Toyota Takes Pole in Sao Paulo

The ToyotaToyotaJapan, 1937 > present155 models
4570 photos
10 videos
TS030Toyota TS030 HYBRIDJapan, 2012 > present5 photos
2 videos
has taken its first ever pole position for the 6 Hours of Sao Paulo. The car qualified with a 1:22:383 lap time. It was 0.784 seconds faster than the Audi R18 UltraAudi R18 ultraGermany, 2012 > present11 photos
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and 0.969 seconds faster than the Audi R18 E-tron QuattroAudi R18 e-tron quattroGermany, 2012 > present8 photos
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. The Toyota's fast time was set by driver Alex Wurz.

Toyota also powered the fastest privateer car. The #12 Rebellion Racing Lola B12/60 ToyotaLola B12/60 CoupeUnited Kingdom, 2011 > present2 photos
1 video
driven by Neel Jani did a 1:23.962 lap time. 

The TS030 waited until there was 13 minutes remaining in the qualifying session to set its qualifying lap. Alex Wurz took provisional pole, then was beaten by the #2 Audi R18 Ultra, and then Wurz beat his previous time to take pole. 

In the LMP2 class, the #44 Starworks Motorsports Honda HPD-ARX03bHonda HPD ARX 03bJapan, 2012 > present2 photos
1 video
took the pole. Just 0.105 seconds behind it was the ADR Delta Oreca 03-NissanOreca Oreca 03 NissanFrance, 2011 > present2 photos
. The #26 Signatech Nissan Oreca 03 Nissan

In the GTE-Pro category, Darren Turner in the #97 Aston Martin Vantage GTEUnited Kingdom, 2012 > present4 photos
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set the pole position time. There are just four cars in the in the GTE Pro class for the Six Hours of Sao Paulo. The #77 Team Felbermayr-Proton PorschePorsche 911 GT3 RSRGermany, 2012 > present6 photos
was second, and the #51 AF Corse FerrariFerrari 458 Italia GTCItaly, 2011 > present5 photos
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was third. The #71 AF Corse Ferrari rounded out the class. 

In the GTE-Am category, Brazilian driver Enrique Bernoldi set pole position in his WEC debut in the #61 AF Corse-Waltrip Ferrari. The #57 Krohn Racing Ferrari was second in class, and the #88 Team Felbermayr-Proton Porsche was third. 

Early in the sesssion the #77 Porsche and the #97 Aston Martin exchanged fast laps. The #55 GTE-Am JWA-AVILA PorschePorsche 911 GT3 RSRGermany, 2011 > present10 photos
crashed into the tire barrier with two minutes left in the session to bring out the yellow flag. 

The 6 Hours of Sao Paulo begins at noon tomorrow local time. International viewers can watch the race on fiawec.com or audi.tv. 

You can view the entire qualifying results for the race here.