Brace for a tough fight between Porsche and Audi at the 24 Hours Le Mans this weekend.
Porsche, the most successful manufacturer at Le Mans with 16 titles, will have its trio of 919 Hybrids on the top three positions of the grid on Saturday after Neel Jani, Romain Dumas, and Marc Lieb posted the fastest times in the final qualifying session. Audi, which has dominated the world’s most famous endurance over the past 15 years, sealed the next three spots.
Don’t miss: Ford returns to Le Mans in 2016 with GT race car
“To be in pole position in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with a mythical brand such as Porsche, is exceptional,” Jani said.
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
The #34 Ligier JS P2 HPD of Christopher Cumming, Laurens Vanthoor, and Kevin Estre is shown in action during practice for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
#63 - Corvette Racing-GM's Chevrolet Corvette C7.R.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![#77 - Dempsey-Proton Racing's Porsche 911 RSR.]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
#77 - Dempsey-Proton Racing's Porsche 911 RSR.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
Swiss' Sebastien Buemi drives his Toyota TS 040 - Hybrid #1 during the test day of the 83rd Le Mans 24 hours endurance race.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
#28 - Ligier JS P2-Nissan.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
Neel Jani of Switzerland drives his Porsche 919 - Hybrid #18 to clock the best lap time of 3'21. 945, during the test day of the 83th Le Mans 24 hours endurance race.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
#96 - Aston Martin Racing's Aston Martin Vantage GTE.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
#8 - Audi Sport Team Joest's Audi R18 e-tron quattro.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
The #12 Rebillion R-One AER of Nicholas Prost, Nick Heidfeld, and Mathias Beche is shown in action during practice for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
Audi R18-E-Tron Quattro Hybrid #9 clocking the fifth best laps time during the first qualifying practice session of the 83rd Le Mans 24 hours endurance race.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
Neel Jani of Switzerland drives his Porsche 919 - Hybrid N°18 to clock the best lap time of 3'21. 945, during the test day of the 83th Le Mans 24 hours endurance race.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
#64 - Corvette Racing-GM's Chevrolet Corvette C7.R.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
#13 - the Rebellion R-One-AER.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
#31 - Extreme Speed Motorsports' Ligier JS P2-Honda.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
#88 - Abu Dhabi-Proton Racing's Porsche 911 RSR.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
#97 - Aston Martin Racing's Aston Martin Vantage GTE.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
England's Mike Conway drives his Toyota TS 040 - Hybrid #2 during the test day of the 83rd Le Mans 24 hours endurance race.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
#96 - Aston Martin Racing's Aston Martin Vantage GTE.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
The #7 Audi R18 E-Tron Quattro of Marcel Fassler, Andre Lotterer, Benoit Treluyer is shown in action during practice for the 24 Hours of Le Mans in Le Mans, France.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
Germany's Timo Bernhard drives his Porsche 919 - Hybrid #17, during the test day of the 83th Le Mans 24 hours endurance race. Fifty-six cars with 168 drivers will participate on June 13 and 14 in the Le Mans 24-hours endurance race.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
Germany's Timo Bernhard drives his Porsche 919 - Hybrid #17, during the test day of the 83th Le Mans 24 hours endurance race. Fifty-six cars with 168 drivers will participate on June 13 and 14 in the Le Mans 24-hours endurance race.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
Neel Jani of Switzerland drives his Porsche 919 - Hybrid #18 to clock the best lap time of 3'21. 945, during the test day of the 83th Le Mans 24 hours endurance race.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
The #22 Nissan GT-R LM Nismo of Harry Tincknell, Michael Krumm, and Alex Buncombe is shown in action in the rain during practice for the 24 Hours of Le Mans in Le Mans, France.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
The #40 Ligier JS P2 Judd of Tracy Krohn , Nic Jonnson, and Joao Barbosa is shown in action during night qualifying for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
#50 - the Chevrolet Corvette C7.R.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
#13 - the Rebellion R-One-AER.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
#95 - the Aston Martin Vantage GTE.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
Neel Jani of Switzerland drives his Porsche 919 - Hybrid #18 to clock the best lap time of 3'21.945, during the test day of the 83th Le Mans 24 hours endurance race.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
#96 - the Aston Martin Vantage GTE.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
#63 - the Chevrolet Corvette C7.R.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
#77 - Dempsey-Proton Racing's Porsche 911 RSR.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
Porsche 919 - Hybrid #17, during the test day of the 83th Le Mans 24 hours endurance race. Fifty-six cars with 168 drivers will participate on June 13 and 14 in the Le Mans 24-hours endurance race.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![The Porsche 919 Hybrid driven by Neel Jani,
Romain Dumas, and Marc Lieb, posted the fastest time in qualifying at this year's Le Mans.]( "919")
The Porsche 919 Hybrid driven by Neel Jani,
Romain Dumas, and Marc Lieb, posted the fastest time in qualifying at this year's Le Mans.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
With a fastest lap of 3:16:887 at the 13.6-kilometre circuit, Jani set a new record for an LMP1 car in qualifying, and became the first Swiss driver since Jo Siffert in 1968 to secure pole position at the western France track.
