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Paul Ricard ELMS: JOTA claims third consecutive pole

Current points leader JOTA Sport claimed a third consecutive ELMS pole position at Paul Ricard on Sunday.

LMP2 polesitter Harry Tincknell, Jota Sport celebrates

LMP2 polesitter Harry Tincknell, Jota Sport celebrates

ELMS

Harry Tincknell, driving the JOTA-run Gibson 015S Nissan was again the class of the field, setting a best lap of 1:46.917.

The extra point for pole ensures that he and teammates Filip Albuquerque and Simon Dolan now head the points table by three points with 51 to play for.

Tincknell's time outpaced Nicolas Minassian's best in the AF Racing BR01-Nissan, which showed much improved pace after the team formerly known as SMP Racing switched from Michelin to Dunlop rubber.

The second of the Paolo Catone-penned BR01 LMP2 cars, in the hands of former IndyCar racer Mikhail Aleshin lines up third. 

The Russian was on schedule to beat Tincknell's time after the first two sectors of the lap, but a poor third ensured that the tilt of pole was off.

JOTA's title rivals – Thiriet by TDS start fourth after a disappointing session. The team elected on a higher downforce set-up and lost out on straight-line speed, ensuring that Tristan Gommendy could not exploit what many believe to be the fastest package here at Paul Ricard.

The new LMP3 class saw British youngster Charlie Robertson secure pole after his Team LNT rival Michael Simpson suffered a suspected damper problem and was stranded on the circuit. Robertson, who shares the Ginetta-Nissan LMP3 coupe with Olympic cycling hero Sir Chris Hoy, claimed his third pole of the season.

The GT classes saw Ferrari and BMW rule, with Alessandro Pier Guidi topping the LMGTE class in his AT Racing Ferrari 458 Italia and former Toyota F1 tester Franck Perera heading the GTC class.

The penultimate round of the ELMS is scheduled to start at 13.00 local time.

 

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