Asian Le Mans Series Qualifying: United Autosports Secures Double Pole at Yas Marina
Abu Dhabi, UAE – United Autosports continues to demonstrate its dominance in the LMP2 category, with the #5 ORECA driven by Giorgio Roda clinching pole position for both races at the Yas Marina Circuit. Roda’s notably fast lap time of 1:42.179 not only secured pole for Saturday’s event but also for Sunday’s race with a time of 1:42.261, marking five poles in six races this season.
Richard Dean, co-owner of United Autosports, highlighted the team’s focus, stating, “We need to convert it; the main core of work is still there to do… I’d definitely swap the poles for a win, but we’re in good shape.”
In the LMP2 class, High Class Racing’s Jens Reno Moller took second place with a time of 1:42.663 for Saturday, and 1:42.837 for Sunday. Algarve Pro Racing’s John Falb qualified third for Race 1 at 1:42.792 and will start alongside Roda on the front row for Race 2 after a 1:42.807 effort. Championship contender George Kurtz in the CrowdStrike by APR car will begin fourth and fifth in the respective races.
A red flag halted the qualifying session when Roberto Lacorte from Cetilar Racing experienced an off-track incident, forcing the team to start at the rear of the grid in both races—a potentially crucial setback in the championship battle.
In the LMP3 category, CLX Motorsport’s Romain Vozniak secured a double pole with consistent times of 1:51.440 and 1:51.450. The competition remained tight, with Vozniak finishing just a tenth ahead of his closest rival. Inter Europol’s Alex Bukhantsov qualified third for Race 1 with a lap of 1:51.606 and secured second for Race 2.
In GT qualifying, the GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG GT3s added another strong performance, with Steve Jans taking pole in both races with times of 1:53.307 for Race 1 and 1:53.399 for Race 2. His teammate, Fabian Schiller, expressed confidence in their strong qualifying performance.
The Ecurie Ecosse Blackthorn Aston Martin Vantage and the leading Kessel Ferrari 296 GT3 also showed competitive pace, securing third and fourth positions for both races.
The penultimate race of the Asian Le Mans Series season is set to commence at 15:00 local time on Saturday.
