French team Panis Racing was the fastest ELMS car during the test day ahead of this weekend’s 4 Hours of Le Castellet. Job Van Uitert’s lap of 1m43.609 in the afternoon session was the fastest lap overall, but just 0.068s ahead of the nearest rival, the no25 Algarve Pro Racing Oreca of Alex Lynn.
The morning session was headed by the no20 Algarve Pro Racing Oreca, with Tristan Vautier putting the LMP2 Pro/Am car at the top of the timing screens with a 1m44.188 lap, with the no43 Inter Europol Competition Oreca of Jonathan Aberdein in second place; 0.139s behind the lead car and heading the LMP2 entry with a 1m44.327 lap. Marino Sato put the LMP2 entered no22 United Autosports USA in third overall with a 1m44.529, 0.082s ahead of the second LMP2 Pro/Am car, the race winning no34 Racing Team Turkey Oreca of Charlie Eastwood.
Oscar Tunjo set the pace in the LMP3 category, setting a 1m51.585 lap in the no12 WTM by Rinaldi Racing Duqueine, 0.068s ahead of the no15 RLR MSport Ligier of Gael Julien.
The LMGTE class was headed by the no60 Iron Lynx Porsche, with Matteo Cairoli posting a 1m54.704 lap, 0.048s ahead of the no93 Proton Competition Porsche of Richard Lietz.
The Afternoon Session saw the best times in all four categories improved. The no65 Panis Racing Oreca led the way with Van Uitert’s lap of 1m43.609. In fact, the top nine cars all went quicker than the best time set by Tristan Vautier in the Morning Session.
The top LMP2 Pro/Am car was the no24 Nielsen Racing Oreca in 7thoverall, with Ben Hanley’s 1m44.085 lap just over one tenth ahead of the best time from the earlier session.
The no13 Inter Europol Competition Ligier was the fastest of the 12 LMP3 cars, with Kai Askey’s lap of 1m50.523 just 0.062s faster than the best class time in the morning. The no31 Racing Spirit of Leman Ligier was the second fastest overall with Antoine Doquin posting a 1m50.558, 0.035s behind Askey and 0.027s ahead of the morning session’s best time.
The LMGTE class was equally close, with the no77 Proton Competition Porsche posting the best time of the day by the slimmest of margins. Julien Andlauer posted a 1m54.607 lap, 0.1s ahead of the best time in the morning session set by Matteo Cairoli in the no60 Porsche. Cairoli was second quickest in the afternoon session but his 1m54.851 lap was 0.147s slower than his morning’s best.
Richard Lietz was third fastest with a 1m54.875 in the no93 Proton Competition Porsche just 0.001s ahead of his teammate Alessio Picariello in the no16 Proton Competition Porsche, making it a Porsche 1-2-3-4 in the afternoon.
So apart from the from Andlauer’s time in the afternoon, the next four fastest times were set in the morning, with the no60 Iron Lynx Porsche in second (1m54.704), the no93 Proton Competition Porsche in third (1m54.752), the no50 Formula Racing Ferrari of Nicklas Nielsen in fourth (1m54.778) and the no55 Spirit of Race Ferrari of Matt Griffin in fifth (1m54.781).The top five cars covered by just 0.177s.
The competitors taking part in the 4 Hours of Le Castellet will be back on track at 11h40 tomorrow morning for Free Practice 1.
