BMW Motorrad France Team Thevent tops the qualifiers ahead of SRC Kawasaki and Suzuki Endurance Racing Team.
The first qualifying session of the 24 Hours of Le Mans took place this afternoon in a highly charged atmosphere. A number of crashes punctuated the first timed practice sessions of this final and deciding round of the 2012 FIM Endurance World Championship.
This afternoon, on the average of its three riders’ best lap times, BMW Motorrad France Team Thevent trumped the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team (SERT), current leaders in the provisional standings with a 19 point lead. « We weren’t going for the pole but Erwan Nigon, Damian Cudlin and myself are a very well balanced team » admits official BMW rider Sébastien Gimbert. For Sébastien, the stakes are threefold. He wants to win a 24 Hours race with BMW, beat Kawasaki rider Julien de Costa, his arch-rival in the French Superbike Championship, and clinch a win to celebrate his 35th birthday on Sunday. « Our goal, team manager Michael Bartholemy, confirms, is to finally bring home a 24 Hour race. It would be a first for BMW and we have been working hard for it for the past three years. »
The SRC Kawasaki took second place on the provisional grid despite a best individual performance by Julien da Costa with a lap in 1’36.826. At SRC Kawasaki, the trio for the race has not yet been finalised. Freddy Foray and Olivier Four are in competition for the third spot alongside Julien da Costa and Gregory Leblanc.
In third place coming out of this first session, the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team confirmed the choice of Takuya Tsuda of Japan to join forces with Vincent Philippe and Anthony Delhalle, rattled by a minor crash. The SERT is ahead of Yamaha France GMT 94 Michelin Yamalube, with Matthieu Lagrive back on the job, and Monster Energy Yamaha YART again fielding its history trio of Igor Jerman, Steve Martin and Gwen Giabbani.
In the top 10 just behind the leaders, the Kawasaki of Bolliger Team Switzerland, Honda TT Legends, the Yamaha of the Maco Racing Team, Yamalube Folch Endurance and Honda National Motos will be ready to seize their chances if the teams out front should miss a trick.
In Superstock, MCP Starteam caused a stir by taking first place in the Superstock class ahead of Junior Team LMS Suzuki and the Suzuki of Team Motors Events AMT Assurances. The second qualifying session will take place tomorrow, Friday, at 11.00 hours.
Follow the race on Saturday 8 September from 15.00 hours (GMT +2) on FIM-LIVE.COM with the “LIVE TIMING” set up by Tag Heuer and get regular live updates on Twitter. Check out www.flickr.com/photos/fim-live/ for the latest pics
Provisionnal Starting Grid after Qualifying 1