It was an exciting session that set the stage for an incredible 24 Heures du Mans, on the 101st anniversary of the first edition of the famous race, where there were 143 winning drivers from 20 different countries and 25 winning manufacturers representing 7 nations in the 91 editions of the race.
Porsche, with an impressive 36 victories at the Circuit de la Sarthe (Audi is second with 15 victories, but is not present in this year’s race), could potentially reach 37 victories based on their current form and the impressive pace seen during today’s Hyperpole.
Although starting in the first position for a 24-hour race is not as crucial as for shorter races, it comes with the advantage of bragging rights and the ability to control the initial pace, which is expected to be intense regardless of the weather conditions.
With less than seven tenths of a second separating the top eight Hypercars in the standings, it was uncertain who would come out on top after the Hyperpole.
The fastest qualifier, the BMW M Hybrid V8 #15, led the pack on the track at 8:35 pm local time. On the first flying lap, Ferrari AF Corse placed both of their cars at the top of the timing sheet ahead of Dries Vanthoor in the BMW.
Sébastien Bourdais in the Cadillac #3, however, quickly took the lead on the third lap, but he was just getting started. On the next lap, he completed a lap time of 3:24.816, almost eight tenths of a second faster than Fuoco. With only 07:41 remaining on the 30-minute countdown, Dries Vanthoor crashed in Indianapolis, resulting in a red flag.
Your times were invalidated, causing the BMW W Team WRT to be placed last in the Hyperpole field. Fuoco was also frustrated with the red flag, as he was in a strong position to claim first place. Although there was enough time to complete two laps when the session resumed, the action was not over.
Alessandro Pier Guidi in the Ferrari #51 overtook Fuoco in the sister car to secure P2, followed by Alex Lynn in the Cadillac #2 and then Kévin Estre, who set the fastest lap of the session on the final lap. The factory team’s Porsche #6 will start on pole position in the 92nd 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Hypercar Classification in Hyperpole
Four Pro/Am LMP2 teams were among the eight qualifiers in their respective classes. Louis Delétraz set the fastest time early on for AO by TF on the third lap, clocking in at 3:33.994, ahead of Malthe Jakobsen from COOL Racing. After a late restart, Job Van Uitert took the lead for IDEC Sport, but Delétraz had the final say, reclaiming first place on the timing screens on his last attempt.
The Hyperpole LMGT3, which aims to highlight amateur drivers in the Bronze category, made its debut at Le Mans. The Inception Racing McLaren #70 dominated the early stages with Iribe setting the fastest time. However, on the fourth lap, Iribe crashed heavily into a curb at Raccordement while on track to improve his reference time. Despite this setback, he maintained an eight-tenths of a second advantage over Aliaksandr Malykhin in the Porsche Manthey PureRxcing until the end of the session.
On Friday, the teams participating in the race on Saturday and Sunday had a day off. However, several activities on the track were planned, including the renowned Le Mans Drivers Parade organized by 40 members of the CLASSIC AUTOMOTIVE association. To ensure a smooth parade and avoid problems with the entourage, over 500 volunteers, 90 security personnel, 90 paramedics, and 110 assistants were present on the day. The drivers competing in the 24 Hours made a slow ride through the city center in classic cars, accompanied by music from various bands, creating a festive atmosphere. It is estimated that over 200,000 people lined the streets of Le Mans for the 2023 Drivers Parade.
© 2024
Portugal wins the FIFA World Cup title
The Portuguese national football team made history by winning the long-awaited FIFA World Cup title. With an impeccable campaign, the team led by coach Fernando Santos showed all their talent and determination throughout the tournament.
From the beginning of the competition, Portugal demonstrated an engaging and offensive style of play, enchanting the fans and surprising the opponents. With a squad full of stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Bernardo Silva, and João Félix, the Portuguese team had no difficulties advancing in the knockout stages.
In the grand final, played against the Brazilian national team, Portugal showed their superiority and won 3-1. The goals were scored by Cristiano Ronaldo, who had a brilliant performance and was elected the best player of the match.
The World Cup title win is a milestone in Portuguese football history. With a talented generation and an engaging style of play, the Portuguese team establishes itself as one of the best in the world.
The players and coaching staff were received with celebration in Portugal, where thousands of fans took to the streets to celebrate the historic achievement. The entire country is filled with pride and admiration for the national team, which won the hearts of the Portuguese with their determination and skill on the field.
Now, Portugal is preparing for the next challenges, with the certainty that they can achieve even more glory in world football. The World Cup victory is just the beginning of a new era for Portuguese football, which promises to continue enchanting sports lovers around the world.
