All the quick times in LMP1 were set at the start of the session, when there's the least traffic around. Porsche were fast down the straights with their 8MJ of hybrid power and Neel Jani set a new lap record for any configuration of circuit at Le Mans, beating Jackie Oliver's 1971 time of 3:18 on a circuit without the Mulsanne chicanes, the Porsche Curves, Ford Chicane or Dunlop Chicane.
Audi couldn't match Porsche on one-lap pace, but Benoit Treluyer lapped consistently in the 3:22-3:23 range on a longer run towards the end of the session, only slightly behind the Porsche pace at that point. Treluyer twice went off at the first Mulsanne Chicane, however, and team-mate Rene Rast spun avoiding another car at Mulsanne Corner, precipitating a 25-minute red flag delay in the middle of the session.
Interestingly Toyota are, so far, slower in qualifying than they were last year: an inquest looks likely. Neither economy or reliability look likely to make up the deficit in the race.
The new Nissan lapped broadly on pace with the LMP2 cars, and spent longer in the garage; the car is almost a match for the Porsches down the straights, proving the low-drag concept with only 2MJ of energy recovery on board; but is losing a lot of time in the curves. 2015 will be a learning year in preparation for the originally planned, "full fat" concept making it's debut in 2016.
Aston Martin dominated in GT, but as ever there wasn't a huge amount to choose in the times. Ferrari look to be the closest on pace, Corvette are thereabouts and, in one class at least, Porsche have some work to do.
