John Booth and Graeme Lowdon can be happy with qualifying during which the fastest of the outfit's two Oreca-Nissan 05 interjected itself in the duel the No. 26 sister car of G-Drive Racing, in pole position, and Signatech's No. 36 Alpine-Nissan A460 were fighting for supremacy in LM P2.

"We have always said that the big question for us was the learning phase, and our capacity to make it as short as possible, sighed Lowdon. Silverstone was a fascinating experience for us. We came back with mixed feelings because we had an engine problem with the No. 44 and could have learned even more. Meanwhile, with nothing more than the No. 45, we were able to realize how much we learned between the beginning and end of the race. Already, we were no longer at the same level. Here, learning continues. We had a good day yesterday, with the best time in LM P2 during the second free practice, and the third time today in qualifying. We are in the process of putting the puzzle pieces together. Each time we return to our pit stand, we are smarter. New situations, varying weather conditions, everytime we hit the track is a first."

The improvement of the outfit is good news for the pair who has made the 24 Hours of Le Mans the main objective of the season, and it's not the recruitment of John Booth called in as support for Toro Rosso in the F1 World Championship that will slow things down, quite the contrary. "Race director is the role John has assumed over the last three seasons, continued Graeme. He is really great at that. Also, that type of responsability goes perfectly with what he handles for the team. In WEC Manor, he is the Team Principal. It's good for him to keep a foot in other disciplines, and it's good for the oufit." Tomorrow, Manor will be on the track hopefully for its first podium finish in LM P2, and maybe more.

PHOTO: STAVELOT (LIEGE PROVINCE, BELGIUM), SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS CIRCUIT, FIA WEC, WEC 6 HOURS OF SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, FRIDAY MAY 6 2016, QUALIFYING. Tor Graves clocked the best time of the No. 44 with Will Stevens. The outfit's second Oreca-Nissan 05 is also in the top 5.