Fabian Schiller was fastest in this afternoon’s GT World Challenge Europe Free Practice 2 session at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve aboard the #17 Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed AMG GT3 EVO.
The Mercedes-AMG factory driver, who also topped yesterday’s pre-event Paid Test, set a 1:42.988 with just over 30 minutes to go of the 90-minute session.
“Pretty good day for us,” Schiller said. “I think we’re in good shape. The car is working well and the team is doing a great job.”
The #99 Tresor Attempto Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II of Dylan Pereira ended up second fastest, 0.096 seconds back, with the Gold Cup entry having topped the timesheets for the majority of Free Practice 2.
“It’s really warm right now, so different to Free Practice 1,” Pereira said. “The car was quite okay in the first laps on the new tyres, so I did a decent lap. Still some room to improve so we’ll try to analyse everything and see what we can prepare for Qualifying tonight.”
The #65 HRT Ford Racing Mustang GT3 Evo of Maxime Oosten lead the Silver Cup in third overall courtesy of a 1:43.168, with the Dutchman, like Pereira, having set his time inside the opening 10 minutes.
“I think we’ve made good steps from FP1 to FP2,” the 22-year-old said.
“Yesterday we tried a setup we were not fully sure about. This morning we tried something different and we found out we had to go to the setup from yesterday evening with some fine tunes and it’s worked out quite well.”
Chris Lulham was fourth in the #3 Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing entry, with the Briton improving on a qualifying simulation in the closing minutes.
Mikael Grenier made it four different class leaders in the top five by heading the Bronze Cup in the #12 GetSpeed Team Dubai Mercedes-AMG. The Canadian reeled off a 1:43.263 inside the final 20 minutes, displacing the #991 Paradine Competition BMW M4 GT3 Evo of Robert de Haan from the top spot in Bronze by 0.003 seconds.
De Haan ended the session sixth overall, ahead of the #64 HRT Ford Racing Mustang, #84 Eastalent Racing Audi, #80 Lionspeed GP Porsche 911 GT3 R (992.2) and #23 Team RJN McLaren GT3 Evo.
The session was interrupted by a single Full Course Yellow, to retrieve the #63 TGI Team by GRT Lamborghini Temerario GT3 of Mirko Bortolotti after the Italian pulled off on the exit of Turn 4 only five laps into the session.
The #58 Garage 59 McLaren GT3 Evo, meanwhile, was over 20 minutes to join track action, but went on to complete 34 laps. The mileage chart was led by the #77 KPX Motorsport BMW, which covered 46 laps, with six more cars completing 44 laps.
Qualifying for the final round of the 2026 GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup season will take place this evening at 17:55 WEST.
Image courtesy of SRO/JEP
