It was an action-packed FP3 for FIA World Endurance Championship, in the season opener at Silverstone.
The air- and track temperature were colder today, which meant quicker laptimes for all the classes except for LMP1. But it also meant that people pushed extra hard, which resulted in a whole lot of spins in all the categories. But luckily, there was no interruption.
Toyota Gazoo Racing #8 with Kazuki Nakajima, Sebastien Buemi and Brendon Hartley was the fastest, ahead of Rebellion Racing #3 with Pipo Derani, Loic Duval and Nathanael Berthon, while Rebellion Racing #1 with Bruno Senna, Gustavo Menezes and Norman Nato was third. Team LNT was last again on the field with their two Ginetta cars, but despite a spin and a puncture earlier in the free practice, #5 with Ben Hanley, Egor Orudzhev and Charlie Robertson ended up being the faster one of the two.
United Autosports #22 continued their dominance in LMP2, where they yet again were the fastest with Filipe Albuquerque, Paul Di Resta and Phil Hanson behind the wheel. Racing Team Nederland #29 with Giedo van der Garde, Frits van Eerd and Job van Uitert was the second fastest, followed by Jackie Chan DC Racing #37 with Ho-Pin Tung, Gabriel Aubry and Will Stevens.
AF Corse Ferrari #51 with James Calado and Alessandro Pier Guidi again led the GTE Pro table, ahead of #91 with Gianmaria Bruni and Richard Lietz, while Kevin Estre and Michael Christensen in Porsche #92 was third.
Nicklas Nielsen, Emmanuel Collard and Francois Perrodo were fastest in GTE Am with AF Corse Ferrari #83, followed by Team Project 1 Porsche #56 with David Klokmann, Matteo Cairoli and Egidio Perfetti. There was still no sign of David Heinemeier Hansson in the free practice, so the qualifying will be the very last chance to show up if he wants to drive this weekend. AF Corse Ferrari #54 with Thomas Flohr, Giancarlo Fisichella and Francesco Castellacci was third fastest amongst the GTE Am cars.
The qualifying for tomorrow’s race will be run at 11.50 GMT – or 12.50 CET.