Porsche has won both LMP1 and LMGTE poles for tomorrow’s FIA WEC 6 Hours of Fuji after battling through a rain struck qualifying session at the Fuji Speedway.
Earl Bamber and Brendon Hartley won their second pole of the season in the #2 Porsche 919 Hybrid after setting an average time of 1m35.160s. The #1 sister car finished second ahead of the #8 and #7 Toyota TS050 Hybrid.
For Bamber and Hartley, an extra point after qualifying extended their championship lead to 52 points. They only need to finish ahead of the #8 Toyota tomorrow and the drivers’ championship is theirs.
In LMP2, the #13 Vaillante Rebellion claimed its first pole of the season thanks to an average time of 1m44.196s set by Nelson Piquet Jnr and David Heinemeier-Hansson. Bruno Senna and Julien Canal came in second with the other Vaillante Rebellion sister car.
In LMGTE-Pro, Frederic Makowiecki and Richard Lietz scored their first pole of the season with Porsche GT’s mid-engined 911 RSR, the second pole for Porsche this season after winning back at the Nurburgring in July. Ford scored a double podium after the #67 Ford GT of Andy Priaulx and Harry Tincknell finished second ahead of the #66 sister car of Stefan Mucke and Olivier Pla.
Clearwater Racing won their first pole ever in LMGTE-Am with the #61 Ferrari 488 GTE of Matt Griffin and Weng Sun Mok. Second in class was the #77 Porsche 911 RSR of Patrick Dempsey ahead of the points leaders in the #98 Aston Martin.
The 6 Hours of Fuji will kick off tomorrow at 11:00 AM local time.
Photo: Marcel Langer, Adrenal Media, John Rourke, Marius Hecker
