Cadillac lost the 94th Le Mans 24 Hours pole after Jack Aitken’s fastest lap was deleted for an early pit exit.
Pit‑lane timing slip triggers pole shuffle
During Hyperpole 2, the Jota Cadillac V‑Series.R was released from its pit stall four minutes before the session began. Race‑control had ordered that cars may only enter the fast lane three minutes prior to the final qualifying start. The driver did not obey the instruction, leaving the working lane ahead of the authorized time.
The stewards’ bulletin confirmed the infraction and mandated the deletion of Aitken’s quickest lap. This action bumped the WRT BMW M Hybrid, run by Dries Vanthoor, to pole; Vanthoor’s time was a mere five thousandths slower than the Cadillacs original best, while Aitken slid to ten and last in H2.
Team says software error, no advantage gained
Jota’s principal Dieter Gass insisted that the team’s software, synced to race‑control timing, displayed the three‑minute mark when Aitken was waved out. “The software we and the rest of the paddock uses was clearly wrong,” Gass explained. “If we had done nothing wrong, we would have been at the front of the queue, yet we gained zero advantage by pitting at the end of our out‑lap to change tyres.”
Future outlook for a front‑row cornerstone
The Cadillacs, who claimed pole last year with Alex Lynn, remain on the front row for this weekend’s iconic French endurance. Will Stevens, initially classified third with a time just half‑second shy of Vanthoor, will squeeze into second, keeping the team’s competitive stance robust.
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