full le mans pre-qualifying results

["Dave Eaton" <Dave.Eaton@clear.net.nz>]

the following are the full le mans pre-qualifying results.  pre-qualifying
is to keep the numbers for qualifying for the race itself within limits.
the winners of each class from last year do not require pre-qualification.

notable was the speed of both toyotas which puts them in firm favouritism
for the race, given that this is their 3rd year of heavy effort, and that
they were unlucky to lose out 80 minutes from the end last year.  the panoz
is definitely the surprise package with the spyder being very quick right
"out of the box".  there will be more speed to come without doubt, but the
toyotas were not trying either.  there is clear daylight back to the rest of
the field.

disappointments were the mercedes runners.  they were expected to be
quicker, but have clearly been trying for reliability, something which was
clearly more necessary than speed last year.  the lola's also look to be in
with a chance.

as for the audi's, the r8r's look to be in with a chance and no-one doubts
their reliability.   the r8c's look fragile, but are quick.

from this point, the teams have 6 weeks to sort their cars out before
qualifying for the race proper.  as the whole point of the exercise is
simply to get past the gate, and to get some valuable set-up experience,
there is little to be gained by using it is a form guide.  even qualifying
itself is notoriously unreliable as a form guide.

with the quality of the field, there is little doubt that the pace will be
extreme, and the tops teams will no doubt be aware of this.  it's looking to
be a very very interesting race, and the highlight of the motorsport year.

dave
'95 rs2
'90 ur-q
-------------------------------

Session 1	saturday
1)  toyota gt-one 3:32.4
2)  panoz lmp spyder 3:34.5
3)  audi r8r	3:37.5
4)  lola b98/10
5)  nissan r391
6)  mercedes clr
7)  mercedes clr
8)  ferrari 333sp
9)  courage-nissan c52
10) bmw lm98
11) audi r8c
12) bmw lmr
13) lola b98/10
14) r&s ford mk3
15) courage porsche c50

session 2	sunday
1)  toyota gt-one	3:31.8
2)  panoz lmp spyder	3:31.9
3)  bmw lm98	3:32.8
4)  toyota gt-one	3:33.1
5)  mercedes clr	3:33.8
6)  bmw lmr	3:34.4
7)  audi r8r	3:36.3
8)  nissan r391
9)  ferrari 333sp
10) bmw lm98
11) lola b98/10
12) nissan c52
13) audi r8c
14) r&s ford mk3
15) r&s ford mk3