Record eight-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen improved co-driver McNish’s overnight fourth fastest lap time (3mins 28.301secs) in last night’s (THURS) final four hour time trials. The “Great Dane” stopped the clock at 3:26.165 (147.89mph) around the 8.47-mile circuit.

While the McNish/Kristensen/Dindo Capello Audi slipped one place on the capacity 56-car grid from Wednesday’s time trials, drama occurred when Kristensen crashed at high-speed at Tertre Rouge in the dying moments of qualifying on what was set to be a faster lap. The Dane was completely unhurt but the Audi was sidelined with substantial damage. 

“Tom’s incident at the end was unfortunate but these things happen – it’s part of motor racing – it’s part of pushing,” confirmed McNish. “But what really bodes well is that there are six cars covered by around half a second at the front of the grid. That means that we have got a fantastic race ahead.”

While McNish will line-up the repaired V6 turbo diesel Audi R18 TDI Coupé on the third row of the capacity 56-car grid – the trio having amassed an incredible 13 Le Mans victories between them – the front row is an Audi “lock out”.

The similar “factory” entered Audi R18 TDI sportscar of Marcel Fässler (35/Switzerland)/André Lotterer (30/Germany)/Benoît Treluyer (34/France) starts from pole-position after the latter posted a 3:25.738 (148.197mph) last night (THURS).

2010 Le Mans winners Timo Bernhard (30/Germany)/Romain Dumas (33/France)/Mike Rockenfeller (27/Germany) complete the front row after Dumas clocked a 3mins 25.799 (148.134mph) in their R18 TDI which only made its race debut last month (8 May).

The race, in which Audi finished 1-2-3 last year, is scheduled to start at 2pm (BST).