Le Mans, France - Japanese former Formula 1 driver Kamui Kobayashi set a new lap record for the Le Mans 24 Hour Race on Thursday as Toyota topped the time charts for the second successive qualifying run.
Kobayashi, behind the wheel of the TS050 Hybrid, clocked 3min14.791sec to beat the previous best of 3min16.887sec setr by 206 winner Neel Jani of Switzerland in a Porsche two years ago.
READ: 24 hours of Le Mans: Here's all you need to know
The 85th edition of the iconic Le Mans race takes place on Saturday and Sunday.
Leading qualifying times on Thursday:
1. Sarrazin-Conway-Kobayashi (FRA-GBR-JPN/Toyota TS050 Hybrid) 3:14.791
2. Jani-Lotterer-Tandy (SUI-GER-GBR/Porsche 919 Hybrid) 3:17.259
3. Bamber-Bernhard-Hartley (NZL-GER-NZL/Porsche 919 Hybrid) 3:18.067
4. Buemi-Davidson-Nakajima (SUI-GBR-JPN/Toyota TS050 Hybrid) 3:19.431
5. Lopez-Kunimoto-Lapierre (ARG-JPN-FRA/Toyota TS050 Hybrid) 3:19.889