WEC 2023: Porsche Secures Pole Position at Le Mans 24H
In a thrilling Hyperpole session at the 2023 Le Mans 24 Hours, the #6 Porsche driven by Kevin Estre has claimed pole position for the highly anticipated endurance race. Estre’s impressive performance sees the Porsche line up at the front of the grid, with the #3 Cadillac of Sebastien Bourdais completing the front row.
The #2 Cadillac, qualified by Alex Lynn, had originally set a quicker time than Bourdais. However, the team has been handed a five-place grid penalty carried forward from the previous WEC round at Spa, where Earl Bamber was deemed responsible for a major incident with a BMW GT3 car. This penalty will see the #2 Cadillac start seventh on the grid, behind the #15 BMW of Dries Vanthoor, who unfortunately crashed during the Hyperpole session.
“We are disappointed with the penalty, but we will use it as motivation to put on a great show for the fans this weekend.” – Alex Lynn, #2 Cadillac
Elsewhere in the grid, the Jota team were unable to participate in the Hyperpole after their #12 customer Porsche was heavily damaged in a crash during second practice on Wednesday. The team is now working tirelessly to rebuild the 963 around a new chassis, aiming to be ready for the 24-hour endurance classic this weekend.
Further disappointment came for the factory #7 Toyota, which was excluded from qualifying after causing a red flag. Kamui Kobayashi, who holds the outright lap record at Le Mans, lost control of the GR010 HYBRID at the Corvette Curves, resulting in the team being demoted to 23rd and last in the Hyperpole session.
In other news, both the factory #51 Ferrari and the satellite #83 entry will have to serve a 10-second stop/go penalty during their first pit stops in the race, as a result of failing to stop at their designated zones during qualifying.
With the grid now set, the stage is set for an enthralling 2023 Le Mans 24 Hours as the top teams in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) battle it out for endurance racing’s most prestigious trophy. Fans can expect an intense and thrilling race this weekend, as the WEC season reaches its climax.
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