In a red flag interrupted qualifying session the no25 Lanan Racing Norma M30-Nissan of Michael Benham took the pole position for this afternoon's two hour race by just 0.01s ahead of the no2 Ecurie Ecosse / Nielsen Ligier of Tony Wells.
The first red flag was caused on the out lap by the no4 Brookspeed International Ligier of John Schauerman, the American spinning off at Turn 4. The session resumed once the track was cleared and Eric Debard in the no30 CD Sport Norma went fastest before a second red flag stopped the session again with 5 minutes on the clock after the no32 United Autosports Ligier of Najaf Husain stopped at Turn 4.
The session resumed with Tony Wells in the no2 Ligier going quickest with a 1m47.974 lap but was displaced a few seconds later when Michael Benham posted a 1m47.964, one hundredth of a second faster. Eric Debard was on a flying lap in the no30 Norma when he spun off and hit the barriers at Turn 11, bringing out the red flag again and ending the session early.
The GT3 class might only feature six entries but qualifying was one of excitement as the no88 Ebimotors Porsche of Italian driver Alessandro Baccani staved off a determined challenge from Sergio Pianezzola in the no8 Kessel Racing Ferrari and Christoph Ulrich in the no51 Spirit of Race F488.
Baccani was ahead for most of the session but Ulrich and then Pianezzola went quicker only to be displaced by the Porsche driver at the end of the lap. The final lap time of 1m49.330 was set on the very last lap with Baccani edging Pianezzola by just 0.179s.
Round 2 of the 2018 Michelin Le Mans Cup will begin at 16h00 this afternoon.
CLICK HERE for the result from Qualifying
