FP1 : COOL Racing Fastest in First Practice Session of Le Castellet Weekend

Round 1 winners COOL Racing set the fastest lap time in the first 90-minute Free Practice session ahead of Sunday’s 4 Hours of Le Castellet in the South of France. The no37 Oreca-Gibson was two tenths quicker than the rest of the 43-car field with Malthe Jakobsen setting a 1m41.186 lap around the 5.771km Circuit Paul Ricard.

The no10 Vector Sport Oreca was second fastest in the hands of Felipe Drugovich, the Brazilian driver setting a 1m41.396, just 0.08s ahead of Louis Delétraz in the AO by TF Oreca and 0.097s ahead of the no28 IDEC Sport of Job Van Uitert.

The LMP2 Pro/Am category was headed by reigning champions and Round 1 winners AF Corse, with Matthieu Vaxiviere finishing the session in 6th overall with a 1m41.969, just 0.783s a drift the overall fastest time. The no83 Oreca was also six places ahead of the second fastest LMP2 Pro/Am entrant, with the no29 Richard Mille by TDS Oreca in 12th overall, with Mathias Beche setting a 1m42.223, just 0.084s ahead if the no24 Nielsen Racing Oreca of Albert Costa Balboa.

Former ELMS LMP3 Champions DKR Engineering were the fastest of the 10-car class, with the no4 Duqueine’s best lap of 1m49.545 set by Wyatt Brichacek, beating the no17 COOL Racing Ligier of Manuel Espirito Santo into second place by 0.25s. The no88 Inter Europol Competition Ligier was third quickest, Pedro Perino’s lap of 1m49.796 just 0.001s behind the COOL Racing Ligier.

The no60 Proton Competition Porsche finished at the head of the 11 car LMGT3 field with Julien Andlauer setting a benchmark of 1m55.257. The no86 GR Racing Ferrari of Davide Rigon finished the session in second spot on 1m55.499, three tenths ahead of the JMW Motorsport Ferrari of Ben Tuck and a further 0.006s ahead of Round 1 winner Nicklas Nielsen in the no50 Formula Racing Ferrari.

The second Free Practice session for the 4 Hours of Le Castellet will take place tomorrow morning at 10h10 CEST.