YART Yamaha picked up pole position ahead of BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team and Suzuki Endurance Racing Team for the 2020 Le  Mans 24-Hour.

All three riders – Karel Hanika, Marvin Fritz and Niccolò Canepa – came in under the 1'37 mark on a lap of the Bugatti circuit. The Austrian factory Yamaha has dominated the proceedings at Le Mans since yesterday, and will start the race from top spot at 12pm tomorrow (Saturday).

That said, the day’s best performance can be chalked up, not to YART Yamaha, but to BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team. Markus Reiterberger posted the fastest qualifying lap, a 1'36.164, without however beating the record set by Randy de Puniet, a 1'35.730 lap in qualifying at the 2017 24 Heures Motos. The Belgian factory team (Kenny Foray, Ilya Mikhalchik and Markus Reiterberger) will take second position on the grid.

The leader of the provisional standings, Suzuki Endurance Racing Team (Etienne Masson, Gregg Black and Xavier Simeon), will start from 3rd just ahead of F.C.C. TSR Honda France’s Josh Hook, Freddy Foray and Mike di Meglio. It could be a tricky race for the Japanese Honda team, as Josh Hook was injured during practice but is expected to be allowed to race. The Honda #5 is ahead of ERC Endurance’s factory Ducati in the hands of Randy de Puniet, Julien da Costa and Louis Rossi.

VRD Igol Pierret Experiences once again managed to slip in among the favourites. In the saddle of the Yamaha #333, Florian Alt, Florian Marino and Mathieu Gines will start from 6th place on the grid ahead of reigning champions Webike SRC Kawasaki France Trickstar.
The Kawasaki squad are without their team manager Gilles Stafler, currently recovering after a heart attack, and still getting to grips with their new Michelin tyres.

Three ambitious teams make up the rest of the Top 10 after qualifying: Tati Team Beaujolais Racing, Wójcik Racing Team and National Motos.

Team 33 Coyote Louit Moto (Kawasaki), the fastest Superstock team, will start from 11th place ahead of Moto Ain (Yamaha), the provisional leader in class, and GERT56 by GS Yuasa (BMW).

