Kobayashi Leads Toyota Front Row Lockout at Fuji

Photo: James Moy/Toyota

Kamui Kobayashi led a Toyota Gazoo Racing front row lockout for Sunday’s 6 Hours of Fuji.

In slightly damp conditions, Kobayashi stormed to a best time of 1:27.794 in the No. 7 Toyota GR010 Hybrid to edge out teammate Brendon Hartley by 0.624 seconds.

A rain shower in the closing moments of the 15-minute session dashed any late session improvements.

The pair of Penske-run Porsche 963s will start the FIA World Endurance Championship round from third and fourth on the grid, with the No. 6 car of Kevin Estre ahead of teammate Fred Makowiecki.

Alex Lynn completed the top-five in the No. 2 Chip Ganassi Racing-run Cadillac, which held provisional pole early in the running.

AF Corse’s two Ferrari 499Ps qualified sixth and seventh, ahead of Antonio Felix Da Costa in eighth in the No. 38 Hertz Team JOTA Porsche and the No. 99 Proton Competition Porsche which was qualified by Gianmaria Bruni.

Mikkel Jensen was the quickest of the Peugeot 9X8s in tenth.

Phil Hanson scored LMP2 pole in the No. 22 United Autosports Oreca 07 Gibson, placing both cars in the top-three in class.

Hanson’s 1:32.182 lap time was 0.091 seconds quicker than the No. 41 Team WRT entry of Louis Deletraz, with United’s Oliver Jarvis third place.

It marked Hanson’s first career WEC pole position as a solo driver.

GTE-Am pole honors, meanwhile, went to Ben Keating in the No. 33 Chevrolet Corvette C8.R, who edged out Sarah Bovy’s No. 85 Iron Lynx Porsche 911 RSR-19 by 0.035 seconds.

Keating claimed his third class pole of the season in the car he’ll share with fellow class champions-elect Nicky Catsburg and Nico Varrone.

The No. 777 D’station Racing Aston Martin Vantage GTE will start third in class, followed by The Heart of Racing’s Aston, which was qualified by Ian James in fourth.

The 6 Hours of Fuji gets underway Sunday at 11 a.m. local time (Saturday, 10 p.m. EDT).

RESULTS: Qualifying

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John