“Now we are aware that the hardest is yet to come,” Jani said.
Gallery: Scenes from qualifying at the 24 Hours of Le Mans
In its return to Le Mans after a 16-year absence in the top category, Porsche missed out on victory last year after its leading car was stuck in the pits because of a mechanical problem as Marcel Fassler, Andre Lotterer, and Benoit Treluye drove Audi to its fifth straight title.
This year is different, with the three Porsches having improved their reliability, and said to hold a speed advantage on the long straight lines of the circuit.
“People have great expectations of us, we have a sensational record here in the past,” said former Formula One driver Mark Webber, whose Porsche No. 17 will start from the second spot. “Porsche is synonymous with success here. It’s a great burden for us to carry, we’re proud of that, but it’s not something that will guarantee us results on Sunday.”
24 Hours of Mayhem: Four cars to watch out for at Le Mans
Behind the two German manufacturers, Toyota is betting on reliability rather than speed to defy the odds, with its two hybrid cars starting from seventh and eighth.
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
#91 - the Porsche 911 RSR.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
#71 - the Ferrari 458 Italia.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
#97 - the Aston Martin Vantage GTE.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
#29 - Pegasus Racing's Morgan LMP2-Nissan.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
The #12 Rebillion R-One AER of Nicholas Prost, Nick Heidfeld, and Mathias Beche is shown in action during practice for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
Germany's Timo Bernhard drives his Porsche 919 - Hybrid #17 to clock the second best time at 3' 17. 767 during the first qualifying practice session of the 83rd Le Mans 24 hours endurance race.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
#88 - Abu Dhabi-Proton Racing's Porsche 911 RSR.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
#77 - Dempsey-Proton Racing's Porsche 911 RSR.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
Swiss' Sebastien Buemi drives his Toyota TS 040 - Hybrid #1 during the test day of the 83rd Le Mans 24 hours endurance race.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
Neel Jani of Switzerland drives his Porsche 919 - Hybrid #18 to clock the best lap time of 3'21. 945, during the test day of the 83th Le Mans 24 hours endurance race.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
The #27 BRo1-Nissan of Maurizio Mediani, David Markozov, and Nicolas Minassian is shown in action in the rain during practice for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
The #40 Ligier JS P2 Judd of Tracy Krohn , Nic Jonnson, and Joao Barbosa is shown in action during night qualifying for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
The #45 ORECA 03R Nissan of Jose Ibanez, Pierre Perret, and Ivan Bellarosa is shown in action in the rain during practice for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
The #7 Audi R18 E-Tron Quattro of Marcel Fassler, Andre Lotterer, Benoit Treluyer is shown in action during practice for the 24 Hours of Le Mans in Le Mans, France.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![#77 - Dempsey-Proton Racing's Porsche 911 RSR.]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
#77 - Dempsey-Proton Racing's Porsche 911 RSR.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
Porsche 919 - Hybrid N°17, during the test day of the 83th Le Mans 24 hours endurance race. Fifty-six cars with 168 drivers will participate on June 13 and 14 in the Le Mans 24-hours endurance race.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
Portugal's Filipe Albuquerque drives his Audi R18-E-Tron Quattro Hybrid #9 clocking the fifth best laps time during the first qualifying practice session of the 83rd Le Mans 24 hours endurance race.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
The #45 ORECA 03R Nissan of Jose Ibanez, Pierre Perret, and Ivan Bellarosa is shown in action in the rain during practice for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
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![Le Mans]( "Wednesday practice at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.")
The #40 Ligier JS P2 Judd of Tracy Krohn , Nic Jonnson, and Joao Barbosa is shown in action during night qualifying for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
PHOTO: Darren Begg, Driving
“If we really focused on qualifying we could have been quite a bit closer, but that wasn’t the target,” said Anthony Davidson, teaming up with world endurance co-champion Sebastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima.
“We have concentrated all through the week on getting a nice balance. From the team and drivers side, we have done everything we planned to do. I feel good going into the race.”
Also read: The heroes and the heartbreaks of the Le Mans saga
This story was produced by the editorial department as a result of AUDI’s interest in this topic. AUDI was not given the opportunity to put restrictions on the content or review it prior to publication.
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