2020 Le Mans 24-Hour qualifying

1 7 YART - YAMAHA HANIKA Karel * FRITZ Marvin CANEPA Niccolò Yamaha EWC 1:36.895 1:36.517 1:36.708 1:36.706 -
2 37 BMW MOTORRAD WORLD ENDURANCE TEAM FORAY Kenny * MYKHALCHYK Illya REITERBERGER Markus BMW EWC 1:37.499 1:37.035 1:36.164 1:36.899 0.193
3 2 Suzuki Endurance Racing Team MASSON Etienne BLACK Gregg * SIMEON Xavier Suzuki EWC 1:37.254 1:37.403 1:37.355 1:37.337 0.631
4 5 F.C.C. TSR Honda France HOOK Josh * FORAY Freddy DI MEGLIO Mike Honda EWC 1:37.628 1:37.677 1:37.053 1:37.452 0.746
5 6 ERC-Endurance DE PUNIET Randy * DA COSTA Julien ROSSI Louis Ducati EWC 1:37.028 1:37.836 1:37.723 1:37.529 0.823
6 333 VRD IGOL PIERRET EXPERIENCES ALT Florian * MARINO Florian GINES Mathieu Yamaha EWC 1:37.639 1:37.360 1:37.858 1:37.619 0.913
7 1 WEBIKE SRC KAWASAKI France TRICKSTAR GUARNONI Jérémy * NIGON Erwan CHECA David Kawasaki EWC 1:37.703 1:37.529 1:37.750 1:37.660 0.954
8 4 Tati Team Beaujolais Racing TECHER Alan * SUCHET Sébastien ENJOLRAS Julien Kawasaki EWC 1:37.503 1:37.588 1:38.868 1:37.986 1.280
9 77 Wójcik Racing Team REA Gino * MAURIN Axel PARKES Broc Yamaha EWC 1:37.204 1:38.801 1:38.506 1:38.170 1.464
10 55 National Motos EGEA Stéphane * DEBISE Valentin ANTIGA Guillaume Honda EWC 1:38.173 1:37.845 1:38.686 1:38.234 1.528
11 33 Team 33 Coyote Louit Moto GAMARINO Christian * MANFREDI Kevin SMITH Kyle Kawasaki SST 1:38.481 1:38.174 1:38.597 1:38.417 1.711
12 96 TEAM MOTO AIN CLERE Hugo * MULHAUSER Robin ROLFO Roberto * Yamaha SST 1:38.315 1:38.395 1:38.746 1:38.485 1.779
13 56 GERT56 by GS YUASA KERSCHBAUMER Stefan * GLÖCKNER Lucy BIJSTERBOSCH Pepijn BMW SST 1:38.711 1:38.275 1:38.860 1:38.615 1.909
14 8 Team Bolliger Switzerland STAMM Roman * WALRAVEN Nigel BÜHN Jan Kawasaki EWC 1:38.285 1:39.410 1:38.542 1:38.745 2.039
15 24 BMRT 3D MAXXESS NEVERS LOISEAU Anthony * HARDT Jonathan PILOT Julien Kawasaki SST 1:39.431 1:38.861 1:38.299 1:38.863 2.157
16 36 3ART BEST OF BIKE PLANCASSAGNE Alex * LAGRIVE Matthieu BERCHET Morgan Yamaha EWC 1:39.734 1:39.365 1:38.427 1:39.175 2.469
17 90 Team LRP Poland VINCON Dominik * KRZEMIEN Kamil LEWANDOWSKI Bartlomiej BMW EWC 1:38.398 1:38.814 1:40.877 1:39.363 2.657
18 66 OG MOTORSPORT BY SARAZIN DIGUET Julien LEESCH Chris HEDELIN Camille * Yamaha SST 1:39.987 1:38.958 1:39.315 1:39.420 2.714
19 3 AM Moto Racing Competition SUCHET Valentin * SARRABAYROUSE Alex JONCHIERE Emeric Kawasaki SST 1:39.492 1:39.419 1:39.437 1:39.449 2.743
20 14 MACO RACING Team BOULOM Enzo * ELLISON James HILL Stefan Yamaha EWC 1:38.594 1:40.374 1:39.676 1:39.548 2.842
21 41 RAC41 CHROMEBURNER FASTRÉ Grégory * TESSELS Wayne NIGON Johan Honda SST 1:39.597 1:39.569 1:39.544 1:39.570 2.864
22 44 No Limits Motor Team SCASSA Luca * KEMMER Christopher VITALI Luca Suzuki SST 1:38.981 1:39.821 1:40.233 1:39.678 2.972
23 72 Junior Team Suzuki LMS RENAUDIN Martin * RAYMOND Guillaume THIBAULT Matthieu Suzuki SST 1:39.894 1:39.539 1:40.673 1:40.035 3.329
24 45 METISS PONS Gabriel * GOETSCHY Jonathan AUBRY Jean Edouard Metiss EXP 1:39.581 1:40.538 1:40.978 1:40.365 3.659
25 121 Falcon Racing Rennes Motos LOUAULT Olivier * CHEVALIER David GICQUEL Arnaud Yamaha SST 1:40.486 1:40.243 1:40.965 1:40.564 3.858
26 65 Motobox Kremer Racing #65 DEHAYE Geoffroy * STRÖHLEIN Stefan COLLIAUX Benjamin Yamaha EWC 1:39.713 1:42.196 1:40.591 1:40.833 4.127
27 777 Wójcik Racing Team 2 SZKOPEK Marek * PASEK Adrian WIELEBSKI Artur Yamaha SST 1:40.775 1:40.506 1:41.622 1:40.967 4.261
28 34 JMA MOTOS ACTION BIKE MONTESSUIT Guillaume * ORTIZ Gregory BONNET Julien Suzuki SST 1:41.794 1:40.336 1:40.929 1:41.019 4.313
29 91 ENERGIE ENDURANCE 91 NAPOLI Christian * NAPOLI Federico CHOY Martin Kawasaki SST 1:40.258 1:41.585 1:41.703 1:41.182 4.476
30 15 Aprilia Le Mans 2 Roues MAJOR Nelson * PARISSE Emmanuel BOUE Marco Aprilia SST 1:40.167 1:40.434 1:43.317 1:41.306 4.600
31 119 Slider Endurance DILLER Charles * ROLLET Adrien HOUSSIN Vincent Yamaha SST 1:41.356 1:40.175 1:42.411 1:41.314 4.608
32 73 Space Moto ROCHE Charles * BRARD Christophe SCORSONE Fabien Suzuki SST 1:42.531 1:41.184 1:41.639 1:41.784 5.078
33 20 Moto Sport Endurance SIMON Anthony * LE BRAS Youenn OLLIVIER Jimmy Yamaha SST 1:41.513 1:40.920 1:43.812 1:42.081 5.375
34 31 British Endurance Racing Team RAILTON Jonathan * BLACKSHAW John BOOTH Michael Suzuki EWC 1:41.354 1:41.918 1:43.295 1:42.189 5.483
35 70 ATLANTIC RACING TEAM GILLES Samuel * BERNON Frédéric Honda SST 1:43.147 1:42.312 - 1:42.729 6.023
36 212 Dunlop Motors Events BEURDELEY Renaud * DEJEAN Arnaud BEDU Mickael Suzuki SST 1:43.554 1:42.814 1:41.833 1:42.733 6.027
37 22 TEAM 202 PARRET Florent * CREUSOT Amandine Yamaha SST 1:42.769 1:43.807 - 1:43.288 6.582