6H Fuji FP2: Toyota fastest; Porsche on top in LMGTE Pro
The second 90 minutes of Free Practice for the 6 Hours of Fuji, took place this afternoon in warm and dry conditions, with the sun shining down on Fuji Speedway.
The main FP2 headlines can be found below:
LMP1
- No. 8 Toyota TS050 Hybrid on top in LMP1 again as Kazuki Nakajima sets best time at his home track
- Japanese driver clocks a time of 1:25.623 early in the session – nearly two seconds faster than his team-mate Sébastien Buemi who was quickest during FP1
- Rebellion Racing second quickest out of other LMP1 crews with Norman Nato posting a time of 1:27.042 during the session’s first 30 minutes
- Team LNT’s No. 5 third fastest with Egor Orudzhev clocking 1:27.602 in the Ginetta G60-LT-P1 car
LMGTE Pro
- Porsche continue to set the pace in the class, but with a gap to Ferrari of just 0.038s – the potential battle between the different marques in GTE will undoubtedly intensify from now until the end of the 6 Hours of Fuji!
- Michael Christensen in the No.92 Porsche 911 RSR-19 topped the LMGTE Pro times with a time of 1:38.214 ahead of the No.51 Ferrari 488 GTE of James Calado in second place, the British driver having been at the top of the class for the first half of the session
- In third was the sister Porsche GT Team entry, the No.91’s best time being set in the hands of Richard Lietz
- Aston Martin Racing’s two Vantage AMRs, Nos.97 and 95, were 4th and 5th in class respectively, the British team opting to concentrate on longer fuel and tyre runs during the session
- Also working on optimising set up prior to the race was the No.71 AF Corse Ferrari. Nevertheless, only 0.695 seconds separated the factory GTE entries – close competition guaranteed for qualifying tomorrow and the race on Sunday
富士山に敬意を表して
— WEC (@FIAWEC) October 4, 2019
Respect Mount Fuji #6HFuji #WEC #WECjp pic.twitter.com/lDzvcQ30jd
LMP2
- JOTA’s Anthony Davidson set the pace out of the eight LMP2 crews as the Briton posted a time of 1:29.633 half-way through the session
- Davidson’s time was 0.09s adrift of Kenta Yamashita’s fastest FP1 time earlier today
- Yamashita was second fastest in FP2 at the wheel of the No. 33 High Class Racing Oreca 07, setting a time of 1:30.163
- United Autosports rounded out the top three as Phil Hanson was at the wheel when the team clocked 1:30.205
- First and second fastest LMP2 teams both equipped with Goodyear’s new tyres
LMGTE Am
- TF Sport’s No.90 Aston Martin Vantage continued its strong morning form, with Jonny Adam once again a fastest time of 1:38.719, a slight improvement on FP1 pace
- In second place in the LMGTE Am class was Super Season class champion, Team Project 1, with Matteo Cairoli setting the pace in the No.56 Porsche 911 RSR for the German team
- Ross Gunn took the No.98 Vantage to a best time of 1:38.949, the young Briton teaming this year with Paul Dalla Lana and long-time factory driver Darren Turner
- Fourth in class was the No.54 AF Corse Ferrari of Francesco Castellacci, Giancarlo Fisichella and Thomas Flohr. 0.098s separated the Italian car from the first of the Dempsey-Proton Racing Porsches, Thomas Preining setting the fastest time for this entry
The third and final Free Practice session will take place tomorrow at 09h20 local time with Qualifying to follow in the afternoon.
