Louis Deletraz achieved an impressive pole position in the LMP2 category for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, recording an unbeatable time of 3:33.217 in car #14 AO By TF Oreca-07 Gibson.
Deletraz’s time in the pro/am car, affectionately known as ‘Spike the Dragon’, was six tenths faster than Job van Uitert in car #28 from the Idec Sport team, who finished in second place.
After Wednesday’s Qualifying session, a total of 23 cars from all classes had the opportunity to compete in the 30-minute Hyperpole session to vie for pole position.
In the LMP2 class, Malthe Jakobsen from the COOL Racing team set the fastest time in car #37 COOL Racing Oreca 07-Gibson. The pressure was on the COOL Racing team to replicate that performance and lead the times in the Hyperpole.
However, Jakobsen’s progress was interrupted by a late red flag caused by one of the Hypercars, causing him to drop in the rankings.
The Hyperpole session started 35 minutes later than the originally scheduled time due to a major accident in the Road to Le Mans race, which caused significant damage to the barriers. Extensive repairs were needed before the session could begin.
During this delay, there were concerns about the possibility of rain interfering with the Hyperpole session, and team members anxiously watched the sky.
Fortunately, the circuit remained dry when the Hyperpole activities finally began, and the eight LMP2 cars set off on the iconic Circuit de la Sarthe.
Mathias Beche was the first to set a fast lap time in the pro/am car #65 Panis Racing Oreca 07 – Gibson, clocking a time of 3:37.216.
Beche was then surpassed by Patrick Pilet in car #10 from the Vector Sport team, as well as Jakobsen in car #37 and Louis Deletraz, who was the provisional leader, in car #14 from the AO Racing team.
In his second attempt, Deletraz improved his initial time of 3:35.620 to an impressive 3:33.994, placing himself 0.779 seconds ahead of Jakobsen. Ben Hanley secured third place in car #23 of the United Autosports team.
In the middle of the session, seven out of the eight LMP2 cars decided to make a pit stop and change their tires for another attempt at setting fast laps. However, Deletraz had a significant advantage over the rest of the field, raising the question of whether anyone could stop him from securing pole position.
The answer to that question was momentarily delayed when Hypercar driver Dries Vanthoor had an accident at the Indianapolis corner, causing a red flag to be waved with seven minutes and 41 seconds remaining in the session. This unfortunate moment interrupted Jakobsen’s impressive performance, as he had been setting exceptionally fast sector times before the session was halted.
When the session resumed, six out of the eight LMP2 cars returned to the track for one final attempt at setting a fast lap time. However, Jakobsen’s hopes of securing pole position were dashed as he chose to stay in the pits, along with Laurents Hörr of the DKR Engineering team.
When the checkered flag fell, it initially appeared that van Uitert had managed to surpass Deletraz for pole position with a lap time of 3:33.827. However, Deletraz quickly crossed the finish line with a time that was 0.610 seconds faster, reclaiming the top spot. Nevertheless, van Uitert could still take pride in being the highest-ranked LMP2 driver among all the teams.
Beche improved his position to third place in the Panis Racing pro/am car, setting a lap time of 3:34.053. Hanley finished in fourth place, 1.004 seconds behind the pole position, making three pro/am cars among the top four.
Oliver Jarvis completed the top five in the #22 United Autosports car, setting a lap time of 3:34.270. Jakobsen, who had dropped in the rankings due to his decision to stay in the pits during the final moments of the session, finished in sixth place.
Hörr (3:35.699) and Patrick Pilet from Vector Sport in car #10 (3:35.855) completed the order of the LMP2 cars.
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Brazilian conquers the world surfing title
In an exciting final, Brazilian surfer Gabriel Medina became the world surfing champion. The athlete showed all his talent and skill on the waves, leaving his opponents behind. With incredible maneuvers and a lot of determination, Medina achieved the desired title.
The competition took place in Pipeline, Hawaii, and brought together the best surfers in the world. Gabriel Medina faced tough opponents, but he did not back down and showed why he is considered one of the best surfers today.
With this victory, Medina becomes a two-time world surfing champion, as he also won the title in 2014. The Brazilian is an example of perseverance and dedication, always striving for excellence in his performances.
After the victory, Gabriel Medina thanked all his fans and sponsors for their support. He also highlighted the importance of his technical team and his family, who have always encouraged him to achieve his goals.
The title of Gabriel Medina is a source of pride for Brazil and for the national sport. Surfing is gaining more and more prominence in the country, and Medina is one of the main responsible for that. His victory is an example for young Brazilian surfers, who dream of following in his footsteps.
With this achievement, Gabriel Medina solidifies himself as one of the greatest names in world surfing. His journey is inspiring and his determination is admirable. Brazil celebrates this victory and eagerly awaits new challenges and achievements from the surfer.
