Qualifying
Running a high downforce configuration paid dividends for Toyota, locking out the front row for the 6 Hours of Silverstone.
Toyota were looking to split their strategy with one car on track and one in the pits, effectively forcing Porsche into revealing their playing cards.
Nakajima set out after Brenden Hartley however it was the sister car of Kamui Kobayashi that was already three tenths up at the first split. His eventual time of 1:36.793 was surely enough to destroy the morale of the opposition.
"the car felt good, we had a nice sweet-spot with the balance, I'm really happy for the team" said Kobayashi shortly after qualifying.
“I am really pleased with my lap; it’s difficult to see how we could have gone quicker. The car was brilliant today and everyone in the team did a great job. Thanks to the team for their hard work over the winter to prepare a very quick car;
I just did the final part of the job with my lap today. To have pole position for the start of the season is fantastic; it’s the best position to start the race.”
Davidson would line up alongside Kobayashi, albeit five tenths in arrears ahead of the number 1 and 2 Porsches of Nick Tandy and Timo Bernhard. The number 8 entry had a care after Mike Conway’s intitial time was deleted for exceeding track limits, but the Briton soon made amends for the error, giving Toyota a front row lock-out.
Porsche factory driver Brendon Hartley said "we remain optimistic for the race. It was a big gap to the Toyota but our number two crew decided to put full emphasis on the race set up and performance. Our race run this morning and yesterday was very promising, So let's see tomorrow, and what the 6 hours will bring" thus meaning Porsche are keeping there cards close to there chest for the race.
Alex Lynn lead the way early for G-Drive in LMP2 with a 1:43.412 ahead of Francois Perrodo in the number 28 TDS entry, however it was to be the Signatech Alpine of Nicolas Lapierre that split the G-Drive entry DC Racing entry of Thomas Laurent in third.
Track limits were high on the agenda for race control with many drivers losing their times after falling foul of the limits. Nicki Thiim was first to lay down a banker for Aston Martin Racing but was soon usurped by Andy Prialux for Ford who in turn was closely followed by Davide Rigon in the number 71 Ferrari.
Harry Tincknell backed up for Ford in first position ahead of the Ferrari of Sam Bird and Marco Sorenson in the number 95 Aston Martin.
Paul Dalla Lana took GTE Am pole for Aston Martin ahead of the number 54 Ferrari of Thomas Flohr and the number 77 Porsche of Christian Ried.
Images: Richard Washbrooke Photography