Panis Racing’s ORECA 07 Gibson topped the first Free Practice session of the ELMS’s first-ever weekend at Mugello. Alpine Hypercar ace Charles Milesi set the time early in the running, a 1:34.687.
Interestingly, while it was three-tenths up on the IDEC Sport ORECA which ended the session second overall, it was seven-tenths slower than the fastest time set by Proton Iron Lynx’s Matteo Cairoli in testing yesterday.
The conditions have changed in the past 24 hours though. The temperature has dropped and threatening clouds sat above the circuit throughout the session, which was briefly declared wet after light drizzle before a sudden downpour towards the end.
Third in the overall classification was the #23 United Autosports ORECA after a 1:35.026 from Peugeot factory driver Paul Di Resta.
The LMP2 Pro/Am pace-setter also came within half a second of Milesi’s hot lap, with the #20 Algarve Pro Racing 07 slotting in fourth overall with a 1:35.218.
Further down the order, the #19 Virage Pro/Am-entered ORECA ended up 25th overall and in amongst the LMP3s. This was because the car only completed five laps due to an off for Tristan Vautier.
The Frenchman caused a lengthy 22-minute red flag in the session after hitting a sausage kerb at Turn 4. The impact broke the #19 ORECA’s front upright and sent him into the barriers.
A 1:42.337 from Manuel Espírito Santo put the #17 COOL Racing Ligier fastest in LMP3 by seven tenths. RLR’s #15 Ligier ended up second, with the #8 example from Team Virage finishing third.
Kessel Racing set the benchmark time in LMGT3, Daniel Serra lapping the 5.1km circuit in 1:46.583 in the team’s #57 Ferrari 296 LMGT3.
The #50 Formula Racing and #51 AF Corse Ferraris made it a 1-2-3 for the Italian brand in the class. Grid Motorsport by TF’s Aston Martin was the best of the rest in fourth with a 1:47.121 set by Jonathan Adam.
Free Practice 2 for the ELMS teams is set to begin at 09:40 tomorrow morning.
Image courtesy of ELMS
