The pole positions for the four classes of the 90th Le Mans 24 Hours will be decided during Thursday’s Hyperpole session, which runs from 20:00 to 20:30, know the 2022 qualifying results
Here’s everything you need to know about the 2020 qualifying event, in which just speed matters.
24 Hours Of Le Mans 2022 Hyperpole Qualifying Results, Rules, Format And Meaning Explained
Hypercar Qualifying Results:
- No. 8 Toytota Gazoo Racing (Sebastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley, Ryo Hirakawa)
- No. 7 Toyota Gazoo Racing (Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi, Jose Maria Lopez)
- No. 36 Alpine (Nicolas Lapierre, Andre Negrao, Matthieu)
- No. 709 Glickenhaus 007 LMH (Ryan Briscoe, Richard Westbrook, Franck Mailleux)
- No. 708 Glickenhaus 007 LMH (Pipo Derani, Romani Dumas, Olivier Pla)
Top LMP2 Qualifiers
- No. 31 WRT (Robin Frijns, Sean Gelael, Rene Rast
- No. 41 RealTeam WRT (Rui Andrade, Ferdinand Habsburg, Norman Nato)
- No. 22 United Autosports USA (Felipe Albuquerque, Philip Hanson, Will Owen)
- No. 38 Jota (Antonio Felix da Costa, Roberto Gonzalez, Will Stevens)
- No. 9 Prema Orlen Team (Lorenzo Colombo, Louis Deletraz, Robert Kubica)
- No. 23 United Autosports USA (Oliver Jarvis, Alex Lynn, Josh Pierson)
- No. 1 Richard Mille Racing (Lilou Wadoux, Sebastien Ogier, Charles Milesi)
- No. 65 Panis Racing (Julien Canal, Nicolas Jamin, Job Van Uitert)
- No. 5 Team Penske (Dane Cameron, Emmanuel Collard, Felipe Nasr)
- No. 32 Team WRT (Rolf Ineichen, Mirko Bortolotti, Dries Vanthoor)
Wednesday’s qualifications will determine the majority of the starting positions for the 90th 24 Hours of Le Mans (19:00 to 20:00). In the Hyperpole session, however, the top 23 teams out of 62 will compete in a run-off.
The Hyperpole session, which was introduced in 2020 to allow teams to demonstrate sheer speed, is limited to the top six qualifiers in each class. The top six spots in each class on the starting grid are determined by the outcome. However, because there are five Hypercar entrants, Hyperpole will feature 23 vehicles rather than 24.
Quickly and furiously
The Le Mans 24 Hours circuit is 13.626 kilometres long, yet with 62 cars on the track during qualifying, setting the ideal lap is difficult. The pursuit of pole position might be hampered by yellow flags, slow zones, and traffic. The Automobile Club de l’Ouest was inspired to build Hyperpole because of this.
The ACO allows drivers to focus solely on performance by picking only the six fastest cars in each class at the end of the qualifications. This frees them from having to worry about traffic management or any of the other issues stated above. Drivers just have to concentrate on one thing in Hyperpole: earning their quickest potential lap time.
Battling for pole position in Hyperpole is also good for the ego and for prestige. Hyperpole adds a sprint aspect to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. We know that the starting position doesn’t dictate the race, but it’s important to try to be in front.”
What are Hyperpole’s rules?
The fastest time of each team determines the ranking, just as it does in a regular practise session. It is forbidden for competitors to return to the pits to refuel. They are, however, allowed to choose their tyres, up to a maximum of eight for the session.
If an automobile eligible for Hyperpole does not finish any timed laps during the Hyperpole session, it will be placed on the grid behind the other Hyperpole cars in the same class, unless the stewards decide otherwise.
Is Hyperpole a lucky start for teams?
Winning Hyperpole does not ensure victory in the Le Mans 24 Hours. The Hyperpolesitters in LMP2, LMGTE Pro, and LMGTE Am (JOTA, Hub Auto Racing, and Dempsey-Proton Racing) failed not win the race in 2021. The victors of the 2020 Hyperpole competition in the LMP1, LMGTE Pro, and LMGTE Am classes (Toyota Gazoo Racing’s #7 car, Porsche GT Team, and Luzich Racing) didn’t either.
With a time of 3:23.900, Kamui Kobayashi’s Toyota Gazoo Racing #7 Toyota GR010 Hybrid won the first Hyperpole of the Hypercar era last year.
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