Roda's Dominance in Abu Dhabi: A Double Pole Sweep
The Asian Le Mans Series finale at Yas Marina Circuit witnessed Giorgio Roda's exceptional performance, securing double pole positions for both races. With a commanding lead, Roda, aboard the No. 5 United Autosports Oreca 07 Gibson, claimed his fourth and fifth poles in the six-round series, despite a brief interruption caused by a spin from joint-championship leader Roberto Lacorte.
Roda, aiming for his first win of the season, showcased his prowess, setting a best time of 1:42.179 and outpacing his rivals. The nearest competitor, Jens Reno Moller, trailed by 0.484 seconds in the No. 49 High Class Racing Oreca. In the No. 4 Crowdstrike Racing by APR machine, George Kurtz, Lacorte's title rival, secured fourth place, benefiting from Lacorte's spin in the No. 47 Cetilar Oreca.
In the LMP3 class, Paul Lanchere dominated, securing pole positions for CLX Motorsport’s No. 17 Ligier JS P325 Toyota. Romain Vozniak and Alex Bukhantsov closely followed, with Bukhantsov's second-best time securing him second place on the grid for Race 2. Terrence Woodward, in fourth, also managed a faster second-best time, putting him third for Sunday's race.
GetSpeed's GT Class Dominance
GetSpeed continued its strong qualifying performance in the Middle Eastern leg of the European Le Mans Series, locking out the front row for both GT class races with its Mercedes AMG GT3 Evos. Steve Jans secured pole position for the No. 9 entry, outpacing teammate Abdullah Ali Al-Khelifa's QMMF by GetSpeed No. 37. Jans will also start on pole in tomorrow's second contest, with Ali Al-Khelifa alongside him.
Ecurie Ecosse Blackthorn's Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3, driven by Giacomo Petrobelli, will start third for both races, followed by Kessel Racing's Ferrari 296 GT3 and WRT BMW M4 GT3s. The first 4-hour race begins at 3 p.m. local time, with results available on the official website.