The #2 Cadillac Racing V-Series.R ran fastest of the 19 cars in Hypercar in the final WEC practice session at Qatar, Alex Lynn setting a 1:40.677 to give the team a confidence boost ahead of Qualifying.
The time was a fraction under two tenths clear of the #5 Penske Porsche that ended up second, and the 0.454 up on the #12 HERTZ Team JOTA 963 that completed the top three.
“We’re looking strong, our Cadillac is feeling good at this circuit, the fast-flowing nature really suits us,” Lynn, who will qualify the car later today, said after the session.
The Cadillac’s time is significant. It is not the fastest lap of the week so far, that was set by Kevin Estre in FP2 yesterday.
However, Cadillac has been in the top five in every session and it means that heading into Qualifying an LMH-spec prototype hasn’t topped a session in either the Prologue or during practice.
It is also the second time Cadillac has topped a Free Practice in the WEC, the other occasion being FP3 in Bahrain at the end of last season.
Could we see a first win for an LMDh prototype in FIA WEC competition this week? This week it certainly seems more likely than at any point during the 2023 season.
Further down the order, the best of the LMH cars was the #94 Peugeot 9X8 that ended up fifth, half a second off the Cadillac after a qualifying sim early in the session.
The #51 AF Corse Ferrari ended up sixth, with the quickest Toyota down in ninth.
Of the new LMDh prototypes to the WEC, Alpine’s A424 set the fastest times, the #36 slotting in 12th 1.5 seconds off the pace, ahead of the #35 that ended up 13th.
In LMGT3, it was the #27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage LMGT3 that ended up fastest, Alex Riberas setting the car’s 1:54.963.
“The weekend so far has gone well for us, problem-free. The car is ready, Ian (James) is ready for Qualifying. Hopefully, we have a good starting position for tomorrow,” Riberas said.
The pair of Vista AF Corse 296 GT3s, which have shown strong outright pace all week ended up second and third led by a hot lap from Davide Rigon in the #54. The #60 Iron Lynx Lamborghini finished up its running fourth.
The times in LMGT3 continue to be close, which bodes well for the race tomorrow. The top 10 set times within a second in this final practice run.
There was only one notable incident in the session, James Cottingham in the #59 United Autosports McLaren running wide through Turn 5, losing the rear end and spinning into the gravel.
It caused the hour’s only red flag.
Qualifying, with the new Hyperpole format, is up next at 16:00 local time.
