Stuttgart. In qualifying for the 1000 mile Petit Le Mans race,
the Porsche RS Spyder secured a promising starting position. For the
ninth round of the American Le Mans Series that takes off on Saturday
on the traditional circuit in the US State of Georgia, the Porsche RS
Spyders from Weissach set the quickest lap times in the LMP2 class to
qualify on the third row.
Lucas Luhr (Monaco) turned the best time in his class and set a new lap
record in the RS Spyder with starting number 7. With his time, Luhr
narrowly missed out on the second row on the grid by just four-tenths
of a second. “I made a minor error in corner 6 that cost me some time,
but I am actually pleased and very optimistic for the race,” asserted
the points leader in the LMP2 championship, who shares the cockpit with
Romain Dumas (France) and Mike Rockenfeller (Monaco).
“Even at a long-distance race it is important to take up the race from
as far up the grid as possible. Only then can you keep yourself clear
of traffic, which is inevitable with so many cars. It is especially
difficult in the first few laps when it is particularly hectic.” For
Mike Rockenfeller, who has contested the American Le Mans Series at the
wheel of a Porsche 911 GT3 RSR by now, this race marks his first outing
in the RS Spyder.
Close on Lucas Luhr’s tail was Timo Bernhard (Germany), who turned the
second fastest lap in the LMP2 class in the RS Spyder with starting
number 6. His partners for the race on the demanding 4.09 kilometre
track are Sascha Maassen (Belgium), who shares the points lead with
Lucas Luhr, as well as Emmanuel Collard (France).
