Peugeot secured the top two tmes yesterday during the qualifying session. They will start on the first line, today, at 11h35, on the Catalunya circuit.

The 2008 Le Mans Series burst into life at the Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona at the weekend, with no fewer than 47 cars taking part in the opening qualifying session of the year ahead of today’s first of five ve 1000km races in Europe.

The weather was warm and dry throughout qualifying, and more of the same is predicted for Sunday’s race.

Peugeot and Audi met for the first time in Europe since Le Mans in 2007 and Stephane Sarrazin rained on his team-mate Marc Gene’s party when he set pole position time for Peugeot.

Garcia leads on home ground  - Antonio Garcia waited until just three minutes from the end of the qualifying session to post pole position time in the “LM” GT1 class, beating the Luc Alphand Aventures Corvette C6.R of Guillaume Moreau by just 0.047s.

“It is really close,” said local driver Garcia. “We know the  track, it is very aggressive on the tyres and that the first lap would be the fastest lap.

"This is a good starting point for the season because we know that we have a good car for the race too.” 

Angel Burgueno and Miguel de Castro will both drive the new Judd-powered Epsilon Euskadi which was 12th fastest in the “LM” P1 class, and 17th overall on its debut.

Jos Verstappen was fastest in the “LM” P2 category for Porsche, and in the “LM” GT2 class the Ferrari and Porsche battle continues to rage after a winter of development by both manufacturers.

“LM” P11. N° 8, Team Peugeot Total, Peugeot 908 Hdi-FAP 1m31.8752. N° 7, Team Peugeot Total, Peugeot 908 Hdi-FAP 1m32.4543. N° 1, Audi Sport Team Joest, Audi R10 TDI 1m33.2504. N° 10, Charouz Racing System, Lola Aston Martin 1m33.7345. N° 2, Audi Sport Team Joest, Audi R10 TDI 1m34.6716. N° 6, Team ORECA Matmut, Courage ORECA Judd 1m35.0787. N° 16, Pescarolo Sport, Pescarolo Judd 1m35.6418. N° 14, Creation AIM, Creation CA07-Aim 1m36.3759. N° 17, Pescarolo Sport, Pescarolo Judd 1m36.51610. N° 18, Rollcentre Racing, Pescarolo Judd 1m36.64011. N°5, Team ORECA Matmut, Courage-ORECA 1m36.79712. N°20, Epsilon-Euskadi, Epsilon Euskadi ee1-Judd 1m36.92213. N °19, Chamberlain Synergy, Lola B06/10-AER 1m39.06314. N°4, Saulnier Racing, Pescarolo Judd 1m40.59415. N°3, Scuderia Lavaggi, Lavaggi LS1-AER 1m41.610

“LM” P21. N° 34, Van Merksteijn Motorsport,Porsche RS Spyder 1m34.4222. N° 33, Speedy Racing Team Sebah,Lola B08/80 Coupe Judd 1m35.7973. N °27, Horag Racing, Porsche RS Spyder 1m36.1564. N °31, Team Essex, Porsche RS Spyder 1m36.2665. N °40, Quifel - ASM Team, Lola B05/40-AER 1m36.6416. N °32, Barazi Epsilon, Zytek 07S Zytek 1m37.5167. N °45, Embassy Racing, WF01 Zytek 1m38.1098. N °44, Kruse Schiller Motorsport, LolaB05/40 Mazda 1m38.4379. N °25, RML, MG Lola EX 265 - MG 1m38.48510. N° 46, Embassy Racing, WF01 - Zytek 1m38.50011. N° 35, Saulnier Racing, Pescarolo Judd 1m39.59412. N °26, Bruichladich Radical, Radical SR9-AER 1m40.75013. N° 41, Trading Performance, Zytek 07S 1m41.51614. N° 30, Racing Box, Lucchini Judd 1m44.57915. N° 37, WR/Salini, WR Zytek 1m49.859

“LM” GT11. N° 59, Aston Martin Racing, Aston Martin DBR9 1m44.4842. N° 72, Luc Alphand Aventures, Corvette C6.R 1m44.5313. N° 55, IPB Spartak Racing, Lamborghini Murcielago 1m44.9694. N° 73, Luc Alphand Aventures, Corvette C6.R 1m46.7185. N° 50, Larbre Competition, Saleen S7R No time

“LM” GT21. N°96, Virgo Motorsport, Ferrari 430 GT 1m47.8442. N°77, Team Felbermayr Proton, Porsche 997 RSR 1m49.0933. N°76, IMSA Performance Matmut, Porsche 997 RSR 1m49.2504. N°91, Farnbacher Racing, Porsche 997 RSR 1m49.2505. N°90, Farnbacher Racing, Ferrari 430 GT 1m49.3436. N°75, IMSA Performance Matmut, Porsche 997 RSR 1m49.5937. N°99, JMB Racing, Ferrari 430 GT 1m50.2978. N°94, Speedy Racing Team, Spyker C8 Laviolette 1m50.9539. N°85, Snoras Spyker Squadron, Spyker C8 Laviolette 1m50.95310. N°93, James Watt Automotive, Aston Martin Vantage 1m51.01511. N°88, Team Felbermayr Proton, Porsche 997 RSR 1m51.21812. N°95, James Watt Automotive, Porsche 997 RSR 1m51.25013. N°98, JMB Racing, Ferrari 430 GT 1m52.078