Michelin ORECAS on form
ORECA predictably led the way in LMP2, but there was something unusual in the secondary prototype class at the test day. The tyres underneath the two 07s at the head of the times were Michelins rather than the Dunlops that have dominated the division for so long.
Dragonspeed ended up fastest with Nathanael Berthon, four tenths up on the IDEC Sport ORECA-GIBSON 07 in which Paul-loup Chatin set the best time.
The best Dunlop-shod entry, also an ORECA-GIBSON 07, was the lead G-drive entry run in conjunction with TDS Racing. Jean-eric Vergne ended up almost exactly four tenths up on the next best Dunlop runner, Matthieu Vaxiviere in the 07 that TDS runs under its own flag.
Michelin has admitted that it is making a bit of push in the category this year, and its latest P2 tyres have shown form in both the WEC and the European Le Mans Series. The events of the Le Mans test day reinforced the suspicion that the French products have an advantage over one lap.
Ligier and Dallara, ORECA’S only rivals in P2, ended up sixth and eighth. Both constructors have been allowed to make revisions to their aerodynamics for this year, but neither is convinced that it has been allowed to do enough to fully close the gap to the dominant marque in class.
Top time from a Ligier was from United Autosports’ Filipe Albuquerque, 2.1s off Berthon. The best by a Dallara driver was by Le Mans debutant Felipe Nasr in Villorba Corse’s entry, 2.7s off the pace.