Ola Nilsson took the bonus point for pole position when the Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia qualified at the Curcuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans on Friday. - I am satisfied with being the fastest of the drivers that I primarily compete against in our championship, said Nilsson. Guest drivers Dylan Pereira and Dennis Haguer were faster than Nilsson, but they will not be able to claim any championship points in the stage in France.

It was an exciting and challenging qualifier in the Porsche Carrera Cup Le Mans, the competition that Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia and Porsche Carrera Cup France run together as a support race to the classic Le Mans 24 hours.

With 63 cars in the field, it was not entirely easy to find free laps for a good result and a good starting position in Saturday's race. Gulf lag, "slow zones" and traffic became a challenge for many. So also for Nilsson. “I had an even better lap going, but it was unfortunately ruined by traffic, stated the Skånian, who was seventh overall behind a pack of drivers with recent international experience and speed”

French Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup driver Dorian Boccolacci was by far fastest with a time of 3.57.365. He was more than eight tenths ahead of Supercup colleagues Marvin Klein and Benjamin Paque. “Boccolacci's time of 57 is fantastic” , states Nilsson, who was almost two seconds behind the fast Frenchman.

Up to Mtech Competition teammate Dylan Pereira, who is the reigning Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup champion, Nilsson had just two tenths. Norwegian Dennis Hauger, one of the top drivers in FIA Formula 2, was only four thousandths short. Nilsson's effort in qualifying means that he will start in the fourth starting position in Saturday's heat.
”As it seems right now, the conditions in the race will be completely different compared to how we had it during tests and qualifying, but regardless of whether it rains or not tomorrow, the goal is to have as clean and good a race as possible”.

Persson's name was Bakom Pereira, Hauger and Nilsson made another driver in the Scandinavian starting field into the top ten overall in qualifying. Emil Persson answered for that performance.

”It felt really good. I didn't even have the help of the slipstream on my fastest lap, said Persson, who, however, felt carried away afterwards. Fever. I'm completely exhausted”, he said, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

Closest behind Persson, Robin Knutsson steered into eleventh place overall and fifth in the Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia. “Totally okay even though I had a couple of misses on my fastest lap, said the Gothenburg native”, who seems to be enjoying himself on the 13.6 km long Curcuit de la Sarthe. “It seems that large, international courses suit me well”.

Tough situation
Championship leader Hampus Ericsson, who collected the most points in the premiere in Anderstorp in mid-May, ended up in a difficult position in the qualifiers. Two crossed laps for the so-called track limit at the beginning of the session put extra pressure on the near king, who, however, rallied and still got 13th place overall and sixth place in the Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia.

Seventh (16) was Marcus Annervi and eighth (18) Gustav Bergström. “My best qualification in terms of placement. It felt damn good, said a satisfied Bergström, among other things”.

Gloomy faces
In the "not as satisfied drivers" category, reigning champion Lukas Sundahl and Daniel Roos were found. The former had brake problems and also had his fastest lap crossed out due to a track limit. Therefore, the Småland native had to settle for ninth place (25th overall). Roos, who is the only one of the Swedish drivers who previously competed at the Circuit de la Sarthe, was eleven (29). “I ended up in the shit all the time, it didn't matter what I did”, sighed Roos.

Karlsson in Pro Am
Between Sundahl and Roos, Mikael Karlsson squeezed in as the best driver in the Pro Am class. He was six tenths ahead of Oscar Löfquist. Third in class was Christoffer Bergström.
”I'm not completely satisfied, should have been a second better. I have a hard time getting the speed out of the curves”, said Karlsson.
Löfquist was also a little frustrated, had hoped for more. “For me it was traffic chaos, I didn't think I had flow at any point”, he said.

Results.
Qualifying Porsche Carrera Cup Le Mans 9 June 2023.
1. Dylan Pereira, Mtech Competition, 3:59.132
2. Dennis Hauger, Porsche Experience Racing, +0.215
3. Ola Nilsson, Mtech Competition, +0.219
4. Emil Persson, M3G Motorsport, +1,360
5. Robin Knutsson, WCR-Pampas, +1,823
6. Hampus Ericsson, M3G Motorsport, +2,107
7. Marcus Annervi, Race Team Gelleråsen By AFR, +2,387
8. Gustav Bergström, M3G Motorsport, +2,523
9. Lukas Sundahl , Micke Kågered Racing, +3.186
10. Mikael Karlsson (AM), Micke Kågered Racing, +3.866
11. Daniel Roos, Fragus Motorsport, +4.254
12. Oscar Löfquist (AM), Kjellin Motorsports, +4.453
13. Christoffer Bergström (AM), WCR-Pampas, +6.287
14. Albin Wärnelöv (AM), Micke Kågered Racing, +6.919
15. Kjelle Lejonkrans (AM), Race Team Gelleråsen By AFR, +7.166
16. Thomas Karlsson (AM ), Mtech Competition, +7,466
17. Aksel Lund Svindal (AM), Porsche Experience Racing, +14,098