No. 7 Toyota on pole in Bahrain; Porsche fastest in LMGTE Pro

Kevin Estre in the No. 92 Porsche GT Team 911 RSR tops LMGTE Pro for the fifth time this season. Point for pole means Porsche and No.51 AF Corse Ferrari crews are tied on points heading into finale tomorrow. 

In LMP2, United Autosports USA seal pole and LMGTE Am pole falls to Roberto Lacorte for Cetilar Racing for Italian teams’ first pole.

Below are the main headlines from Qualifying.

Hypercar  

• Toyota Gazoo Racing 1-2 on grid for final round of 2021 FIA WEC at the Bapco 8 Hours of Bahrain 
• Kamui Kobayashi slams in a 1m46.250s lap to lead sister No. 8 car by 0.6s 
• No. 8 Toyota in hands of Brendon Hartley goes for second lap but lock-up compromises Kiwi and he has to settle for second 
• Alpine Elf Matmut to start third with Matthieu Vaxiviere setting a 1m47.025s lap 

LMGTE Pro  

• Kevin Estre tops LMGTE Pro in No. 92 Porsche to take fifth pole of season 
• Frenchman laps in 1m56.041s but faces close fight with No. 51 AF Corse Ferrari second 
• James Calado gets within 0.160s of Estre’s time in thrilling session 
• No.51 AF Corse Ferrari 488 GTE Evo heads No.91 Porsche GT Team 911 RSR driven by Gimmi Bruni 
• Bruni sets a late lap of 1m56.541s after losing lap for track limits and starts third ahead of No.52 AF Corse driven by Daniel Serra 

Kevin Estre tops LMGTE Pro in No.92 Porsche to take fourth pole of the season. Frenchman laps in 1m56.041s but faces close fight with No.51 AF Corse Ferrari second.#WEC #8HBahrain @kevinestre @PorscheRaces pic.twitter.com/NnJacBgAXF

— WEC (@FIAWEC) November 5, 2021

LMP2  

• Filipe Albuquerque takes last ditch pole United Autosports USA entry with sensational 1m49.525s lap 
• Second pole of the season for United as they have 0.2s advantage  
• Realteam Racing close to LMP2 pole but pipped by Albuquerque. But blue LMP2 car also has best Pro/Am entry with Norman Nato peaking on a 1m49.819s 
• JOTA head start third as No.38 car driven by Antonio Felix da Costa sets best of 1m49.910s 
• Team WRT start lowly seventh in class but ahead of title rivals No.28 only ninth after troubled session  

As always, @Albuquick knows how to celebrate in style and that's the second LMP2 pole for the @UnitedAutosport No.22 this season with a sensational 1m49.525s lap.#WEC #8HBahrain pic.twitter.com/STL9gd7hfN

— WEC (@FIAWEC) November 5, 2021

LMGTE Am  

• Cetilar Racing continue excellent form as Roberto Lacorte sets pole time in No.47 Ferrari 488 GTE Evo
• Italian takes first pole position of season with a 1m58.712s lap just 0.047s ahead of title leading No.83 AF Corse Ferrari 
• Francois Perrodo places second as he and Niklas Nielsen and Alessio Rovera look to defend title 
• Stunning third in LMGTE Am is Sarah Bovy in No.85 Iron Lynx Ferrari for best qualifying effort of season 

Cetilar Racing continue excellent form as Roberto Lacorte sets pole time in No.47 Ferrari 488 GTE Pro. Italian takes first pole position of season with a 1m58.712s lap just 0.047s ahead of title leading No.83 AF Corse Ferrari.#WEC #8HBahrain @CetilarRacing @FerrariRaces pic.twitter.com/OBc7L0wTCz

— WEC (@FIAWEC) November 5, 2021

Tomorrow’s Bapco 8 Hours of Bahrain will start at 14h00 local time.