Free Practice 1: Aston Martin Racing on top in LMGTE
Welcome to a hot and steamy Circuit of The Americas in Austin Texas, venue for the fourth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship. Air temperatures at the start of the session were 32oC (94oF), with the track temperatures significantly higher, but nothing was going to deter the competitors as they took to the track for the first free practice session for the Lone Star Le Mans race on Saturday night. It’s been a long break since the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June but the action has re-started!
Aston Martin Racing shone brightly in the 90-minute session, with Darren Turner in the LMGTE Pro No.97 Vantage V8 putting in a last minute lap of 2:06.399 to top the time sheets in the two GTE categories. Setting the time just before the chequered flag fell and temperatures dropped (with a sprinkling of rain), he displaced his Aston Martin Racing LMGTE Am team mates from the No.95 entry. New Zealander Richie Stanaway set the best lap of 2:06.427 to head the class and start the weekend off well for the British marque.
AF Corse’s No.51 Ferrari 458 Italia was 0.5s behind the class leader in LMGTE Pro with Corvette Racing’s Team America making a solid start to its first FIA WEC round outside the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Also impressing was the US-entered No.90 8Star Motorsport F458 in LMGTE Am, with American Jeff Segal among the driver line up.
A second 90-minute free practice session will take place between 7:30 pm (CT), going into the night, in order for the teams and drivers to prepare fully for Saturday’s race.
Fiona Miller
Full results can be found HERE
