The revision of the Hyperpole format deemed “fairer” by Kévin Estre

Former pole men at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Kévin Estre and Neel Jani welcomed the changes to the Hyperpole format, during which the Hypercars will now race alone.

Introduced in 2020, the Hyperpole will in fact undergo a facelift this year with the separation of the peloton into two groups (on one side the Hypercars and on the other the LMP2 and LMGT3) and three rounds instead of two. After a first 30-minute qualifying session on Wednesday evening, 15 Hypercars, 12 LMP2s and 12 LMGT3s will qualify for Hyperpole 1 (20 minutes) which will take place the next day, at the end of which ten Hypercars, eight LMP2s and eight LMGT3s will earn the right to compete in Hyperpole 2 (15 minutes) immediately, which will decide the pole.

Competitors still in the running for pole in the premier classic category will therefore not have to deal with the issue of traffic linked to LMP2s and LMGT3s in the new format. A revision deemed fairer and more conducive to the show by Estre and Jani, with Motorsport.com.

The Frenchman, who managed to take pole at the last moment during the 2024 edition at the wheel of the official team's Porsche 963, declared: “For me, it's better, because it's fairer; it will be less of a lottery. In 2024, before my last turn, I didn't have a clear turn, and I wasn't the only one, that’s for sure.”

“The performance between Hypercar and LMP2 in the corners is so close that it's hard to get around them by just losing a tenth. Sometimes it's five tenths because you're stuck behind one of them for a whole series of turns.”

“If they [l’Automobile Club de l’Ouest, l’organisateur de la course] really want to create a big hype around qualifying and getting pole, then we need to be alone on the track to create a better show.”

Jani, who took pole position in the 2015 and 2016 editions of the event, at the time aboard the Porsche 919 Hybrid LMP1, echoed Estre's comments. “Dealing with traffic was part of the game at the time, but it’s become a bit of a lottery”said the Swiss, who will once again drive a Porsche 963 for the Proton Competition team in 2025.

“The show must be good, because there are a lot of cars and manufacturers in Hypercar today. From a safety point of view, it is better, because there is always the temptation to take big risks in traffic.”

Jani also insists on the importance of pole position currently facing a Hypercar peloton that is both dense and competitive, which in 2025 will be made up of eight manufacturers with the arrival of Aston Martin.

“Track position has become a more important issue than in the past because there are a lot of cars. Starting from further away can cost you 30 or 40 seconds in the first stints, although, of course, the rules relating to safety cars can allow you to regain a good part of it.”

With Gary Watkins