Toyota Gazoo Racing’s pair of GR010 HYBRIDs returned to the top of the timing screens in the third session of the Prologue weekend at Sebring.
The #7, which went quickest in the first session yesterday, was fastest once again, Mike Conway setting a 1:48.473, 0.008 quicker than the sister car of Sebastien Buemi which slotted in second. Once again Toyota managed to complete plenty of laps during the three-and-a-half hours of track time. Combined its GR010 HYBRIDs toured the circuit 164 times.
For the first time this weekend, Porsche managed to claim the fastest non-Toyota time with its #5 963.
The Penske-run car with Michael Christensen at the wheel took third late in the session with a 1:48.957, though this time was eclipsed by the best effort of the session from all six Toyota drivers!
The Cadillac, which was third in Session 1 and then topped Session 2 yesterday, ended the AM session fourth, seven-tenths off the best Toyota time with Alex Lynn setting its fastest time.
Further back the two Peugeots had a more productive session. The team completed 122 total laps and emerged sixth and seventh behind the second Porsche, the #94 eight-tenths slower the top time and the #93 a fraction over a second off the pace.
It wasn’t a good session for Ferrari however. The #50 ended up eighth, while the #51 didn’t set a single competitive lap after James Calado had an off at Turn 1 on his out lap, damaging the front-right corner.
It was a more encouraging session for Vanwall, the Vandervell finishing up the running ninth, quicker than the entire LMP2 field for the first time – Tom Dillmann setting the time but with Esteban Guerrieri in amongst the LMP2s and Jacques Villeneuve once again slower than all of the LMP2 drivers.
The Glickenhaus 007 meanwhile was struggling for pace in the session, and was slower than the top five ORECA 07s.
Yet again in LMP2 United’s #22 ORECA was fastest, Filipe Albuquerque setting the best time, a 1:50.577. The top three was completed by the #63 Prema Oreca in the hands of Doriane Pin and the #48 JOTA of Yifei Ye.
In Am it was a Porsche 1-2-3-4-5, with the Project 1 AO 911 setting the fastest time. The best lap was a 1:59.170 from Matteo Cairoli, a tenth up on the Iron Lynx and Iron Dames Porsche which have been quick all weekend to this point.
The fastest Ferrari was the Kessel Racing 488 which slotted in sixth before an off for Takeshi Kimura which caused major damage to the front-left corner of the car.
Aston Martin’s slow start to the season continued yet again the three Vantages made up the bottom three places in the 14-car class with at least two of the cars having dusty moments in the session.
The Corvette ended up 10th.
Track action continues with the final session this afternoon.
