Porsche topped the time sheets at Shanghai today, Brendon Hartley fastest in both free practice sessions in China.
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| © Porsche |
Hartley drove a 1.46.979 in the first session on a sometimes slippery track, 0.198 seconds faster than Lucas di Grassi in the #8 Audi R18. Sébastien Buemi was third fastest in his #5 Toyota TS050, 0.664 seconds behind the leading Porsche #1. Misfortune for the other Porsche when the #2 car of Neel Jani, Romain Dumas and Marc Lieb quickly got back into the pits. Just like in Fuji a precautionary battery change had to be done on the 919 Hybrid. By the end of the session Dumas got back out again, finishing in sixth place.
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| © Audi |
Track conditions improved in the second free practice session in the afternoon. Hartley was quickest again in his #1 Porsche 919, improving his time to a 1.44.594. The #8 Audi R18 was second fastest again, driven by Loic Duval. With a time of 1.46.211 Duval also improved from this mornings time, but was 1.617 seconds adrift from the Porsche.
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| © Porsche |
After the battery change this morning, the Porsche #2 had an uneventful session finishing third fastest, just behind the Audi (0.053 seconds). Both Toyota's were fourth and sixth fastest, split up by the #7 Audi R18.
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| © Ade Holbrook - AdrenalMedia.com |
Rebellion was fastest in the first session this morning, ByKolles put in the quickest time this afternoon in the privateer LMP1 class.
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| © G-Drive Racing |
G-Drive Racing was fastest in both sessions in LMP2. Alex Brundle quickest in the morning session in a 1.55.953, which put him 0.155 seconds ahead of Stéphane Richelmi in the championship leading #36 Signatech Alpine. Nicolas Minassian was third fastest with his #27 SMP BR01/Nissan, ahead of championship challengers RGR Sport with Felipe Albuquerque at the wheel of the #43 Ligier.
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| © Gabi Tomescu - AdrenalMedia.com |
In the afternoon Will Stevens set the benchmark in the G-Drive Oreca, over a second faster than the morning session in a 1.54.627. Both Manor Orecas now made their way to the top of the table, Alex Lynn second fastest in the #44, 0.229 seconds behind Stevens. Mathias Beche was third fastest in the #45 Manor, completing a lap of the Chinese track in 1.55.208. Both championship contenders rounded out the top 5 in the afternoon. The RGR Ligier now just ahead of the Signatech Alpine.
GTE Pro was close again, as is has been in most of the races this season so far. After the morning session, Gianmaria Bruni was fastest in his #51 AF Corse Ferrari F488. Richard Lietz got himself in second place, the #77 Dempsey-Proton Porsche 0.115 seconds slower than Bruni. Stefan Mücke was the fastest Ford driver in the #66 Ford GT, just 0.043 seconds behind the Porsche. Nicky Thiim in the #95 Aston Martin Vantage took fourth place. All seven cars in the GTE Pro class finished within a 0.735 second margin in the morning session.
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| © Gabi Tomescu - AdrenalMedia.com |
James Calado was fastest in the second session, putting the #51 Ferrari on top again in 2.02.481. The #71 sister car got into second, 0.260 seconds slower. The #66 Ford GT was third fastest, now ahead of the #97 Aston Martin. The gap between the fastest (#51) and slowest (#77) car in class got up to 2.6 seconds in the afternoon.
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| © Gabi Tomescu - AdrenalMedia.com |
Pedro Lamy impressed (again) in the GTE Am class this morning, even mixing with the Pro cars at a certain time. By the end of the session, the Portuguese driver was fastest in his #98 Aston Martin in 2.04.503. Wolf Henzler was second fastest in the #78 KCMG Porsche, but over a second slower than Lamy. Patrick Long in the #88 Abu Dhabi-Proton Racing Porsche ahead of the #83 AF Corse Ferraro of Emmanuel Collard.
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| © Gabi Tomescu - AdrenalMedia.com |
Porsche was fastest in the second session, Patrick Long on top of the timesheets in the #88 (2.05.428) Wolf Henzler in the KCMG Porsche was second fastest, 0.133 seconds behind. The #98 Aston Martin fell back to third position, just 0.037 seconds slower than the #78 and a mere 0.004 seconds ahead of the #86 Gulf Racing Porsche.
Results FP1
Results FP2
