The four hybrid prototypes in the LM P1 class blew out of the water the best time ever clocked during qualifying at the 6 Hours of Silverstone since the inception of the new World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC). The previous record held since 2015 by Brendon Hartley with the Porsche 919 Hybrid was 1'39.534. With a time of 1'36.793, Kamui Kobayashi beat the record by nearly three seconds with the 2017 version Toyota TS050 HYBRID, but actually all eight drivers in qualifying proved faster than the New Zealander back in 2015.

In the World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC), officials count the best time of each of the two drivers entrusted with the qualifying session and calculate the average to reach the time that determines the starting grid. The #7 Toyota TS050 HYBRID driven by Kamui Kobayashi and Mike Conway was credited with a time of 1'37.304.

The British driver had completed a faster lap in 1'37.816, but his time was voided by the Race Direction. Though he thought he was finished with qualifying, it was necessary for Mike Conway to run an additional faster lap in order to clinch the pole for two-tenths of a second ahead of the second Toyota TS050 HYBRID, the #8 driven by Anthony Davidson and Kazuki Nakajima (1'37.593).

The first of the two Porsche 919 Hybrids, the one driven by Neel Jani (winner at the 2016 24 Hours), joined in qualifying by Nick Tandy (winner at Le Mans in 2015), finished more than a second later (1'38.615) than the Toyota TS050 HYBRID in pole position. 2015 World Endurance Champions, Timo Bernhard and Brendon Hartley, were unable to clock better than 1'39.063.

The result of the LM P1 qualifying session is no surprise given that Toyota is utilizing its high-downforce aero kit (read article), the best adapted to the Silverstone circuit, unlike Porsche looking to develop the low-downforce aero kit it will use at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The stunning improvement of the times is in spite of the changes to the technical regulations favoring the decrease in performance levels.

The performances of the new LM P2 prototypes have also significantly improved thanks to the arrival of the new generation cars compliant with the technical regulations in effect since January 1st. Though G-Drive Racing's #26 Oreca 07, which will start from pole position thanks to Pierre Thiriet and Alex Lynn, is credited with an average time of 1'44.387, the British driver's best lap (1'43.412) would have scored him the overall pole in 2011 and 2012 against the Peugeot 908 and the Audi R18 e-tron quattro, respectively!

The gaps are much more narrow in LM P2 than in LM P1: the first five are within the same second which makes sense since all the teams have opted for the same chassis (Oreca) and tire manufacturer (Dunlop), despite the freedom to choose as they please.

The results in the LM GTE Pro class rather mirror those in the head class. The #67 Ford GT driven by "locals" Andy Priaulx and Harry Tincknell, supported this weekend (and at Spa and Le Mans) by Luis Felipe "Pipo" Derani, left no room for error to its rivals with a time of 1'56.202, eight-tenths faster than AF Corse's #71 Ferrari 488 GTE led by Davide Rigon and Sam Bird, and nine-tenths less than the #95 Aston Martin Vantage.

There are three different cars in the top three spots, but neither of the two new Porsche 911 RSRs, clocking in at nearly two seconds from the pole, though the #92 car driven by Kévin Estre and Michael Christensen had finished at the top of the timesheet at the second free practice session. Has Porsche put its money on the race in a discipline in which pole position is of little importance?

That is not how it was played by the #8 Aston Martin Vantage driven by Paul Dalla Lana and Pedro Lamy which dominated the LM GTE Am class with a one-second advance on its immediate pursuer, the Spirit of Race team's Ferrari 488 GTE, and 1.7 seconds on Dempsey-Proton Racing's Porsche 911, third.

The start of the 6 Hours of Silverstone will be given tomorrow, Sunday, April 16th at noon local time.

Results

Photo (Copyright - Pascal Saivet/VSA): The #7 Toyota TS050 HYBRID will start from the pole at the 2017 6 Hours of Silverstone.