As Le Mans is a very special event, the qualifiers are very different. The drivers have three two-hour sessions, including two at night to set a reference time. IDEC Sport will set off in 29th position with the sixth best performance for a Ligier.
In the qualifier series, Paul Lafargue was the fastest of the three IDEC Sport drivers. The 28-year old covered the 13.629km of the legendary track in 3:36.230.
“I feel more and more confident with the car and I’m starting to find my rhythm on the circuit,” explained Paul Lafargue who achieved the best time for the team during the night. “Even if there are still some airflow problems, the car seems better balanced than in the first trials. We are on the right track for the race. The goal is to remain consistent throughout the race.”
Shortly after setting the reference time, the Ligier #17 IDEC Sport suffered from a burst tyre. Paul Lafargue could not avoid coming off the track and hit the crash barrier at the end of the Indianapolis stretch. The mechanics changed the front section of the JS P217. However, there are no problems and she will be ready for the warm up at 9 on Saturday morning.
The best spots on the grid have gone as expected to the LMP1 category. We should add that the Japanese driver Kamui Kobayashi set a new lap record with a time of 3:14.791.
Early this evening the drivers will parade through the streets. 180 competitors will drive through the centre of Le Mans aboard historic vehicles from 5.30.
