BMW CLAIM HISTORIC LE MANS POLE AFTER AITKEN PENALTY SHOCK
The qualifying session for the 94th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans ended in dramatic fashion after a major penalty reshaped the Hyperpole 2 classification and changed the pole position, that went to BMW.
Jack Aitken initially looked set to secure pole position for Cadillac Jota after setting the fastest lap in Hyperpole 2 with a time of 3:22.559. The British driver had edged out Dries Vanthoor by just five thousandths of a second, in one of the closest finishes of the session.
However, shortly after the end of qualifying, the stewards investigated Aitken’s actions in the pit lane before the start of Hyperpole 2. It was determined that he had positioned his car in the fast lane too early, in breach of the regulations. As a result, the Cadillac #38 entry was penalised, and its best time was deleted from the classification.
This decision promoted Dries Vanthoor and BMW Team WRT to pole position with the #15 BMW M Hybrid V8. It marks a historic result for BMW, giving the manufacturer its first ever pole position at Le Mans. The result was also celebrated by Raffaele Marciello and Kevin Magnussen, who played a key role in bringing the car into contention throughout the qualifying stages.
Behind BMW, Cadillac still maintained a strong overall presence, with several cars competitive throughout Hyperpole. Genesis also impressed on its debut appearance at Le Mans, placing both entries inside the top ten.
Ferrari had a more mixed qualifying session. The best result came from the #51 entry, which secured eighth place with James Calado at the wheel, supported by a strong early effort from Antonio Giovinazzi in the opening session. However, the #50 car failed to reach Hyperpole 2 and finished outside the top positions after being held up during its attempt.
Toyota endured a particularly difficult session, with both cars eliminated early and forced to start from the back of the Hypercar field.
In LMP2, IDEC Sport ultimately inherited pole position after a penalty for Forestier by Panis Racing. Esteban Masson had initially set the fastest time, but a blocking infringement cost the team its position at the front. Job van Uitert moved into first place, securing pole for IDEC Sport after the correction, followed by Jack Doohan and Nick Yelloly in the top three.
LMGT3 also delivered a standout performance from Mattia Drudi, who secured pole position for Aston Martin THOR for the second consecutive year at Le Mans. His lap of 3:52.433 was unmatched, even after being forced to complete his fastest time twice due to track limits violations earlier in the session.
Behind Drudi, Ferrari’s AF Corse entry driven by Alessio Rovera finished second, followed by strong performances from Lexus and BMW. Ferrari also placed the #74 Kessel Racing car inside the top ten, but several other entries struggled to reach the Hyperpole stages.
The reigning class champions endured a disappointing session, failing to break into the top positions, while several well-known names were eliminated earlier than expected due to traffic, mistakes, or minor incidents.
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