FP1 at Le Mans: Hartley fastest for Toyota; Corvette 1-2
The track action is underway after three hours of free practice in readiness for the Le Mans 24 Hours this weekend....
The 90th 24 Hours of Le Mans is officially underway after three hours of free practice were completed in mostly warm and sunny conditions this afternoon
Preparations for the first qualifying practice session this evening saw Toyota Gazoo Racing’s No.8 entry head the pair of Glickenhaus 007LMH Hypercars.
Corvette similarly enjoyed a 1-2 in LMGTE Pro, while in LMP2 it was the No.23 United Autosports USA entry topping the times.
LMGTE Am witnessed a good session for the ‘stars n stripes’ Weathertech Porsche entry as it led a pair of Aston Martins.
The Headlines from the 90th 24 Hours of Le Mans First Free Practice Session
Hypercar
· No.8 Toyota quickest as Brendon Hartley sets best lap of 3m29.411s with 20-minutes of three hour session remaining
· Kiwi heads No.709 Glickenhaus entry by 0.476s
· Franck Mailleux had led the pack by setting an early session flyer with a 3m29.917s
· The Frenchman’s time was just 0.021s shy of Jose-Maria Lopez quickest time of last Sunday’s test day
· Pipo Derani made it a 1-2 for most of session in the No.708 Glickenhaus 007LMH with a time just 0.185s from sister car and was eventually placed third
· Toyota Gazoo Racing’s No.7 GR010-Hybrid Hypercar places fourth as Kamui Kobayashi peaks on a 3m30.403s
· Alpine ELF Team end session fifth on a 3m32.075 set by Andre Negrao in WEC points leading entry
LMGTE Pro
· Corvette Racing’s Tommy Milner claims best free practice time for American entered squad as No.64 car heads stablemates in No.63 entry
· Milner’s 3m53.360s set early in session heads Antonio Garcia’s 3m54.339s effort in No.63 Chevrolet Corvette C8.R
· No.92 Porsche 911 RSR-19 third as 3m54.552s set by Michael Christensen stands as fastest Porsche lap
· Gimmi Bruni’s 3m54.081s in final hour sees Porsche GT Team place third and fourth
· Antonio Fuoco sets fifth best time in LMGTE Pro aboard No.52 AF Corse Ferrari
· Sixth in class is Riley entered Ferrari 488 GTE Evo as former Ferrari factory driver Sam Bird sets best lap of 3m54.601s
· Problems for Spa winning No.51 AF Corse Ferrari 488 GTE Evo as car spends majority of session in pit box due to a technical issue
· But James Calado manages to set seventh best time in class in final 15 mins of session
LMP2
· Alex Lynn stops clocks on a 3m30.238s best to take best lap in LMP2 for the No.23 United Autosports USA entry he shares with Oliver Jarvis and youngest ever participant at Le Mans, Joshua Pierson
· Antonio Felix da Costa blasts to a late set second fastest time in final minutes of session in No.38 JOTA car with a 3m31.624s
· Lap helps to sooth earlier difficulties after Will Stevens went off at first Mulsanne chicane and had to be towed from gravel trap
· No.9 Prema Orlen Team third as Robert Kubica sets an early flyer of 3m31.881s
· Kubica aiming to banish memory of 2021 heartbreak
· 2021 LMP2 winners WRT fourth quickest as Spa sensation Robin Frijns sets 3m32.158 best
· Vector Sport also lose time in session after Ryan Cullen stops just after Dunlop bridge and has to be retrieved under Full Course Yellow
· No.35 Ultimate entry of Mathieu Lahaye has early incident and damages rear of car but makes it back to pits
· Incident for No.45 Algarve Pro entry in final moments sees heavy damage inflicted by Steven Thomas at final chicane
LMGTE Am
· No.79 Weathertech Porsche heads LMGTE Am with Julien Andlauer’s rapid 3m55.082 is almost a full second ahead of competition in bumper 23-car category
· GR Racing make it a Porsche 1-2 as British entered car places second with Ben Barker lapping in an impressive 3m55.941s
· TF Sport Aston Martin third as Marco Sorensen peaks with a 3m55.997s to head former teammate Nicki Thiim in No.98 Northwest AMR car
· D’Station Aston Martin makes it three Vantages in top five as Tomonobu Fuji sets quickest lap
Click HERE for all results
