Around 3000 people braved very challenging weather yesterday to watch the WEC runners pound around on the first day of a two day test.
Paddock access was opened up to the accredited media for day 2 today with lots of laps for seemingly everyone on a dry but overcast day, a cold breeze seeing the teams, in the main, take to the shelter of the pit garages.
All three factory LMP1s managed times sub 1:40 with Audi, now confirmed as running the Le Mans sec R18 e-tron quattro for the remainder of the year, topping the times by 2pm with a 1:37.456 posted by Loic Duval the Frenchman sharing the #9 car with Lucas di Grassi today after Andre Lotterer drove for the first hour or so again this morning.
The #919 Porsche was into the 1:38s (1:38.863 by 2pm) with Timo Bernhard and Marc Lieb on duty today.
Toyota meanwhile were again a little way back, Anthony Davidson and Sebastien Buemi driving today 1:39.814
Next up in the order was a highly encouraging run from Strakka Racing in their ‘new’ Gibson 015S Nissan, 1:45.123 putting them ahead of the ByKolles CLM (1:46.479) with Simon Trummer and Pierre Kaffer joined for the test only by 2015 GP2 racer Rene Binder.
Both ESM Ligier HPDs were running well this morning and the #30 car stayed at the sharp end (no pun intended) into the afternoon with a 1:46.634, the sister #31 car 10th fastest overall at 2pm with a 1:48.178.
“It’s great to finally get an extended opportunity to iron some of the smaller bugs out of the package.” said Ed Brown.
KCMG’s all-Le mans winning trio, Matt Howson and Richard Bradley from LMP2, Nick Tandy fresh from his overall win, were in the mix too, 1:46.725, Matt Howson too was hoping for an opportunity to work on speed and reliability, even after a near perfect Le Mans run.
“We had reliability issues in both 6 hour races with the new car so far. Certainly we were surprised to get as clean a run as we did at Le Mans. Surprised and delighted would certainly be a fair description!”
The #43 SARD Morand team were another to have a reliability agenda, and a new face.
The #43 retired from Le Mans after a minor oil leak caused a fire in the engine bay stranding the car out on the circuit:
“Another case of a tiny component causing a dramatic problem,” said Oliver Webb, the Englishman putting in most of the running with Pierre Ragues.
Zoel Amberg though is not here, the Swiss driver is unwell so 2014 British F3 runner up Matt Rao is here as a super sub, again not expected to race later this month.
The #26 G-Drive Ligier was 9th fastest, ahead of the second (#31) ESM Ligier, Roman Rusinov on solo duty today after Sam Bird drove yesterday.
In the GT Order the Porsche Pro ran 1,2 into the afternoon in Olaf Manthey’s ‘Living Room’ #91 (Lietz) leading #92 (Christensen), the #91 posting a 1:54.518 with #92 2 tenths back.
Both AF Corse Pro Ferraris were also in the 1:54s, #71 (Rigon and Calado) ahead of #51 (Bruni and Vilander).
Next up was the #95 Aston Martin, all three of the ‘Dane Train’ trio here and sharing the car with Richie Stanaway.
The first of the Proton Porsches (#88) headed a train of Am class cars to round out the top 20. The #72 SMP Ferrari, #77 Dempsey Proton Porsche, #98 Aston Martin. Jonny Adam, who is set to race the #97 Pro car here joining Paul Dalla Lana and Mathias Lauda. Pedro Lamy is here but will not run after fracturing his leg recently. He is set though to be fit in time for the race.
Last up was the #83 AF Corse Ferrari with its full crew here too.
The ‘21st’ car meanwhile is not showing on the timing screens, Dunlop taking the opportunity of this test to further develop their spec GT rubber for the ELMS.
Regular Dunlop tyre tester Daniel Serra and Alessandro Pier Guidi (below) are pounding around together with Rob Bell for this test in a Michelotto run car, more details on a separate story later this week of Dunlops developing plans.
