Toyota Racing, which is based just 120km from the Ardennes track in Cologne, Germany, led the way in the LMP1-H category for almost all the session but it was Loïc Duval in the No.1 Audi R18 e-tron quattro which headed the time sheets as the chequered flag flew. The Frenchman lapped the 7km track in a time of 2:15.143 moments before the end of the session placing the Audi 0.272s ahead of the No.7 Toyota TS040 Hybrid, the best time from the Japanese entry coming courtesy of Kazuki Nakajima. Just five hundredths of a second behind was the No.8 Toyota TS040.
Rebellion Racing’s new Toyota-powered R-Ones had a troubled start to their Spa weekend, with the No.13 of Belicchi-Leimer-Kraihamer not completing a timed lap. The team is realistic about the introduction into competition of these very new cars, which have only done 5 days of testing before coming to Spa, and will be treating the weekend as an extended test session.
In LMP2 SMP Racing’s two ORECA 03 Nissans topped the class, the No.27 of Nicolas Minassian-Serguey Zlobin-Maurizio Mediani topped the class with a fastest lap of 2:25.960, just two tenths of a second ahead of its team mates in the No.37, and 3.4s faster than the third placed No.38 Zytek Z11SN Nissan of JOTA Sport. As across the whole field, the LMP2 drivers are all getting up to speed at Spa and taking care in the tricky track and weather conditions.
The 14 LMGTE Pro and Am cars were all jostling for the top place in the luxury manufacturer led category, and it was an LMGTE Am entry, No.75 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR of the Belgian Prospeed Competition team, which put all its local knowledge to good use and finished ahead of its Pro cousins. Matthieu Vaxivière lapped the track in a time of 2:34.281 to finish 0.267s ahead of the No.51 AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italia of Gianmaria Bruni. The LMGTE Pro lead had been traded throughout the two hours by the Ferrari and the Porsche 911 RSRs of Porsche Team Manthey, Fred Makowiecki’s No.92 finishing the session second in class, half a second ahead of the No.97 Aston Martin Racing Vantage V8.
In between the Pro Porsche and Aston Martin was another Am entry, the No.90 8Star Motorsports Ferrari 458 Italia of Enzo Potolicchio-Paolo Ruberti-Gianluca Roda lapping in a time of 2:35.184. Third in class was the No.88 Proton Competition Porsche 911 GT3 RSR of Ried-Bachler-Al Qubaisi.
A second two-hour practice will take place from 14h15 local and everyone will be hoping that the track will be dry!
Full results can be found HERE
Fiona Miller
10:03:50 2:34.548 fastest on last lap of session for #51 Ferrari
10:01:50 In LMP1 #1 Audi of Duval went quickest right at the end of the session with 2:15.143
10:00:20 Chequered Flag
09:51:53 2:36.487 now fastest in GTE Am for 90 Ferrari
09:50:01 10 minutes left of Free Practice 1
09:48:20 Mark Webber now in #20 Porsche
09:45:02 Jota #38 reported for speeding in the pit lane
09:34:37 2:30.354 now for Heidfeld in #12
09:33:35 Heidfeld in #12 Rebellion has set first flying lap of 2:34.583
09:24:27 Weather improving now and track drying
09:22:58 2:24.532 fastest in GTE Pro for #92
09:13:26 2:15.415 for Nakajima in #7
09:04:16 Bachler's time was 2:37.759
09:03:41 Fastest in GTE Am for #88 Porsche of Bachler
08:55:45 Rebellion #13 reported for speeding in the pit lane
08:54:51 Toyota's now first and second fastest overall in the same order they finished at Silverstone
08:53:20 2:35.136 for #51 Ferrari now fastest in GTE Pro
08:52:08 All cars have now set a timed lap except the 2 new Rebellions
08:50:57 2:35.170 fastest for Vilander in #51 Ferrari in GTE Pro
08:50:03 2:38.994 now fastest for #60 Ferrari in GTE Am
08:49:11 2;25.960 now fastest for #27 Oreca in LMP2
08:44:45 3:39.054 for #61 of Cioci now fastest in GTE Am
08:43:57 2:39.158 for 60 Ferrari now fastest in GTE Am
08:39:22 Porsche #20 has stopped at pit entry
08:36:53 Both new Rebellions now on the circuit for first time
08:34:33 2:26.159 for #37 Oreca now fastest in LMP2
08:32:20 2:39.311 now fastest in GTE Am for 98 Aston
08:26:06 2:27.624 fastest in LMP2 for #27 Oreca
08:24:44 2:15.487 now fastest for #8 of Buemi
08:22:44 2:35.198 fastest in GTE Pro for #92 Porsche
08:21:31 2:39.965 fastest in GTE Am for #90 Ferrari
08:19:07 2:32.083 fastest for #47 in LMP2
08:12:42 2:16.044 for Buemi in #8
08:10:19 2:17.000 for Buemi in Toyota #8
08:09:36 Green Flag
