The 2021 European Le Mans Series got underway today at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya with the first day of the two-day official test ahead of the Round 1 of the new season this weekend.
The competitors had the opportunity to test for a total of 10 hours today, spread over three sessions.The fastest car overall was the no41 Orlen Team WRT Oreca, with Louis Deletraz, who makes his ELMS race debut this weekend, setting the fastest time of the day in the evening session with a 1m33.173 lap, with his teammate Robert Kubica setting the second best time of 1m33.991.
The 4-hour morning session was interrupted by several red flags due to cars going off track into the gravel traps around the circuit.No serious damage was suffered by any of the cars.
The session was headed by the no32 United Autosports Oreca 07-Gibson, with former LMP3 champion Job Van Uitert posting the best time of 1m34.830, over one second ahead of the no28 Idec Sport Oreca.
The LMP3 class was led by the no11 Eurointernational Ligier after Joey Alders set a 1m40.765 lap, 0.478 ahead of the no8 Graff Ligier.The fastest car in the LMGTE category was the no80 Iron Lynx Ferrari with Spain’s Miguel Molina lapping the 4.675 km Barcelona circuit in 1m43.789s, 1.1s faster than the no83 Iron Lynx Ferrari.
The 4-hour afternoon session saw the best times in the LMP2 and LMP3 classes improved.The no26 G-Drive Racing Aurus topped the times with Pietro Fittipaldi posting a 1m34.694, 0.136s ahead of the best time set in the morning, with the Brazilian’s time just over one tenth ahead of the no21 Dragonspeed USA Oreca.
Reigning LMP3 champion Wayne Boyd posted the best class time of the afternoon session in the no2 United Autosports Ligier, the British driver setting a 1m40.231, 0.6 seconds ahead of the no20 Team Virage Ligier and 0.534 seconds better than the earlier sessions best.
The no80 Iron Lynx Ferrari, with Miguel Molina behind the wheel, was once again at the top of the class times.The Spaniard lapped his home track in 1m44.441, six tenths slower than his best time in the earlier session and 0.3 seconds ahead of the no60 Iron Lynx Ferrari.
The final 2-hour session of the day was concluded as the sun set, with only 16 LMP2 and LMP3 cars taking the opportunity to test.
Deletraz's time of 1m33.173 in the no41 Orlen Team WRT Oreca was 1.5 seconds inside Fittipaldi’s afternoon session lap time and was 1.6 seconds ahead of the second fastest car, the no30 Duqueine Team Oreca-Gibson.
The no4 DKR Engineering Duqueine-Nissan of Laurents Hörr was the fastest LMP3 car on Day 1, with the German posting a 1m39.541, nearly seven tenths inside the previous best and 0.756s faster than the second placed car in the evening session, the no11 Eurointernational Ligier.
Day Two of the ELMS Official Test will feature seven hours of track time, with a 4-hour morning session beginning at 09h00 and a 3-hour afternoon session starting at 14h00.
The 4 Hours of Barcelona, round 1 of the 2021 European Le Mans Series will begin on Friday 16 April and conclude with the 4 hour race on Sunday 18 April.
CLICK HERE for the results from the ELMS Official Test – Day One.
The competitors had the opportunity to test for a total of 10 hours today, spread over three sessions.The fastest car overall was the no41 Orlen Team WRT Oreca, with Louis Deletraz, who makes his ELMS race debut this weekend, setting the fastest time of the day in the evening session with a 1m33.173 lap, with his teammate Robert Kubica setting the second best time of 1m33.991.
The 4-hour morning session was interrupted by several red flags due to cars going off track into the gravel traps around the circuit.No serious damage was suffered by any of the cars.
The session was headed by the no32 United Autosports Oreca 07-Gibson, with former LMP3 champion Job Van Uitert posting the best time of 1m34.830, over one second ahead of the no28 Idec Sport Oreca.
The LMP3 class was led by the no11 Eurointernational Ligier after Joey Alders set a 1m40.765 lap, 0.478 ahead of the no8 Graff Ligier.The fastest car in the LMGTE category was the no80 Iron Lynx Ferrari with Spain’s Miguel Molina lapping the 4.675 km Barcelona circuit in 1m43.789s, 1.1s faster than the no83 Iron Lynx Ferrari.
The 4-hour afternoon session saw the best times in the LMP2 and LMP3 classes improved.The no26 G-Drive Racing Aurus topped the times with Pietro Fittipaldi posting a 1m34.694, 0.136s ahead of the best time set in the morning, with the Brazilian’s time just over one tenth ahead of the no21 Dragonspeed USA Oreca.
Reigning LMP3 champion Wayne Boyd posted the best class time of the afternoon session in the no2 United Autosports Ligier, the British driver setting a 1m40.231, 0.6 seconds ahead of the no20 Team Virage Ligier and 0.534 seconds better than the earlier sessions best.
The no80 Iron Lynx Ferrari, with Miguel Molina behind the wheel, was once again at the top of the class times.The Spaniard lapped his home track in 1m44.441, six tenths slower than his best time in the earlier session and 0.3 seconds ahead of the no60 Iron Lynx Ferrari.
The final 2-hour session of the day was concluded as the sun set, with only 16 LMP2 and LMP3 cars taking the opportunity to test.
Deletraz's time of 1m33.173 in the no41 Orlen Team WRT Oreca was 1.5 seconds inside Fittipaldi’s afternoon session lap time and was 1.6 seconds ahead of the second fastest car, the no30 Duqueine Team Oreca-Gibson.
The no4 DKR Engineering Duqueine-Nissan of Laurents Hörr was the fastest LMP3 car on Day 1, with the German posting a 1m39.541, nearly seven tenths inside the previous best and 0.756s faster than the second placed car in the evening session, the no11 Eurointernational Ligier.
Day Two of the ELMS Official Test will feature seven hours of track time, with a 4-hour morning session beginning at 09h00 and a 3-hour afternoon session starting at 14h00.
The 4 Hours of Barcelona, round 1 of the 2021 European Le Mans Series will begin on Friday 16 April and conclude with the 4 hour race on Sunday 18 April.
CLICK HERE for the results from the ELMS Official Test – Day One.
