Porsche wins pole at Spa

Pole winning No 14 Porsche of Dumas/Jani/Lieb

In the weather gamble at Spa, the crowd got to see a thrilling qualifying session for round two of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). On a drying track, the best teams opted for a second driver change, in addition to the one driver change prescribed by the regulations.

On a wet track, some drivers started qualifying on intermediate tires. When the second driver took over from their teammates some cars with slicks. Drivers were able to complete their respective mandatory timed laps this way. However, as the times had improved by about five seconds on the drying track, the teams decided to let the first two drivers, respectively, take the wheel again. This choice gave the teams a possibility to improve the average time set by both drivers per car on two new, faster laps. This average determines the grid positions.

Porsche will start on pole position for the second round of the 2014 FIA World Endurance Championship, the Spa 6 Hours, after prevailing in a thrilling qualifying session over Toyota and Audi.

A session that started damp and slowly became dry, the format of averaging the best lap from two drivers would mean pole position wouldn't be decided until the final lap, with Marc Lieb – together with Neel Jani – putting the 919 Hybrid on top.

The duo, who will share the LMP1 car with Romain Dumas, will be joined on the front row by the Silverstone 6 Hours winning Toyota of Anthony Davidson, Nicolas Lapierre and Sebastien Buemi, while Audi made it three different manufacturers inside the top three courtesy of Benoit Treluyer, Marcel Fassler and Andre Lotterer.

Qualifying results

1. Dumas/Jani/Lieb GER Porsche 919 Hybrid 2m 01.198s LMP1
2. Davidson/Lapierre/Buemi JPN Toyota TS040 Hybrid 2m 01.836s LMP1
3. Fassler/Lotterer/Treluyer GER Audi Sport Joest R18 e-tron 4 2m 02.499s LMP1
4. Wurz/Sarrazin/Nakajima JPN Toyota TS040 Hybrid 2m 03.177s LMP1
5. Kristensen/Duval/di Grassi GER Audi Sport Joest R18 e-tron 2m 03.672s LMP1
6. Webber/Hartley/Bernhard GER Porsche 919 Hybrid 2m 03.881s LMP1
7. Albuquerque/Bonanomi GER Audi Sport Joest R18 e-tron 2m 06.160s LMP1
8. Howson/Bradley/Matsuda HKG KCMG Oreca 03 Nissan 2m 12.103s LMP2
9. Minassian/Zlobin/Mediani RUS SMP Oreca 03 Nissan 2m 12.751s LMP2
10. Rusinov/Pla/Canal RUS G-Drive Morgan Nissan 2m 13.143s LMP2
11. Dolan/Tincknell/Gene GBR Jota Zytek Z11SN Nissan 2m 13.761s LMP2
12. Prost/Heidfeld/Beche SUI Rebellion R-ONE Toyota 2m 14.934s LMP1
13. Bruni/Vilander ITA AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italia 2m 32.338s GTE Pro
14. Turner/Mucke/Senna GBR Aston Martin Racing Vantage V8 2m 32.505s GTE Pro
15. Holzer/Makowiecki/ GER Porsche Team Manthay 911 2m 32.581s GTE Pro
16. Pilet/Bergmeister/ GER Porsche Team Manthay 911 2m 32.817s GTE Pro
17. Macdowall/O'Young/Rees GBR Aston Martin Racing Vantage V8 2m 33.070s GTE Pro
18. Rigon/Calado ITA AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italia 2m 33.572s GTE Pro
19. Perez/Cioci/Venturi ITA AF Corse Ferrari F458 Italia 2m 33.962s GTE Am
20. Perrodo/Collard/Vaxiviere GER Prospeed Porsche 911 GT3 RSR 2m 33.981s GTE Am
21. Wyatt/Rugolo/Bird ITA AF Corse Ferrari F458 Italia 2m 34.039s GTE Am
22. Ried/Bachler/Al Qubaisi GER Proton Porsche 911 GT3 RSR 2m 34.828s GTE Am
23. Potolicchio/Roda/Ruberti USA 8 Star Ferrari F458 Italia 2m 35.348s GTE Am
24. Mann/Giammaria/Case ITA AF Corse Ferrari F458 Italia 2m 35.641s GTE Am
25. Dalla Lana/Lamy/Nygaard GBR Aston Martin Racing Vantage V8 2m 39.390s GTE Am
26. Poulsen/Heinemeier/Stanaway GBR Aston Martin Racing Vantage V8 2m 39.404s GTE Am
27. Ladygin/Ladygin/Shaitar RUS SMP Oreca 03 Nissan No Time LMP2
28. Leimer/Belicchi/Kraihamer SUI Rebellion Lola B/12 Toyota No Time LMP1