In a thrilling turn of events, Sean Gelael secured the LMGT3 pole position for the inaugural session of the FIA World Endurance Championship’s Qatar 1812 km race. This achievement marks a significant milestone for United Autosports, as they clinched their second front-row knockout, a feat they first accomplished in the LMGT3 class in Bahrain the previous year. This victory has propelled them to the top places of the coveted LMGT3 class for the upcoming endurance race, set to span a grueling 10 hours.
This year’s qualifying round saw a significant revision in the rules, with the FIA instituting a mandatory participation for Bronze-graded drivers in the opening session. Subsequently, their Silver-rated counterparts would then take the reins for the high-stakes Hyperpole shootout. This shift in the qualifying format, along with the introduction of the LMGT3 category, was a novel feature of the full-season proceedings last year, with the onus of qualifying duties resting solely on the Bronze drivers.
The qualifying round played out under challenging conditions, with participants contending with a sharp 15-degree Celsius ambient temperature and a track surface heat of 18 degrees at the Lusail International Circuit. The Goodyear medium compound emerged as the unanimous tire choice for the contenders.
In the initial 12-minute session, the 18 Bronze-driven LMGT3s were under intense pressure to secure a top-10 spot, thereby ensuring their progression to the 10-minute Hyperpole session. Reigning champions Manthey and their star driver Ryan Hardwick in the #92 Porsche 911 LMGT3.R missed out on a Hyperpole position by a mere 0.066 seconds, losing out to ex-teammates Proton Competition.
United Autosports and McLaren demonstrated impressive form, securing the leading two positions post-Q1, setting the stage for an exciting showdown. Sean Gelael led the charge, pushing his #95 McLaren 720S LMGT3 Evo to its limits, even uprooting a small Michelin advertising board in the process. The Indonesian driver clocked a remarkable lap time of 1:54.239, edging out Sebastien Baud’s 1:54.478 in the #59 McLaren.
Finn Gehrsitz, in the #78 ASP Lexus RC F LMGT3, put up a commendable performance, clinching third place with a 1:54.484 lap time. Teams AF Corse claimed the fourth and fifth positions, with Francesco Castellacci setting a 1:54.594 in the #54 Ferrari 296 LMGT3, closely followed by Simon Mann in the #21 Ferrari with a time of 1:54.609.
The #87 Lexus, driven by Clemens Schmid, bagged the sixth position with a time of 1:54.658, just ahead of the #27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage LMGT3 EVO, piloted by Zach Robichon, who recorded a time of 1:54.755. Valentino Rossi, Gianmarco Levorato, and Rui Andrade, in the #46 WRT BMW M4 LMGT3 EVO, Proton Competition, and TF Sport respectively, rounded off the top-10.
The much-anticipated race will kick off on Friday, 28 February, starting at 14:00 local time, or 11:00 UTC. As the battle lines are drawn and the engines rev up, all eyes will be on the track, with fans eagerly awaiting the thrill of the high-octane race.
