Jani and Porsche stay on pole in Le Mans rain

Switzerland's Neel Jani, behind the wheel of a Porsche 919 Hybrid, stayed on pole position for the Le Mans 24 Hour Race on Thursday when the third qualifying session was red-flagged due to heavy rain.

As a result of the conditions, most of the 60 cars taking part were unable to improve on their times set on Wednesday night.

The last section of qualifying is due to take place later Thursday but with the surface still wet, it's unlikely that challengers Audi or Toyota will be able to better Jani's time of 3min 19.733sec set Wednesday.

The two Porsche 919 Hybrids are due to occupy the front row followed by the Toyota TS050 Hybrids and the Audi R18s behind them on the third row.

This year's Le Mans -- the 84th running of the classic endurance race -- starts at 1300GMT Saturday and will be flagged off by Hollywood superstar Brad Pitt.

Likely starting grid:

1st row: 

Dumas-Jani-Lieb (FRA-SUI-GER/Porsche 919 Hybrid) 

Webber-Bernhard-Hartley (AUS-GER-NZL/Porsche 919 Hybrid) 

2nd row: 

Sarrazin-Conway-Kobayashi (FRA-GBR-JPN/Toyota TS050 Hybrid)

Buemi-Davidson-Nakajima (SUI-GBR-JPN/Toyota TS050 Hybrid) 

3rd row: 

Tréluyer-Fässler-Lotterer (FRA-SUI-GER/Audi R18) 

Duval-Jarvis-Di Grassi (FRA-GBR-BRA/Audi R18) 

4th row: 

Imperatori-Kraihamer-Tüscher (SUI-AUT-SUI/Rebellion-AER) 

Prost-Piquet Jr-Heidfeld (FRA-BRA-GER/Rebellion-AER) 

5th row: 

Trummer-Webb-Kaffer (SUI-GBR-GER/ByKolles CLM-AER) 

Rusinov-Stevens-Rast (RUS-GBR-GER/Oreca-Nissan) 

6th row: 

Panciatici-Cheng-Tung (FRA-CHN-CHN/Alpine-Nissan)

Lapierre-Richelmi-Menezes (FRA-MCO-USA/Alpine-Nissan) 

7th row: 

Graves-Rao-Merhi (THA-GBR-ESP/Oreca-Nissan)

Vanthoor-Pew-Negri (BEL-USA-USA/Ligier-Honda) 

8th row: 

Dalziel-Derani-Cumming (GBR-BRA-CAN/Ligier-Nissan)

Thiriet-Beche-Hirakawa (FRA-SUI-JPN/Oreca-Nissan) 

9th row: 

Leventis-Watts-Kane (GBR/Gibson-Nissan)

Matsuda-Howson-Bradley (JPN-GBR-GBR/Oreca-Nissan) 

10th row: 

Barthez-Chatin-Buret (FRA/Ligier-Nissan)

Gommendy-Junjin-de Bruijn (FRA-CHN-NED/Oreca-Nissan) 

11th row: 

Van der Garde-Dolan-Dennis (NED-GBR-GBR/Gibson-Nissan)

Gonzalez-Senna-Albuquerque (MEX-BRA-PRT/Ligier-Nissan) 

12th row: 

Minassian-Mediani-Aleshin (FRA-ITA-RUS/BR01-Nissan)

Taittinger-Roussel-Striebig (FRA/Morgan-Nissan) 

13th row: 

Sharp-Brown-van Overbeek (USA/Ligier-Nissan) 

Petrov-Shaitar-Ladygin (RUS/BR01-Nissan)

14th row: 

Hoy-Munemann-Pizzitola (GBR-GBR-FRA/Ligier-Nissan)

Canal-Berthon-Rojas (FRA-FRA-MEX/Ligier-Nissan) 

15th row: 

Keating-Bleekemolen-Goosens (USA-DEN-BEL/Oreca-Nissan)

Nakano-Leutwiler-Winslow (JPN-SUI-GBR/Oreca-Judd) 

16th row: 

Capillaire-Maris-Coleman (FRA-FRA-GBR/Ligier-Judd)

Sausset-Tinseau-Bouvet (FRA/Morgan-Nissan)

17th row: 

Kröhn-Jönsson-Barbosa (USA-SWE-PRT/Ligier-Nissan)

Bourdais-Hand-Müller (FRA-USA-GER/Ford GT)

18th row: 

Dixon-Briscoe-Westbrook (NZL-AUS-GBR/Ford GT) 

Bruni-Calado-Pier Guidi (ITA-GBR-ITA/Ferrari 488) 

19th row: 

Franchitti-Priaulx-Tincknell (GBR/Ford GT)

Pla-Mücke-Johnson (FRA-GER-USA/Ford GT) 

20th row: 

Rigon-Bird-Bertolini (ITA-GBR-ITA/Ferrari 488) 

Fisichella-Vilander-Malucelli (ITA-FIN-ITA/Ferrari 488) 

Note: Grid will only be made official on Saturday morning by race stewards.

Source: AFP