Forestier Racing by Panis’ Esteban Masson was fastest in this morning’s Free Practice 1 session at Imola, as the third round of the 2026 European Le Mans Series got underway.
The Frenchman set a 1:31.580 aboard the #29 ORECA 07 – Gibson LMP2 under 15 minutes into the 90-minute session, displacing United Auotsports’ Gregoire Saucy from the top of the timesheets.
In a flurry of fast times inside the opening 20 minutes, Algarve Pro Racing’s Jake Hughes subsequently placed the #25 ORECA into second, with the Briton 0.449 seconds off Masson’s time, with Jack Doohan going third fastest aboard the #24 Nielsen Racing ORECA.
Fourth, and fastest in LMP2 Pro/Am, went to the #14 TDS Racing ORECA of Scott Huffaker with a 1:32.314, with the #28 IDEC Sport ORECA of Job van Uitert completing the top five.
Van Uitert brought out the only red flag of the session when he stopped in the middle sector after damaging the rear end of the car at Turn 5. The #28 ORECA was unable to continue in the session, with repairs needed to the left rear corner, which team principal Nicolas Minassian believes should be completed ahead of the car’s next scheduled track time, tomorrow’s Free Practice 2.
Malthe Jakobsen was sixth, and second in LMP2 Pro/Am, aboard the #20 Algarve Pro Racing ORECA, ahead of Saucy’s #22 ORECA, with the #27 Nielsen Racing, #18 IDEC Sport and #21 United Autosports efforts completing the top 10.
In LMP3, Wyatt Brichacek was fastest in the #4 DKR Engineering Ligier JS P325 – Toyota, with a 1:39.514.
Matteo Quinatrelli was second in the #8 Team Virage Ligier, 0.544 seconds back, with Henry Cubides Olarte completing the top three aboard the championship-leading #13 Inter Europol Competition Ligier.
ELMS debutant Louis Inglesias was fourth in the #17 CLX Motorsport Ligier.
And the #59 Racing Spirit of Leman Aston Martin Vantage AMR LMGT3 topped the times in LMGT3, thanks to a 1:42.492 from Marius Fossard.
Charlie Eastwood was second in the #33 TF Sport Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R, 0.236 seconds back, with Kessel Racing’s #57 Ferrari 296 LMGT3 Evo of Daniel Serra third.
The #77 Proton Competition Porsche 911 GT3 R (992.2) LMGT3, #62 Team Qatar by Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG LMGT3 and #23 United Autosports McLaren LMGT3 Evo ensured all six LMGT3 marques were represented in the top six.
Four different cars led the field in terms of mileage, with the #29 Forestier Racing by Panis, #25 Algarve Pro Racing, #14 TDS Racing and #83 AF Corse ORECA’s all completing 47 laps.
Today’s running continues with the 30-minute Bronze Driver Collective Test at 14:55 CEST, with the next full-field action being Free Practice 2, which is scheduled to take place at 10:50 CEST tomorrow.
Image courtesy of David Lord
