2022 24 Hours of Le Mans – Qualifying: WRT sets the tone
Today, Wednesday 8 June saw the official launch of the 90th 24 Hours of Le Mans. 26 ORECA 07 chassis and one Alpine A480 participated in a packed programme including a first free practice session followed by qualifying, then a second free practice at night.
FREE PRACTICE 1
In the LMP2 class, United Autosports USA’s #23 ORECA 07 (Alexander Lynn/Oliver Jarvis/Joshua Pierson) clocked the fastest time of 3:30.238 early in the session thanks to Lynn. JOTA Sport’s #38 ORECA 07 trailed just behind in 3:31.624 and for its rookie participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Prema Orlen Team’s #9 ORECA 07 maintained an impressive pace, making it into the top 3. The ORECA 07s fielded by WRT (#31) and RealTeam by WRT (#41) rounded out the top 5. Sixth overall, TDS Racing x Vaillante’s #13 ORECA 07 secured the lead in Pro/Am ahead of Algarve Pro Racing’s #45, seventh overall, with the session cut short due to an incident.
Alpine Elf Matmut’s #36 Alpine A480 clinched the fifth spot in the Hypercar class.
Free Practice 1 Classification
QUALIFYING
The six quickest cars finished within seven-tenths of a second and won their places in tomorrow’s Hyperpole. During the session – interrupted by a red flag and disrupted by pouring rain – WRT’s #31 ORECA 07 driven by Robin Frijns led the charge with a time of 3:29.898 ahead of JOTA’s #38 ORECA 07 driven by António Félix da Costa. Norman Nato clocked the third fastest time in Realteam by WRT’s #41. Thanks to young talent Joshua Pierson (#23) and Filipe Albuquerque (#22), United Autosports once again managed to win spots for both its ORECA 07s in the Hyperpole tomorrow at 20:00. Lastly, Louis Delétraz finished in sixth position at the wheel of the Prema Orlen Team car.
The five cars in the Hypercar class were automatically qualified, but the quickest time of 3:27.247 went to Kamui Kobayashi in the #7 Toyota GR010 Hybrid. Nicolas Lapierre placed the Alpine in fourth position in 3:29.656.
Qualifying Classification
FREE PRACTICE 2
For the first time during Race Week, the driver line-ups took to the track at night for Free Practice 2. The session saw WRT’s #31 ORECA 07 dominate the top of the timesheet thanks to a best time of 3:33.119. In its wake were United Autosports’ #22, WRT’s #32, Cool Racing’s #37, Prema Orlen Team’s #9, RealTeam by WRT’s #41 and Richard Mille Racing Team’s #1. In eighth overall, Algarve Pro Racing’s #47 led Pro/Am, and IDEC SPORT Racing and TDS Racing x Vaillante completed the top 10.
In Hypercar, Alpine Elf Matmut’s #36 Alpine A480 closed Free Practice 2 in fifth position with a time of 3:32.592.
Free Practice 3 will take place tomorrow starting at 14 :00, followed by the Hyperpole at 20:00 then Free Practice 4 at 22:00.