BMW Claims Pole in GTE Class at Le Mans

BMW Motorsport secured excellent grid positions for the 24-hour race in Le Mans, as the number 55 M3 GT and Brazilian driver Augusto Farfus set the fastest time in the LM GTE class, recording a 3:57.592 minutes lap.

This meant pole position for the 27-year-old and his fellow BMW drivers, Jorg Müller and Dirk Werner. The second BMW M3 GT, car number 56, will have to make due with a respectable third position at the upcoming endurance race.

However, Andy Priaulx, the triple world touring car champion and his team-mates, Dirk Muller and Joey Hand were forced to sit out the third two-hour qualifying session on Thursday night.

Priaulx turned into a passenger in the Ford chicane, after another car had gone off and spread loads of gravel on the track. As a result, he lost control of his BMW M3 GT and hit the tire wall hard. Priaulx fortunately walked away from the accident without a scratch but the car is heavily damaged and was forced to sit out the next day’s session.

“I am so sorry for the team as this is a big shame and gives them such a lot of work. I was looking forward to having a good go, and was just winding the car up for the start of the lap. I arrived and didn’t know there was anything wrong with the corner. There were no flags and just a sea of gravel on the track, which meant one or more cars had already gone off in front of me. Another shame is we have missed tonight’s qualifying session,” the riple world touring car champion said.