Timo Bernhard gave Audi's new R18 TDI pole position for its race debut at the Spa 1000km, the second round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup.
Bernhard's lap of 2m01.502s was set early in the session and gave the German the top top spot by 0.286sec ahead of Andre Lotterer. It was an all-Audi top three as Tom Kristensen qualified third.
As planned, none of the factory Peugeots took to the track until late in the session, but all three were caught out as Matthieu Lahaye crashed his Oak Pescarolo on the straight before Pouhon. The high-speed impact caused heavy damage to the front end of the car and brought out the red flags. With the crash barrier in question significantly damaged and no chance of repairing quickly, a decision was made to end the session while six minutes remained on the clock.
This ensured that Marc Gene was unable to improve on his 13th spot on the grid, and left him as the best of the factory Peugeot drivers. Simon Pagenaud was only 18th while Stephane Sarrazin did not complete a flying lap and will start 50th.
The early stoppage was good news for Nicolas Lapierre, who put his ORECA Peugeot fourth, ahead of Nicolas Prost's Rebellion Lola, the best-placed gasoline-powered car.
Danny Watts secured pole in the LMP2 class in his Strakka HPD with a flying lap that was just 0.1sec quicker than Mathias Beche's TDS ORECA.
Jaime Melo took pole in the GT2 Pro category in the AF Corse Ferrari he shares with Toni Vilander, his best effort coming six minutes from the end of the session.
Rob Bell and Giancarlo Fisichella made it an all-Ferrari top three, with Bell 0.2sec off Melo's pace in his JMW-run 458 and grand prix winner Fisichella next up in the second AF Corse car.
Marc Lieb put the best of the Porsches – the Felbermayr car – fourth while Augusto Farfus was BMW's fastest driver in fifth. Andy Priaulx was seventh quickest in the sister M3, but spun at the Bus Stop chicane on his final flying lap.
Pole in GT2 Am went to Nicolas Armindo's IMSA Porsche – ahead of four of the Pro cars, while Brit Phil Keen was the fastest driver in the Formula Le Mans class in the Neil Garner Motorsport ORECA.