The starting grid for the 2026 Le Mans Heat took shape on the full 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit. On Saturday 6 June, at 9:15am, the 39 Ligier JS P4 and Ligier JS2 R cars entered took to the track for a decisive 20-minute qualifying session to determine the front rows ahead of the race.
Following on from the free practice session held earlier in the morning, the drivers had only a short window in which to find a clear lap around the 13.626-kilometre Le Mans circuit. The session was disrupted early on by a Full Course Yellow lasting several minutes, triggered by the #6 ANS Motorsport Ligier JS P4 going off at Tertre Rouge. At the end of the session, the #75 MRacing Ligier JS P4 also went off track. Despite these interruptions, the fight for pole positions remained intense until the chequered flag.
Following scrutineering, the #12 ASM Motorsport Ligier JS P4 of Luiz Carlos Perez Cabello and the #51 ZOSH Competition Ligier JS2 R of Paul Alberto were disqualified from qualifying. They will start the race from the back of the grid. These decisions reshuffled the order, handing pole position to Pietro Ferri in JS P4 and to Marcus Terkildsen in JS2 R.
JS P4: Pietro Ferri and LR Motorsport inherit pole position
In Ligier JS P4, Luiz Carlos Perez Cabello initially set the fastest time of the session with a 4:08.311 at the wheel of the #12 ASM Motorsport entry. However, the car’s disqualification after qualifying sent him to the back of the grid for the race.
Pole position therefore went to Pietro Ferri, who had set the second-fastest time on track with the #7 LR Motorsport Ligier JS P4 in 4:09.167. He will start from the head of the category on the full 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit. Alongside him, Alex Garder, at the wheel of the #14 Team Virage entry, will start from the front row after posting a 4:09.275.
In AM, Dominique Bastien was the fastest driver in the #69 Bretton Racing Ligier JS P4. He claimed the class pole with a lap time of 4:25.197.
JS2 R: Marcus Terkildsen promoted to pole after Paul Alberto’s disqualification
In JS2 R, Paul Alberto initially delivered a standout performance at the wheel of the #51 ZOSH Competition Ligier JS2 R. He set the fastest time in 4:17.829 and went below the previous circuit record for the category, set by Mathys Jaubert in 2022 with a 4:18.103. However, the #51’s disqualification after qualifying relegated him to the back of the grid for the race.
JS2 R pole position therefore went to Marcus Terkildsen in the #88 23Events Racing entry. Already a standout performer since the start of the season and fastest in free practice earlier in the morning, he will start from the head of the category thanks to his 4:18.121 lap.
Natan Bihel completed the initial top three on track with the #53 MRacing Ligier JS2 R in 4:18.277 and also gained one position on the starting grid following the #51’s disqualification.
In PRO/AM, the #18 VSF Sports Ligier JS2 R was once again the fastest, with Maxime Aparicio setting a 4:23.154. In AM, Christian Gisy secured class pole at the wheel of the #10 LADC Motorsport entry in 4:31.196.
Race start at 2:00pm
The positions are set for the 2026 Le Mans Heat race. The 39 Ligier JS P4 and Ligier JS2 R cars are set to return to the full 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit at 2:00pm for a one-hour race, which promised to be intense on one of the most iconic circuits in motorsport.
For the full qualifying results, CLICK HERE.
Photo credit: DPPI
