LMP1 Pole Position

Oliver Jarvis – no8 Audi Sport Team Joest Audi R18

“Coming here the goal was to be on pole and to win the race.  Let’s say we started in the right manner but it is tomorrow that really counts. We had a fantastic car out there today.  Let’s not forget we had an engine change between the last test session and qualifying and the mechanics did a superb job as always.  For me the lap wasn’t that good, it was a bit scrappy, so I was really surprised by the pace, so knew immediately we had the car to take pole.  Lucas did an amazing lap and in the end we had a couple of tenths in our pocket.  This is a great start but we have a long way to go tomorrow.”

Lucas Di Grassi – no8 Audi Sport Team Joest Audi R18

“It was definitely a very special lap, a very good, clean lap.  The car was really good.  I know after these laps that I am going to miss the WEC a lot, it is such a pleasure to drive these fast cars on the ultimate pace with more than 1000 horsepower, it is just amazing.  To be able to prove again that we have a very quick car, Audi has done an amazing job this year.  To post a new lap record for Bahrain is an amazing way to end this sportscar era for Audi.  The next step is tomorrow and we are going to push hard.”

LMP2 Pole Position

Rene Rast – no26 G-Drive Racing Oreca 05-Nissan

“Obviously it was a clean lap and without any mistakes.  The car felt completely different to how it was in FP3, there was much more grip overall, I was really surprised by the grip we had.  I was chasing down Derani, I was playing a little catch up and this motivated me to go even faster.  In general I am very happy.”

Roman Rusinov – no26 G-Drive Racing Oreca 05-Nissan

“Qualifying was quite fast, Rene was just flying.  I had to drive, trying not to make any mistakes.  I think the car was very good today but everything was thanks to the great job by Rene Rast and the team.”

LMGTE Pro Pole Position

Darren Turner – no97 Aston Martin Racing Aston Martin Vantage

“We’ve had good pace all weekend and we knew it was going to be close between us and the 95 car and I just managed to put a nice lap together.  Very happy with the lap, no big mistakes, the pace was there.  Then Jonny went out and ‘copied and paste’ the same thing with exactly the same lap time. It’s nice to finish the season with a pole but now the hard work is on for the race, we have a manufacturer championship to win and, of course, the boys in the 95 are keen to win the drivers title.  We’ll be doing everything we can to help them.”

Jonny Adam – no97 Aston Martin Racing Aston Martin Vantage

“I only got told the end of last week that I was coming here to Bahrain and it’s nice to be back in the paddock, be back in the 97 and be back driving with Darren.  The car has been good all week so far and the Dunlop tyres are working well, so we are ready for tomorrow but there is a lot at stake.  We’re going to do the best we can.”

LMGTE Am Pole Position

Pedro Lamy – no98 Aston Martin Racing Aston Martin Vantage

“I had a problem in the beginning when I went out of the track limits and my lap was out so I had to go back in the car to improve my lap time.  The 83 had just gone on to pole.  Paul did a great lap so I had to improve and we did pole position, which was our main target today.”

Paul Dalla Lana – no98 Aston Martin Racing Aston Martin Vantage

“We’re happy to be keeping the title hopes alive for another day and we look forward to bringing the fight to Ferrari tomorrow.  On pace we have a good car, so we’re looking forward to it.  It’s a real pleasure to be in Bahrain, a fantastic facility and an incredible, challenging track.  So we’re really looking forward to tomorrow.”