Earl Bamber to start from two on 24 Hours of Le Mans grid
Photo:
AFP
New Zealander Earl Bamber will start from two on the grid for the 24 Hours of Le Mans race, with Cadillac locking out the front row in qualifying.
Britain's Alex Lynn secured pole position, setting a best time of three minutes 23.166 seconds in the number 12 Team Jota Cadillac at the Sarthe circuit Bamber putting the sister 38 car alongside and 0.167 slower.
Bamber has won the race twice, in 2015 and 2017 with Porsche.
Fellow Kiwi Brendon Hartley, who has won the event three times, will start from 10 on the grid after team-mate Sebastien Buemi locked up the Toyota Gazoo car and drove into the gravel and was not able to finish the qualifier
Lynn shares his car with compatriot Will Stevens and Frenchman Norman Nato while Bamber's teammates are 2009 Formula One world champion Jenson Button and French four-times Champ Car champion Sebastien Bourdais.
"I can't tell you how much I wanted this," said Lynn, who missed out on pole last year by a mere 0.138, over the team radio. "One tenth last year hurt a lot.
"I'm truly honoured to be able to put in a performance like that in front of everyone and deliver for Cadillac in the way they deserve," he added after getting out of the car.
"This is a magical circuit and this is a special feeling. I can't describe it. We will enjoy this tonight, have a good sleep and re-set."
GM-owned Cadillac are the first American marque to take outright pole at Le Mans since Ford in 1967.
The number five Porsche Penske was third fastest, after threatening to take pole, with France's Julien Andlauer, Denmark's Michael Christensen and France's Mathieu Jaminet.
The number 15 BMW qualified in fourth place with Belgian Dries Vanthoor, Swiss-Italian Raffaele Marciello and Danish former F1 driver Kevin Magnussen.
Defending champions Ferrari, outright winners for the past two years, had Italian Antonio Fuoco, Denmark's Nicklas Nielsen and Spaniard Miguel Molina in seventh place in last year's winning car number 50.
The 93rd edition of the race starts on Sunday at 2am NZT.
- Reuters/RNZ Sport
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
an hour ago
- RNZ News
The razzmatazz of a bullseye sport
English dart player Luke Littler is credited with a resurgence in the sport's popularity. Photo: Supplied When Australian darts champion Damon Heta aka The Heat does his 'walk-on' to the oche (the line on the floor that players stand behind) for Friday's Darts Masters title in Auckland, he'll be rarking up the fans to a different tune. The Perth-based world number 10 will be tapping into his Kiwi roots when he walks on to The Exponents' smash hit Why Does Love Do This To Me . The walk-on theme music is a vital part of the razzmatazz of the World Series of Darts tour and Heta, with his trademark handlebar moustache, is famous for his whacky dancing and headdress of flames. He loves the crowds and the crowds love him. Usually, on the world tour, Heta gets the fans chanting to Bruce Springsteen's Dancing in the Dark , but this weekend he hopes he can win over the famously boisterous crowd with a tried and true Kiwi crowd pleaser. Damon Heta, The Heat (R) and Ben Robb aka Big Rig. Photo: Sharon Brettkelly "It's the rugby one, isn't it, that everyone sings to," says Heta, who is proud of his local connections. "It's crazy. Today I'm going to meet some family that I've never met before." Heta hopes the Auckland fans will be on his side as he vies for the championship against the world's best, including teen sensation Luke Littler . He's beaten "the young punk" once and reckons he can put him back in his place again. "It's like he doesn't have a care in the world, like most teenagers, you know what I mean," he jokes. "No, fair play to him, he's brought the sport along in leaps and bounds ... so yeah, it's getting good knowledge and expanding the game." Darts legends, commentator John McDonald, and referee Russ Bray tell The Detail how they've watched it go from a boozy pub game to a global event . "I go to Mongolia and do darts in Mongolia," says Bray. "The change is massive." "It's grown beyond anyone's comprehension now," says McDonald. "It's a major sport, second to only the Premier League Football in the United Kingdom, with television ratings that most sports would be envious of. "So it's grown into this enormous global brand and a very, very exciting night out." Heta says when he played his first darts match in a pub at the age of 15, he had no idea that he could make big money from it . "It wasn't until the big boys came over and then finding out that I could compete and from then on I just went on and on and did all the protocols that you need to do to become professional and sure enough I'm back here and I'm one of the big dogs," he says. New Zealand amateur favourite Ben Robb, aka Big Rig, says the game has developed in the years since he first played in a pub. Top level darts now attracts all ages and women, and the money is so "grand" there is a professional mindset. Robb reckons mental strength makes the difference at competitions. "Once everyone learns how to throw a dart it's about being composed, handling big moments, owning the stage and being the big guy. " Check out how to listen to and follow The Detail here . You can also stay up-to-date by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter .
