Sebastien Buemi got off to a good start in the race meeting that could make him a World Champions topping a Toyota 1,2 in Free Practice 1 in Bahrain, 1:45.447 his best.
Both Audis made it out on track after their rebuilds around replacement tubs over the past 24 hours, the damage apparently caused by the cars clattering the kerbs in Shanghai.
There initially seemed to be no issues for the R18s, Andre Lotterer posting a 1:46.283 to top the overall times after 17 minutes of the session before being overhauled by Lucas di Grassi, the Brazilian first into the 1:45s (1:45.557). Immediately after setting that time though the #1 Audi ground to a halt at the exit of T3, rejoining slowly some four minutes later. The issue was a minor electronics glitch, the problem fixed in minutes after di Grassi got back to the pits, the car lapping reliably thereafter.
In LMP2 Olivier Pla made the initial running, into the 1:51s in the #26 G-Drive Ligier Nissan (1:51.807). His time was almost matched though by Kirill Ladygin in the #37 SMP Racing Oreca Nissan. There were precious few other improvements in class throughout the session though.
In the GTE classes the factory Porsches made the best start to the session2:00.1 and 2:00.2 with Nicki Thiim putting the now seemingly traditional Am car on top with a 2:00.056 after 20 minutes.
Alex Wurz put the #7 Toyota on top,(1:45.505) after 40 minutes before a brief red flag at around the halfway point in the session saw the stationary CLM Lotus removed to a place of safety after the #9 car stopped at T4 in the hands of Simon Trummer.
Mark Webber improved the best of the Porsche times to put the #20 919 just five thousands off Wurz’s time.
The #97 Aston Martin was a late starter in the session but Stefan Mucke was soon on the pace and indeed soon topped the times, the only man under 2 minutes, 1:59.087, a full second faster than Thiim’s time.
Pedro Lamy meanwhile popped up second fastest in GTE Am before vaulting up the order, fastest in Am, second fastest GTE overall and second man in the 1:59s (1:59.717).
The final major improvement came from Buemi to top the times overall, the #8 Toyota had led the session early on before being overhauled by both Audis and the #20 Porsche of Mark Webber.
The session ended with four cars separated by just 0.110 of a second, this quartet including both Toyotas and the fastest car from each of the other two factories.
GTE saw an Aston Martin 1,2,3 #97 Pro car from the two Am Vantages.
James Calado popped up second fastest in the GTE Pro stakes in a very tightly bunched class behind the dominant time of the #97 Aston, 6 tenths separating the other five cars Abdulaziz Al Faisal posting the fastest time in the #99 Aston to leave the rebuilt #51 Ferrari propping up the order.
