Malthe Jakobsen claims pole for the 2026 Six Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, delivering Peugeot’s first WEC top-grid start in four years after a finely judged qualifying lap.

Driving the #94 Peugeot 9X8, Jakobsen edges the #12 Cadillac by 0.043 seconds. He shares the car with Loic Duval and Theo Pourchaire for Saturday’s race.

The #35 Alpine secures third, with Alex Felix Da Costa, Christophe Milesi, and Ferdinand Habsburg only 0.035 seconds behind the Cadillac, underlining the compressed Hypercar field.

Depth behind the top three looks strong. The #36 Alpine features, alongside two Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA entries, shaping a front group separated by fine margins.

Aston Martin’s Thor Team locks out sixth and seventh with the #009 and #007. Drivers Antonio Riberas, Mikkel Sørensen, Harry Tincknell, and Tom Gamble deliver consistent single-lap pace.

Balance of Performance and Spa’s temperature swings keep the field tight. Execution across out-lap preparation, traffic gaps, and tire warm-up proves decisive in qualifying.

In LMGT3, Akkodis ASP leads with the Lexus. Hadrien David sets the benchmark, two-tenths clear of the Heart of Racing Aston Martin driven by Zacharie Robichon.

Proton Competition and Vista AF Corse also feature prominently. With 18 LMGT3 entries, traffic management and stint balance will define race outcomes more than outright qualifying speed.

The six-hour format at Spa stresses car integrity and operational discipline. Safety cars, Full Course Yellows, and mixed-class compression typically swing strategy windows.

Peugeot’s return to the front row carries clear pressure. Converting pole requires consistent triple-stint tire management, robust pit work, and clean rejoin phases in heavy traffic.

Cadillac’s long-run stability and Alpine’s one-lap sharpness hint at an evenly matched lead group. Aston Martin’s steady progress positions both cars to capitalize on any volatility.

The qualifying spread suggests minimal margin for error. With strategies diverging early, race control interventions and track evolution are likely to decide the final order.

All eyes now turn to Peugeot. The immediate task is simple and difficult: protect track position, control stint lengths, and finally turn headline pace into sustained race execution.

Visual Summary

James William

James William covers the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, from the Rolex 24 at Daytona to sprint-race formats. His reports include prototype performance reviews, GT class battles, and pit-stop strategy insights for endurance-racing fans.