchia/Moro/Lombard LC Formula Le Mans 1m39.967s + 9.286s14. Kraihamer/de Crem/Delhez LC Formula Le Mans 1m40.517s + 9.836s15. Barlesi/Cicognani/Chalandon LC Formula Le Mans 1m41.043s + 10.362s16. Firth/Hughes LC Formula Le Mans 1m41.279s + 10.598s17. Schell/Metz/da Rocha P2 Pegasus Courage 1m42.638s + 11.957s18. Bruni/Melo GT2 AF Corse Ferrari 1m43.310s + 12.629s19. Fisichella/Vilander/Alesi GT2 AF Corse Ferrari 1m43.512s + 12.831s20. Schroyen/van Dam/Walchhofer GT1 Larbre Saleen 1m43.975s + 13.294s21. Kirkaldy/Mullen GT2 CRS Ferrari 1m44.009s + 13.328s22. Ragginger/Ried/Henzler GT2 Felbermayr Porsche 1m44.305s + 13.624s23. Narac/Pilet GT2 IMSA Porsche 1m44.367s + 13.686s24. Lieb/Lietz GT2 Felbermayr Porsche 1m44.524s + 13.843s25. Gardel/Goueslard/Rees GT1 Larbre Saleen 1m44.752s + 14.071s26. Companc/Russo GT2 AF Corse Ferrari 1m44.774s + 14.093s27. Bell/Turner GT2 JMW Aston Martin 1m44.832s + 14.151s28. Holzer/Westbrook GT2 Prospeed Porsche 1m44.963s + 14.282s29. Farnbacher/Simonsen GT2 Farnbacher Ferrari 1m45.000s + 14.319s30. Ehret/Quaife/Kaffer GT2 CRS Ferrari 1m45.387s + 14.706s31. Dumbreck/Bleekemolen GT2 Spyker 1m45.526s + 14.845s32. Kutemann/Basso/Hartshorne LC Formula Le Mans 1m47.863s + 17.182s
