Friday, 14 October 2016

FIA WEC - 6 Hours of Fuji: Friday free practice sessions

Audi and Porsche were fastest in today's free practice sessions in Fuji.

© Gabi Tomescu - AdrenalMedia.com

Marcel Fässler was fastest this morning in the first free practice at Fuji. Fässler drove a 1.25.030, half a second faster than Kamui Kobayashi in the #6 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota TS050. Loïc Duval was third fastest in the second Audi R18, followed by the second Toyota and both Porsches. The championship leading Porsche #2 of Romain Dumas, Neel Jani and Marc Lieb suffered from an oil leak and had to install a new gearbox, causing it to miss most of the session.

© Gabi Tomescu - AdrenalMedia.com


Alex Brundle topped the LMP2 class with a 1.33.204 in the #26 G-Drive Oreca. Second fastest was Ryan Dalziel in the #31 ESM Ligier ahead of Jonny Kane in the again impressive #42 Strakka Gibson.

© Gabi Tomescu - AdrenalMedia.com


Andy Priaulx set the benchmark in GTE-Pro, putting a 1.39.216 on the timesheets (just 0.032 faster than his co-driver Harry Tincknell) in the 67 Ford GT. Michael Christensen was second fastest in the #77 Dempsey-Proton Porsche 911, ahead of Gianmaria Bruni in the #51 AF Corse Ferrari 488.

© Gabi Tomescu - AdrenalMedia.com



Emmanuel Collard was fastest in the GTE-Am class in his #83 AF Corse Ferrari in 1.40.775, which was 0.160 seconds ahead of Pedro Lamy in the #98 Aston Martin. Ricky Taylor was third fastest in the #50 Larbre Corvette.

© Porsche AG
Porsche was fastest in the second free practice which saw the #7 Audi going off and into the barriers again after contact with the #31 ESM Ligier. Bad luck again for Andre Lotterer who was able to get the car back into the pits for repairs, suffering damage on the front.

© Gabi Tomescu - AdrenalMedia.com


Mark Webber set the fastest time with a 1.24.074, almost a second faster than Oliver Jarvis in the #8 Audi R18 (1.24.968). Before his accident, André Lotterer was able to set the third fastest time in 1.25.000. Marc Lieb put his #2 Porsche 919 on fourth, ahead of both Toyota TS050's. The session didn't end well for Toyota either, Kamui Kobayashi coming to a standstill in his #6 TS050 on the track with a hybrid issue.

Rebellion outpaced byKolles again in the second practice, as they did this morning.

© Gabi Tomescu - AdrenalMedia.com


In LMP2, championship challengers RGR Sport were fastest, Felipe Albuquerque putting in a 1.31.909 in the #43 Ligier/Nissan. Alex Brundle was second fastest in the #26 G-Drive Oreca, although 0.833 seconds behind. Richard Bradley came in third fastest in the #44 Manor. Rounding out the top 5 were Lewis Williamson in the #42 Strakka Gibson and Sean Gelael in the #30 ESM Ligier.

© Gabi Tomescu - AdrenalMedia.com
Ford was fastest in GTE again, Stefan Mücke now leading the field in his #66 Ford GT (1.38.743), ahead of both AF Corse Ferrari's. Gianmaria Bruni in the #51 just faster than Davide Rigon in the #71.

© Aston Martin Racing
Pedro Lamy now topped in the Am class (1.40.112), outpacing the 150 Larbre Corvette of Ricky Taylor and Patrick Long in the #88 Proton Competition Porsche.


Kristof Vermeulen.