Written by Owen Bradley
The World Endurance Championship (WEC) returns to the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) for the Lone Star Le Mans race.
Hypercar - Qualifying and Hyperpole
It would be an action-packed Qualifying session, with multiple drivers and manufacturers making it into Hyperpole. Mick Schumacher aboard the #36 Alpine would almost make it through into Hyperpole, however an unfortunate issue, with a wasp getting in the cockpit of the Alpine, would force Schumacher to slow down and abort the lap. With the tyres already used and energy deployed, Schumacher would scramble in the attempt to make it to Hyperpole, just missing out by a few tenths, as the Alpine team start 13th for the six-hour race.
The sister #35 Alpine would fare better, making it into Hyperpole with a good margin, the Alpine's certainly suiting the Circuit of the Americas.
Surprisingly, the leaders of the World Championship in Hypercar, the #6 Porsche squad would fail to reach Hyperpole, with the #8 Toyota driven by Sebastien Buemi also unable to progress any further.
All three Ferrari's made it through to Hyperpole, as did both the BMW's and the #2 Cadillac, which topped a practice session earlier in the weekend.
Jenson Button's #38 Jota Porsche would have an unfortunate spin on the exit of Turn 11, the Jota team ended up finishing at the back of the field alongside the #63 Lamborghini driven by Daniil Kvyat.
After a blistering lap time from the #35 Alpine for provisional pole position, other drivers would quickly follow suite, with Antonio Giovinazzi claiming pole position aboard the #51 Ferrari, setting a lap time of a 1:50.390.
Robert Kubica's #83 Ferrari would end up in second, just a couple of tenths down on Giovinazzi as Alex Lynn would manage to put the #2 Cadillac in third. The #35 Alpine would end up finishing fourth, a season best qualifying result for the #35 Alpine, who will have a podium opportunity in the race.
Both BMW's would end up finishing in seventh and eighth, the first time that both BMW's have finished inside the Top 10 this season. Kamui Kobayashi would bring the #7 Toyota to ninth place, just over half a second from the fastest time.
The #50 Ferrari of Antonio Fuoco would end up rounding out the Top 5, with all of the Ferrari's within the Top 5 - it sets up a race with a lot of potential for battles at the front, with the margin so much tighter than it has been in previous races.
Hypercar Qualifying Results
1st #51 Ferrari, Antonio Giovinazzi
2nd #83 Ferrari, Robert Kubica
3rd #2 Cadillac, Alex Lynn
4th #35 Alpine, Charles Milesi
5th #50 Ferrari, Antonio Fuoco
6th #5 Porsche, Matt Campbell
7th #20 BMW, Robin Frijns
8th #15 BMW, Dries Vanthoor
9th #7 Toyota, Kamui Kobayashi
10th #12 Jota Porsche, Norman Nato
11th #93 Peugeot, Mikkel Jensen
12th #8 Toyota, Sebastien Buemi
13th #36 Alpine, Mick Schumacher
14th #6 Porsche, Kevin Estre
15th #94 Peugeot, Paul Di Resta
16th #99 Porsche, Julien Andlauer
17th #38 Jota Porsche, Jenson Button
18th #63 Lamborghini, Daniil Kvyat
LMGT3 - Qualifying and Hyperpole
In the opening Qualifying session, it would be Sarah Bovy in the #85 Lamborghini Iron Dames that set the fastest time, as drivers needed to be cautious, with tyre wear quite high as drivers went further into their runs. Ian James would bring the #27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin to second in the opening qualifying session, the Aston Martin team making it into Hyperpole at their home race.
The #88 Ford Mustang would also make it through to Hyperpole, as championship leaders #92 Porsche would be under investigation for speeding in the pit lane, despite also making it through into Hyperpole.
Valentino Rossi's #46 BMW would be driven by Ahmad Al-Harthy in the first Qualifying session, looking to get through into Hyperpole, but unable to do so after a few mistakes on several laps. Despite the minor errors which did cost the #46 team of Rossi, Al-Harthy and Maxime Martin a shot at Hyperpole, they will start 15th for the race and have done many recovery drives so far this season.
Front-engine cars particularly performed well in Qualifying, with multiple Aston Martin's, a BMW and the Ford Mustang all making it through.
The #27 Aston Martin Heart of Racing driven by Ian James, would claim LMGT3 pole, setting a blistering lap time of a 2:05.587. The #85 Iron Dames Lamborghini would finish the session in second place, just under two tenths of a second behind the Aston Martin polesitter.
With the #55 Ferrari in third, a further couple of tenths behind the Iron Dames, the championship leading #92 Manthey Purerxcing team would finish in fourth, as they attempt to round out the final few rounds and take the World Championship.
LMGT3 Qualifying Results
1st #27 Aston Martin, Ian James
2nd #85 Lamborghini, Sarah Bovy
3rd #55 Ferrari, Francois Heriau
4th #92 Porsche, Aliaksandr Malykhin
5th #81 Corvette, Tom Van Rompuy
6th #54 Ferrari, Thomas Florhr
7th #59 McLaren, James Cottingham
8th #777 Aston Martin, Clement Matheu
9th #88 Ford Mustang, Ben Keating
10th #31 BMW, Darren Leung
11th #95 McLaren, Joshua Caygill
12th #78 Lexus, Arnold Robin
13th #82 Corvette, Hiroshi Koizumi
14th #77 Ford Mustang, Ryan Hardwick
15th #46 BMW, Ahmad Al-Harthy
16th #91 Porsche, Yasser Shahin
17th #87 Lexus, Takeshi Kimura
18th #60 Lamborghini, Claudio Schiavoni
You can keep updated on the Lone Star Le Mans race on Sunday at 7pm UK time - right here at DIVEBOMB, LIVE.
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