Sean Gelael shared disappointment by the red flag before he grasped his way into the final LMGT3 Hyperpole shootout for United Autosports.
“That was a stressful one,” said the Indonesian driver, having piloted the #95 McLaren 720S LMGT3 Evo during Hyperpole Q1.
“I think our first lap was such a good lap, the guys did such a good job.
“I think we were about P3 or P4, but unfortunately, the race director put the red flag one second too early.
“I was gutted, but we know what we have in the car. And then we stayed calm and went for a second one.
“We were up two tenths, I did purple sector one … and then the car stopped.
“We had to do a restart, but it didn’t work the first time, so we had to pull over. Then the car restarted just in time to do the lap.
“Unfortunately, the lap was just enough to make it through … but what a rollercoaster.”
The #95 McLaren stopped on the driver’s left-hand side on the Mulsanne Straight, behind the Armco barrier.
As Francesco Castellacci’s gravel trap moment in the #54 AF Corse Ferrari 296 LMGT3 triggered a red flag, Gelael avoided doing so as well because he was out of harm’s way as he restarted his car..
United Autosports have won twice in the LMP2 category, in 2020 and 2024, and is seeking their maiden FIA World Endurance Championship victory in the LMGT3 category, which debuted last year.
Marino Sato put together a 3:55.965 during the final shootout, whilst Hyperpole Q1 was less fortunate to other #59 McLaren.
This put the #95 in seventh position for the race, having out-qualified the #78 Akkodis ASP Lexus RC F LMGT3.
READ MORE – Mattia Drudi secures LMGT3 Hyperpole for Heart of Racing
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