RNZ News
an hour ago
- RNZ News
NRL: NZ Warriors v St George-Illawarra Dragons - what you need to know
Wayde Egan and Damien Cook will go head to head in Warriors v Dragons. Photo: Photosport/RNZ NZ Warriors v St George-Illawarra Dragons 8pm Friday, 15 August Go Media Stadium, Auckland Live blog updates on RNZ Sport Somewhat surprisingly, the Warriors have just a 34.2 percent (13/38) winning record against the Dragons and just 6-6 at Mt Smart. Only Melbourne Storm (30.1 percent) and Manlly Sea Eagles (32.6 percent) have proved more difficult to knock off. They have won three of the last five, but lost three straight before that during Covid-19. The Dragons' biggest win was 54-0 at Wollongong in 2000, when winger Nathan Blacklock had three tries and centre Mark Gasnier two. Warriors winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak had four tries, as his team steamrolled the Dragons 48-18 at Wollongong in 2023 for their biggest win. They needed a late field goal from Luke Metcalf and some dogged defence to secure their 15-14 in the last encounter at Wollongong in May. The Warriors are reeling from three straight losses and five in their last seven outings. Faced with what seemed like a gentle run into the playoffs, they were unable to handle bottom-of-the-table Gold Coast Titans, lost on the last play against the Dolphins and had no answer to Canterbury Bulldogs last week. Their depth has been eroded by injury, which has robbed them of co-captain Mitch Barnett and star halfback Metcalf (both knees) for the season, plagued their midfield to the point that fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad is filling in there, and will see them without utility Te Maire Martin and second-rower Kurt Capewell this week. They have slipped out of the top four, sitting fifth, but just two points ahead of Brisbane Broncos and Cronulla Sharks, and four points ahead of the eight-placed Dolphins and ninth-placed Sydney Roosters. The Dragons seemed to be drifting to post-season oblivion, but have come right in recent weeks, toppling league leaders Canberra Raiders and then accounting for playoff-bound Sharks. "They've been in just about every contest," Warriors coach Andrew Webster observed. "They've been the giantkillers of the competition - they're probably the best team that aren't in the eight at knocking off top-four teams." They are still only a long shot to make the top eight, but they are quite capable of playing spoilers to out-of-form opponents. Warriors: 1. Taine Tuaupiki, 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 3. Adam Pompey, 4. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 5. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 6. Chanel Harris-Tavita, 7. Tanah Boyd, 8. James Fisher-Harris, 9. Wayde Egan, 10. Jackson Ford, 11. Leka Halasima, 12. Marata Niukore, 13. Erin Clark Interchange: 14. Sam Healey, 15. Eddie Ieremia-Toeava, 16. Demetric Vaimauga, 17. Tanner Stowers-Smith Reserves: 18. Freddy Lussick, 20. Ed Kosi, 21. Tom Ale, 22. Kayliss Fatialofa, 25. Bunty Afoa With Te Maire Martin under concussion protocols, Webster has turned back to halfback Tanah Boyd , who was a late drop against the Bulldogs. Second-rower Kurt Capewell is also sideline with a head knock, so teen sensation Leka Halasima is promoted from the bench, with rookie Eddie Ieremia-Toeava in line for his second game of first-grade footy. Hooker Wayde Egan returns from a shoulder niggle, but Webster has retained back-up Sam Healey on a bench that has no obvious back cover. Dragons: 1. Clint Gutherson, 2. Tyrell Sloan, 3. Hayden Buchanan, 4. Mat Feagai, 5. Corey Allan, 6. Lyhkan King-Tongia, 7. Kyle Flanagan, 8. Emre Guler, 9. Damien Cook, 10. David Klemmer, 11. Luciano Leilua, 12. Hamish Stewart, 13. Jack de Belin Interchange: 14. Jacob Liddle, 15. Michael Molo, 16. Hame Sele, 17. Loko Pasifiki Tonga Reserves: 18. Ben Murdoch-Masila, 19. Lachlan Ilias, 20. Jacob Halangahu, 21. Nathan Lawson, 22. Christian Tuipulotu Dragons coach Shane Flanagan has Hastings-born centre Mat Feagai back from injury, just in time to replace Moses Suli in the midfield. Michael Molo also returns to the interchange, along with Auckland-born youngster Loko Pasifiki Tonga. Being the coach's son is never easy and halfback Kyle Flanagan is certainly finding that out. Many pundits have circled him as an Achilles heel in the Dragons line-up, but dad keeps putting him out there and that's paid recent dividends. He may be the last player named to this squad, but the Dragons love Auckland-born, Tonga winger Christian Tuipulotu - they just can't seem to keep him on the field. He's scored 29 tries in 51 NRL appearances, but seven in just six this season, plagued by recurring hamstring strains. He played reserve grade last week and seems on the verge of another attempted comeback. Who knows what to expect from the Warriors at this point? They need to find some form quickly, but the Dragons are on a run. A win would sure be handy right now, but would you put money on it? Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
9 hours ago
- RNZ News
Serious crash closes State Highway Two into Welllington
Police were callled to the scene about 8.30pm Thursday. Photo: RNZ/ Marika Khabazi Motorists heading to Wellington from Lower Hutt face a lengthy detour, after a two-vehicle crash. Police say there are serious injuries, after the accident in the southbound lanes of State Highway Two, just north of the Ngauranga interchange. The highway southbound is closed from the Dowse Drive interchange and Petone. Northbound lanes are open. Motorists will have to take State Highway 58, the Haywards Hill and State Highway One, until the road is re-opened. More to come Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
