After the two days of technical and administrative checks in the centre of Le Mans, the 56 cars and their teams are all back in place within the Circuit des 24 Heures and getting ready for the first four hours of free practice. Included in this number, of course, are all the entrants for the 2013 FIA World Endurance Championship.
At 16:00h the green flag will drop for the first time in the days leading up to the 90th anniversary edition of the Le Mans 24 Hours, and the cars will take to the track for preliminary practice.
With mixed weather conditions today, there is no telling whether the track will be wet or dry but that will matter little to the competitors who will want to establish the settings on the cars, verify fuel consumption figures and tyre wear.
The first qualifying session (tonight, from from 22:00h to midnight) will allow rookie drivers to do their mandatory night laps. For others, it will be the first opportunity to set a fast lap time, useful if the rain disrupts the final qualifying session tomorrow.
It is usually during the second day of qualifying (Thursday 19:00 to 21:00, then 22:00 to midnight) that it all happens. For manufacturers such as Audi and Toyota pole position at Le Mans is critically important because it ensures media attention. In the last session, night covers the circuit and you might think that the optimum time for setting pole position has passed but you would be wrong. You can't afford to take your eyes off the timing screens for a minute!
Fiona Miller
Photo: PLACE DE LA REPUBLIQUE (LE MANS, SARTHE), SCRUTINEERING, MONDAY 17TH JUNE 2013. LMP1 Privateer team Rebellion Racing will be leading the chase behind the factory Audi and Toyota teams.
