Porsche and Ferrari showed strength in numbers at the top of the timesheets across today’s pair of Free Practice sessions ahead of the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup round at Zandvoort.
The #2 Boutsen VDS Porsche 911 GT3 R (992.2) of Morris Schuring was fastest overall, with the Dutchman starting his home event on the right foot by setting a 1:34.450 in FP2.
Free Practice 1
Tresor Attempto Racing’s Alex Aka was fastest in Free Practice 1 aboard the Gold Cup-entered #99 Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II.
The German set a 1:34.458 inside the opening half of the session, which was reserved for Silver and Bronze-rated drivers, and held onto the top spot once the professional drivers joined the fray for the final 40 minutes.
Thierry Vermuelen came closest to the #99 Audi, after setting a 1:34.591 aboard the #69 Emil Frey Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo. This put the Dutchman 0.001 seconds clear of his teammate Matteo Cairoli in the #14 Ferrari, in an improved showing from Emil Frey Racing.
Fourth went to the #59 Garage 59 McLaren GT3 Evo of Marvin Kirchhöfer, ahead of Klaus Bachler’s #914 Razoon – more than racing Porsche 911 GT3 R (992.2) and the Silver Cup-topping #89 Lionspeed GP Porsche of debutant Flynt Schuring.
The #80 Lionspeed and #9 Pure Rxcing efforts made it four Porsches in the top eight, with the #7 Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo and #84 Eastalent Racing Audi completing the top 10.
Kessel Racing’s Dustin Blattner was fastest in the Bronze Cup, courtesy of a 1:35.776 which placed the #74 Ferrari in 19th overall. Sebastian Øgaard was 0.099 seconds behind in the #88 Tresor Attempto Racing Audi, with the #93 Ziggo Sport Tempesta Racing Porsche of Eddie Cheever third.
The #93 Porsche covered the most laps of anyone, 42, whilst all 45 runners completed at least 18 tours in a clean session which was only interrupted by a brief Full Course Yellow for a systems test in the closing minutes.
Free Practice 2
Boutsen VDS’ Morris Schuring led the way in Free Practice 2, after setting a 1:34.450 shortly before the midpoint of the 80-minute session aboard the #2 Porsche 911 GT3 R (992.2).
The 21-year-old went 0.193 seconds faster than Ricardo Feller, who had spent the previous 20 minutes at the top of the leaderboard aboard the #80 Lionspeed GP Porsche.
Feller held on to finish the session in second, ahead of the #69 Emil Frey Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo of Ben Green.
Arthur Leclerc was fourth in the #50 AF Corse Ferrari, with his 1:34.845 set on his first flying lap of the session. Klaus Bachler’s #914 Razoon – more than racing Porsche was fifth, with the Gold Cup-leading #58 Garage 59 McLaren GT3 Evo rounding out the top six courtesy of a 1:34.906 from Louis Prette.
Eddie Cheever was next up aboard the #93 Ziggo Sport Temepsta Racing Porsche, as he topped the Bronze Cup with a 1:35.018. The Herberth Motorsport-effort also completed the most laps of anyone, once again covering one more tour than the #9 Pure Rxcing Porsche.
Compared to FP1, the leaderboard saw frequent changes in FP2, with the cars making up the top 10 regularly changing.
In the end, the #10 Boutsen VDS Porsche, #51 AF Corse Ferrari and #3 Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing AMG GT3 EVO finished eighth through 10th.
The #5 Optimum Motorsport was fastest in the Silver Cup in 18th overall, after Guilherme Oliveira recorded a 1:35.449 inside the closing 15 minutes.
FP2 was interrupted by a single Full Course Yellow, after the #163 VSR Lamborghini Temerario GT3 of Mattia Michelotto stopped in the opening sector inside the final 30 minutes, pulling off to the left-hand side road of the road at Turn 4. An incident between the #163 Lamborghini and #66 Tresor Attempto Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II at Turn 3 is under investigation.
Qualifying 1 at Zandvoort will take place at 9:50 CEST tomorrow morning, ahead of Race 1 at 14:45 CEST.
Images courtesy of SRO/JEP
