Lapierre Takes Pole for 4 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in Dragonspeed Oreca

The reigning 24 Hours of Le Mans LMP2 champion finished the 12 minute session 0.4 seconds ahead of the current championship leaders in the no46 Thiriet by TDS Racing Oreca driven by Mathias Beche.  Heading up row 2 will be championship contenders G-Drive Racing after Harry Tincknell posted a 2m07.214 lap in the no38 Gibson-Nissan, just 0.166s behind their rivals in the no46 Nissan powered Oreca. 

The LMP3 class was headed by the no9 Graff Ligier of Enzo Guibbert, the French driver securing pole with a last minute fast lap as the chequered flag came out to push the no3 United Autosports Ligier of Matt Bell into 2^nd place.  Guibbert’s 2m14.392 lap secured the debut ELMS pole position for Graff, who had scored another first by taking the LMP3 victory in Le Castellet last month.

Championship leader Alex Brundle could only manage to post the 5^th fastest time in the no2 United Autosports Ligier, just 0.4 seconds off pole but will start behind the no26 Tockwith Motorsports and no16 Panis Barthez Competition Ligiers in tomorrow’s race.

Alessandro Pier Guidi took the first pole position of the 2016 season for the no56 AT Racing Ferrari, which was also the first ELMS pole this year for the Italian manufacturer.  Pier Guidi’s 2m17.038 lap was 0.6 seconds better than the fastest time in the FIA World Endurance Championship LMGTE Pro qualifying session at Spa back in May, which was set by Davide Rigon in the works no71 AF Corse Ferrari F488.

Pier Guidi’s time was 0.3 seconds ahead of the no88 Proton Competition Porsche of Matteo Cairoli.  The championship leading no66 JMW Motorsport Ferrari will start on row 2 in 4^th position alongside the no55 AF Corse Ferrari, with their nearest rivals in the no99 Aston Martin Racing Vantage starting on row3.

The 4 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps will take place on Sunday 25 September with the green flag due to be shown at 14h00. The race will be streamed live on www.europeanlemansseries.com

CLICK HERE for the result from qualifying for Round 5 of the 2016 European Le Mans Series

4 Hours of Spa - Qualifying Press conference par ELMS