The session began with Jake Hughes making the early running in the no25 Algarve Pro Racing, with De Gerus and Paul Loup Chatin in the no28 IDEC Sport taking turns at the top of the timing screens. However, by the halfway point of the session the no34 Inter Europol Competition Oreca Gibson was holding to top spot with a 1m28.592.
As the chequered flag was shown, reigning LMP2 champion Esteban Masson leapt into provisional pole position in the no29 Forestier Racing by Panis Oreca, the French driver posting a 1m28.557 to move ahead by just 0.035s. But De Gerus was on a charge, and he took the chequered flag in 1m28.368, 0.189s ahead of Masson.
Tom Dillmann also set his best lap in the last minute of the session to put the no43 Inter Europol Competition Oreca on row 2 alongside the no18 IDEC Sport Oreca of Laurents Horr. The no25 Algarve Pro Racing Oreca finished 5th and will start on the third row alongside the no22 United Autosports Oreca.
LMP2 Pro/Am: First Pole of 2026 for Qualifying Specialist Giorgio Roda
Giorgio Roda added another pole position to his impressive ELMS tally, securing his first point for his new team Duqueine Team with a 1m30.332, nearly a second ahead of the rest of the field.
The Italian will be joined by 2025 LMP2 Pro/Am champion PJ Hyett who put the no99 AO by TF Oreca on the front row of the class grid with a late surge, with a best lap of 1m31.272 just before the chequered flag.
The no19 Rossa Racing by Virage will be on row two after John Falb posted a 1m31.423, just a tenth behind his fellow American PJ Hyett. The second row will be completed by the no7 Vector Sport Oreca of Jens Reno Moller, the Dane making an early bid for the top spot but eventually finishing fourth fastest with a 1m31.598.
LMP3: R-ace GP Take Another Pole in Barcelona
The no85 R-ace GP Duqueine-Toyota of reigning MLMC LMP3 champion Hugo Schwarze finished the 15-minute qualifying session at the top of the time sheets to give R-ace GP a second pole after the French team secured a 1-2 in the MLMC qualifying earlier.
The German’s time of 1m36.524 was 0.507s ahead of the rest of the field, with Henry Cubides Olarte putting the no13 Inter Europol Competition Ligier on the front row. Row 2 will be headed by the no8 Team Virage Ligier after Spanish driver Daniel Nogales posted a 1m37.451. The second slot on Row 2 will be filled by the no31 Racing Spirit of Leman after Lenny Ried finished with a best lap of 1m37.636.
LMGT3: Al-Khelaifi Scores First ELMS Pole for a Qatari Driver
Abdulla Ali Al-Khelaifi put the no62 Team Qatar by Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG LMGT3 on pole position, the Qatari driver saving his best lap until the chequered to secure the top spot on the grid by just 0.063s with a 1m42.289. This lap pushed the no33 TF Sport Corvette of Blake McDonald down to second after the American had held the top spot for most of the 15-minute session.
Matt Kurzejewski put the no75 Proton Competition Porsche at the head of Row 2, the 2024 MLMC GT3 champion lapping in 1m42.774, 1.7 seconds ahead of Clement Mateu in the no59 Racing Spirit of Leman Aston Martin Vantage. The no74 Kessel Racing Ferrari of Andrew Gilbert took the fifth spot on the grid to make it five different manufacturers in the top 5 in qualifying.
The no51 AF Corse Ferrari didn’t take part in qualifying after the car suffered significant damage after hitting the wall in FP2 earlier today.
The 4 Hours of Barcelona is due to get underway at 12h00 on Sunday 12 April.
CLICK HERE for the result from Qualifying.
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