Rapid Run for Rebellion Racing in FP3
Neel Jani in the #1 Rebellion topped the timing screens at the end of the final free practice session, finishing ahead of the two Toyotas.
Surprise down in the LMP1 paddock as Rebellion Racing stopped Toyota’s clean sweep of the practice sessions. A 1:57.120 from Neel Jani in the #1 set on lap three remained unbeaten throughout and gave the Swiss team the top time. The sister Rebellion finished in third, thanks to a 1:58.124 set on lap ten, while the #7 Toyota of Jose Maria Lopez, Mike Conway and Kamui Kobayashi ended up splitting the two R13s. The times set in this practice session were quite a way off the fastest times set yesterday, so we’re still expecting the Toyotas to claim pole position in qualifying this afternoon. CEFC TRSM again only ran a single installation lap per car, with Charlie Robertson and Oliver Turvey running early in the session before parking up for the remainder. The question remains as to whether the team will manage to qualify the car.
No change in LMP2 as Pastor Maldonado in the #31 Dragonspeed put the car at the top of the field with a 2:02.281 set on lap three. Just two tenths behind them were the #26 G-Drive crew. Set on lap eight by Jean-Eric Vergne, the 2:02.481 was enough for them to finish ahead of the ‘Mighty 38’ Jackie Chan DC Racing Oreca of Stephane Richelmi, Gabriel Aubry and Ho-Pin Tung.
GTE Pro ran a similar story to yesterday with Ford running quickest again. The #67 of Harry Tincknell, Andy Priaulx and Tony Kanaan claimed the top spot on lap eight with a 2:13.693 courtesy of Priaulx - the only car in the 2:13s. The #66 Ford took third fastest, with a 2:14.249, only 24 hundredths behind the #82 BMW M8 of Tom Blomqvist and Antonio Felix Da Costa.
Dempsey-Proton managed the fastest and second-fastest time in GTE Am, with the #77 and #88 just over a tenth apart. Third fastest went to newcomers TF Sport in the #90 Aston Martin Vantage a further two tenths slower.
GTE qualifying starts at 15.00, followed by LMP qualifying at 15.35.
This article was originally published on Overtake Motorsport.
Shared with permission from the author.
Cover Image: WEC/JEP
