BRASELTON, Ga. — In an eventful qualifying session marked by unpredictable weather, Louis Deletraz triumphed with a lap speed of 121.270 mph, earning the pole position for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s Motul Petit Le Mans, held on October 14. This accomplishment not only signifies Deletraz's first pole in the IMSA series but also marks the second pole of 2023 for Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport.
"It feels amazing to get my first pole in IMSA and to do it here at Petit Le Mans is special," said Deletraz. His achievement comes at a crucial time, as it propels his teammates, Filipe Albuquerque and Ricky Taylor, into the GTP points lead, boasting a nine-point advantage over their rivals, Action Express Racing’s Pipo Derani and Alexander Sims.
The qualifying session was far from straightforward. Competitors had to navigate ever-changing track conditions, starting on slick tires as sporadic rain altered the landscape of the raceway. "It was definitely tricky with the weather changing so much during the session," Deletraz observed. Despite early concerns that the rain would compromise times, a dry line eventually re-emerged, allowing teams to capitalize on fresher tires as the session progressed.
Deletraz edged out Chip Ganassi Racing’s Sebastien Bourdais by 0.230 seconds. "It’s always competitive with these GTP teams, but our strategy worked out in the end," Bourdais remarked on the high-stakes environment. Finishing in third was Augusto Farfus from BMW M Team RLL, followed closely by Tom Blomqvist of Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian, and Nick Tandy from Porsche Penske Motorsport securing fifth.
While the GTP teams grappled with dynamic conditions, the LMP2 qualifying session showcased its own duel featuring back-and-forth exchanges between TDS Racing’s Steven Thomas and PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports’ Ben Keating. "Every lap, we were pushing each other, which really made it exciting," Keating stated after finally clinching the pole position with a time of 123.803 mph. This was a narrow victory, with Keating finishing just two hundredths of a second ahead of Thomas. John Falb from TDS Racing came in third place, followed by Crowdstrike Racing by APR’s George Kurtz, and Francoise Perrodot of AF Corse in fifth.
In the LMP3 category, the competition remained fierce, as Andretti Autosport’s Glenn van Berlo outperformed JDC-Miller MotorSports’ Rasmus Lindh. Van Berlo recorded a quick lap of 119.258 mph, securing the pole by a mere 0.129 seconds. "I knew I had to put everything on the line for this lap, and thankfully, it paid off," van Berlo reflected on his performance.
The GT classes faced their own challenges as teams contended with a predominantly wet track, choosing between wet and dry tires. The teams adapted to the conditions with mixed results, yielding an atmosphere filled with anticipation and apprehension.
With the race on the horizon, the outlook remains competitive across all classes. Not only is the battle for pole a harbinger of the strategy that teams will implement during the race, but it also is a critical barometer of the rivalries that have been forming throughout the season. "Every race is a chance to prove ourselves, and we’re ready to give it our all," Deletraz emphasized as the curtain rises on what promises to be an exhilarating Petit Le Mans.