The #99 Audi R8 LMS GT3 of Attempto Racing finished quickest after the two Open Practice Test sessions ahead of the start of the 10th Gulf 12 Hours at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.
The 2019 champions posted the fastest time in the second practice test in which cars generally set lower lap times, as they laid down their Pirelli rubber despite the lower temperatures under the lights in the Middle East.
The first Open Practice Test session of the event was interrupted by two red flags, both for the #11 Kessel Racing Am class entry; the first brief stoppage due to the Ferrari 488 GT3, driven by Stefano Monaco suffering from a half shaft issue.
The second and more serious stoppage ended the session altogether with 25 minutes remaining as Roberto Pampanini spun into the barriers at the exit of the hotel complex, while also causing damage to the #42 Century Motorsport BMW GT4 as the Ferrari reversed.
In between the stoppages, the #1 2 Seas Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 of Martin Kodric topped the timesheets with a best of 1m52.049s. Cooler ambient and track temperatures then hindered further improvements until the #91 Baron Motorsport Ferrari 488 Challenge ProAm car of Mikkel Mac Jensen knocked the #99 Attempto Audi from second position.
The #23 Greystone GT McLaren 570S led the GT4 class from the Century Motorsport #15 Aston Martin Vantage.
The #1 Mercedes led the early stages of the second session before the #99 Attempto Audi of Dries Vanthoor took a firm grip with a lap time of 1m51.736s. The Mercedes responded later as Ben Barnicoat became the Audi’s closest challenger, but nobody could better Vanthoor’s earlier time.
The #46 VR46 Ferrari 488 GT3 of David Fumanelli, which briefly sat second behind the Audi, finished third overall and top of the ProAm class, with the #61 AF Corse Ferrari 488 GT3 fourth and leading the GT3 Am class.
The #42 Century Motorsport BMW M4 took to the track halfway through the session following significant repairs after its tangle with the #11 Ferrari earlier in the day. It was the team’s sister car, the #15 Aston Martin Vantage that topped the GT4 class in session two. But the #23 Greystone GT McLaren finished quickest overall thanks to its fastest time earlier in the day.
The first of three official Free Practice sessions of the 10th Gulf 12 Hours will take place on Friday 7 January 2022 at 0930hrs, followed by the qualifying sessions at 1800hrs (GMT+4 / CET+3).
