Local hero Kazuki Nakajima built on Toyota Gazoo Racing’s strong start to the weekend in Free Practice 2 at Fuji today, with a 1:25.623 to put the No. 8 TS050 HYBRID top of the timing screens.
As was the case in FP1 though, it wasn’t a 1-2 for the Japanese marque on the screens, the sister #7 ending up last in the class, 2.5 seconds off the ultimate pace.
After the session, DSC learned that the No. 7 Toyota, the heavier of the two TS050s due to its success penalty for winning at Silverstone, lost out on running due to floor damage caused by hitting a kerb. As a result, the car didn’t do a qualifying sim in the session.
The top time from the Japanese driver was over a second clear of the trio of privateer non-hybrids, with the #1 Rebellion Racing R-13 proving to be the best of the bunch once again. Norman Nato set the Swiss team’s time, a 1:27.042.
Close behind though, was the pair of Team LNT Ginettas, with the #5 leading the #6, the two cars 1.9 and 2.4 seconds off Nakajima’s benchmark respectively.
Crucially, during the session Team LNT’s G60s accumulated far more milage, with over 50 laps completed rather than the 15 in FP1 when the cars suffered from brake cooling issues.
In LMP2 it was a Goodyear 1-2 in tyre terms, with the Goodyear-branded Jota Sport ORECA topping the class times with a 1:29.633 from Anthony Davidson.
FP1 pacesetter High Class Racing slotted in second with its ORECA, Kenta Yamashita, the team’s new Japanese (Toyota affiliated) ace setting a 1:30.163. It’s been a very encouraging first day at Fuji for the Danish team, in what is its first-ever race weekend outside of Europe. Yamashita’s FP1 time (1:29.624) still stands as the fastest LMP2 time of the day.
Best of the Michelin runners on this occasion was United Autosports’ 07 Gibson, Phil Hanson (fresh from his first ELMS win of the season at Spa) setting a 1:30.205, which put the British-flagged team third.
GTE Pro was led by Porsche GT Team once again, though it wasn’t a 1-2 for the new 911 RSR 19 as it was in FP1.
This time the No. 51 AF Corse Ferrari ended up second, with a time from James Calado of 1:38.252, which was less than a tenth off Michael Christensen in the #92 which finished top with a 1:38.214.
Aston Martin Racing’s fastest Vantage, the #97, finished up fourth.
Once again though, it was an Aston Martin at the head of the times in GTE Am. TF Sport’s Vantage AMR ran fastest in the class and faster than the GTE Pro #95 Aston Martin and No. 71 AF Corse Ferrari with a 1:38.719 courtesy of Charlie Eastwood.
Closest to Eastwood in TF’s challenger was Matteo Cairoli in the #56 Team Project 1 Porsche. The #98 Aston Martin Racing Vantage finished up the day’s running third.
FP2, like FP1, ran without any major dramas or stoppages for the teams and drivers. Track action continues tomorrow morning at 9:30 am local time with Free Practice 3.
