Photo: Sarah Bovy, a Bronze-rated driver for Iron Dames, expressed her excitement for the new qualifying format known as Hyperpole. Bovy, who achieved the most pole positions in the former GTE Am class last year, is looking forward to the competitive nature of this format.
The Hyperpole qualifying format was initially introduced during the main event, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This format includes both the Hypercar and LMGT3 categories, which will participate in two sessions throughout the regular rounds of the season. After the initial 12-minute session, the top 10 cars from each category will advance to the 10-minute Hyperpole session, where they will compete for pole position.
Bovy shared her thoughts on the new format, stating, “I’m extremely thrilled about the qualifying format. My teammates aren’t too happy with me because I’ve been taking on all the qualifying duties for the past few years, but aside from that, I’m just grateful for any opportunity. Last year, there was an intense battle with various drivers, including Ben Keating… I’m anticipating a lot of competition this year. We have some very talented bronze drivers joining the championship, so I expect some exciting battles.”
While Bovy understands that qualifying is only the first step in the race weekend and may not heavily impact the final results, she still finds it to be an enjoyable exercise. She embraces the challenge and will continue to give her best effort. Bovy acknowledges that it won’t be an easy task, but she is prepared for the competition.
In the LMGT3 category, similar to the former GTE-Am class, the FIA requires a Bronze-rated driver in each lineup to handle the qualifying duties for the season. Bovy, who secured three pole positions last year, will once again take on this responsibility. The Iron Dames team had a successful 2023 season, achieving their first FIA WEC victory at the 8 Hours of Bahrain and finishing second in the GTE-Am championship standings.
In the upcoming season, the Iron Dames team will utilize the Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 package, as they do in their GT World Challenge and IMSA WeatherTech Endurance Cup commitments. With nine manufacturers and 18 entries in the LMGT3 category, Bovy expects a more challenging competition compared to last year. She acknowledges that the new category and the arrival of new teams and lineups make it difficult to predict the level of competition they will face. However, she has confidence in the team’s preparation, experience, and understanding of each other’s abilities.
For the 2024 season, the #83 Iron Dames team will welcome Doriane Pin to their roster. Pin previously competed with PREMA in the LMP2 category in 2023. Michelle Gatting completes the trio for the team.
Source: motorsportweek.com
