After a first official free practice session dominated by the Ducati #6 ERC Endurance – Ducati, who set a new record in 1'35.460, the Bugatti circuit of Le Mans hosted this afternoon the first qualifying session for the 24 Hours Motorcycles 2022.
For 1 hour 50 minutes, the leading teams were able to compete under a bright sun generating almost summer temperatures, and in the end, it was Niccolò Canepa (Yamaha #7) who set the best time in 1'35'.500.
Let's go for 1 hour 50 minutes of qualifying! 😍#24hMotorcycles @FIM_EWC pic.twitter.com/8J9sg85S3p
— 24 Heures Motos (@24heuremotos) April 14, 2022
But at the 24 Heures Motos, the starting grid is determined by the average of the best times of the three drivers on each machine, and the qualifying round is therefore divided into four 20-minute parts where the first drivers (blue armbands) compete before the 2nd, 3rd and 4th pilots (yellow, red and green armbands respectively).
In this little game, it's Honda #5 FCC TSR Honda France led by Josh Hook, Gino Rea et Mike Di Meglio which proved to be both the fastest and the most homogeneous, at least provisionally providing the Franco-Japanese team based in Marne la Vallée with provisional pole position.
Note the violent falls of the Yamaha Viltaïs Racing Igol (#333) driven by Steven Odendaal (Yamaha #333). If the South African driver got up under his own power, his machine was pulverized in the impact, the frame broken in two, after going over the protective barriers.
The first night tests will take place from 20:30 p.m. to 22 p.m. and will conclude this first official day.
Rankings to come as soon as available…
