TDS Loses Monza Pole; DragonSpeed Promoted

DragonSpeed has inherited pole for the Four Hours of Monza after the TDS Racing squad had its times deleted for a post-qualifying regulation infringement.

Matthieu Vaxiviere set the fastest lap during Saturday’s red flag-affected LMP2 session, turning in a time of 1:35.456 behind the wheel of the TDS Oreca 07 Gibson.

However, the car was found to be in breach of the regulations, due to having tape attached to its bodywork.

As such, all of Vaxiviere’s times were deleted and the Frenchman will start Sunday’s race from the rear of the LMP2 field.

The ruling means DragonSpeed will start from the front, after Ben Hanley originally qualified second on a 1:35.837.

Hanley, who drives the No. 21 Oreca with Henrik Hedman and Nicolas Lapierre, had been due to share the front row with the APR Rebellion Racing Oreca of Gustavo Menezes, but that entry was also sent to the back of the class grid for a post-qualifying infringement.

The scrutineers deemed the Rebellion car to be in breach of article 3.5.4 a1 of the technical regulations (height of front splitter).

Consequently, the Duqueine Engineering Oreca qualified by Nelson Panciatici will move onto the front row having originally set the fourth-best time.

Row 2 of the grid will feature the No. 26 G-Drive Racing Oreca of Jean-Eric Vergne and the No. 22 United Autosports Ligier JS P217 of Filipe Albuquerque.

In LMP3, the AT Racing Ligier JS P3 Nissan that qualified third was also demoted to the back of its class for breaching the splitter height limit.

Round two of ELMS takes place tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. local time.