The skies were still true blue over Sakhir as the FIA World Endurance Championship competitors set out for the third and final one-hour free practice session for the 6 Hours of Bahrain. A red flag interrupted the session for several minutes while the stranded No.29 Gulf Racing Middle East Lola-Nissan was retrieved.
For the third session, a third different name appeared at the top of the time sheets: after the No.7 Toyota Racing TS030 and the No.1 Audi R18 e-tron quattro, this time it was the turn of the Allan McNish’s No.2 Audi to be quickest, recording a lap of 1:47.639. The time was slightly quicker than the fastest in the first practice, but a little slower than that of the second. The Scot headed his team mate, André Lotterer in the No.1 car by just over three tenths of a second and Nicolas Lapierre’s Toyota by a little more than seven tenths.
Danny Watts wasn’t able to go for the quickest time this morning as Strakka Racing decided to leave the No.21 HPD-Honda in the garage and not take part in the session. It was therefore Neel Jani in the No.12 Rebellion Racing Lola-Toyota who set the pace with a quickest lap of 1:48.779, impressively just four tenths off the Toyota’s time. Karun Chandhok and the No.22 JRM HPD ARX 03a split the two Rebellion Racing Lolas, the No.13 car of Andrea Belicchi finishing third among the LMP1 Privateers.
The OAK Racing team is definitely on form as it has monopolised the top spot in the LMP2 category throughout all three free practice sessions, the No.24 Morgan-Nissan of Olivier Pla this morning replacing the sister No.35 car at the top with the a time of 1:53.249. The No.44 Starworks Motorsports HPD ARX 03, which has consistently been in the top three, ended up in second place thanks to Stéphane Sarrazin, with the No. 32 Lola-Lotus of James Rossiter in third.
As in yesterday’s night session, the No.97 Aston Martin Racing Vantage V8 hoisted itself to the top of the LMGTE Pro category with Stefan Mücke’s time of 2:01.401. Richard Lietz was unable to equal the German driver’s time in his No.77 Team Felbermayr-Proton Porsche, neither was Giancarlo Fisichella in the No.51 AF Corse Ferrari.
The LMGTE Am class mirrored LMP1 with a third leader in three sessions: Fernando Rees in the No.50 Larbre Competition Corvette, winner of the last 24 Hours of Le Mans in this category, set a fastest time of 2:4.624. Rui Aguas was just a whisker behind …two hundredths of a second in fact, in his No.61 AF Corse-Waltrip, while Paolo Ruberti in the No.88 Team Felbermayr-Proton Porsche followed up in third place.
On now to qualifying which starts at 1600 hours (local time) for the LMGTE Pro and Am entries, the session lasting 20 minutes. After a break of ten minutes, it will be the turn of the LMP1 and LMP2 cars to go all out in an attempt for pole position. They will also have 20 minutes, from 1630-1650 hours.
Fiona Miller
Photo: SAKHIR (BAHRAIN), BAHRAIN INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT, 6 HOURS OF BAHRAIN, FRIDAY 27TH SEPTEMBER 2012, FREE PRACTICE 3. The No.24 OAK Racing Morgan-Nissan retained its dominance in practice.
