Le Mans Series
In mostly sunny conditions, the pole sitting Courage Mugen of Jean-Marc Gounon led the morning warm-up.
The 20 minute session was frantic with all the cars with everyone except the Lucchini of Randiaccio Ranieri taking to the track.
It is understood that this car has engine troubles and its’ participation in the race is still unclear as this is posted.
Most of the cars on track also ran without problem. There were a few exceptions, with the Protran only managing to complete one lap and the Zytek Motorsports car having a spin a the Melbourne Loop.
Though all the frantic action, the Courage Compeition cars staked their claim for the race win with 1-2 in the session, ahead of the Zytek, recovered from its’ spin.
The Championship leading Pescarolo Sport car was timed in fifth position eight tenths away from the leading Courage.
The fastest LMP2 car was that of Binnie Motorsports, almost two seconds faster than the RML machine, who was another six tenths faster than the Bazari Epsilon machine in third.
Krause Motorsport only completed a few laps and was somewhat off the pace.
Team Modena led the GT1 times in their Aston Martin DBR9 ahead of the Oreca Saleen.
Team LNT Panoz led a 1-2 in the GT2 category with the Porsche of Autorlando Sport being just three tenths slower than the lead Panoz.
With the 1000km race due to get going at 12:30 this afternoon, the signs are pointing to a great race.
The warm up times:
Position/Car number/Class/Team/Drivers/Chassis/Engine/Time/Gap
LMP1
1 12 LMP1 Y Courage Competition GOUNON Jean-Marc/FISKEN Gregor/FREI Alexander Courage LC70 Mugen 1:22.265 13 1:22.265
2 13 LMP1 Y Courage Competition NAKANO Shinji/KUROSAWA Haruki Courage LC70 Mugen 1:22.626 9 1:22.626 0:00.361
3 2 LMP1 M Zytek Motorsport JOHANSSON Stefan/NODA Hideki Zytek 06S 1:22.653 10 1:22.653 0:00.388
4 19 LMP1 D Chamberlain Synergy BERRIDGE Bob/EVANS Gareth/OWEN Peter Lola B06/10 AER 1:22.796 13 1:22.796 0:00.531
5 17 LMP1 M Pescarolo Sport COLLARD Emmanuel/BOULLION Jean-Christophe/ANDPescarolo C60 Judd 1:23.067 13 1:23.067 0:00.802
6 10 LMP1 M Creation Autosportif MINASSIAN Nicolas/McGARRITY Kevin Creation CA06/H Judd 1:24.048 13 1:24.048 0:01.783
7 5 LMP1 M Swiss Spirit PRIMAT Harold/FASSLER Marcel Courage LC 70 Judd 1:24.879 11 1:24.879 0:02.614
8 6 LMP1 D Lister Storm Racing MOLLER Jens/KEEN Justin Lister Storm Hybrid 1:27.579 12 1:27.579 0:05.314
9 9 LMP1 M Creation Autosportif CAMPBELL WALTER Jamie/ORTIZ Felipe/GABBIANI B Creation CA06/H Judd 1:29.824 6 1:29.824 0:07.559
10 15 LMP1 D Pro Tran Competition BENNETT Phil/COPE Paul Protran RS06/H 1 58:37.734
LMP2
1 24 LMP2 M Binnie Motorsports BINNIE Bill/TIMPANY Allen/HANCOCK Sam Lola 05/42 Zytek 1:22.447 11 1:22.447
2 25 LMP2 M RML NEWTON Mike/ERDOS Tommy MG Lola EX 264 1:24.295 12 1:24.295 0:01.848
3 32 LMP2 M Barazi Epsilon VERGERS Michael/BARAZI Juan/VALSECCHI Davide Courage C65 AER 1:24.863 10 1:24.863 0:02.416
4 40 LMP2 D ASM Racing Portugal AMARAL Miguel/DE CASTRO Miguel Angel/BURGUENOLola B05/40 AER 1:25.338 11 1:25.338 0:02.891
5 21 LMP2 D Bruichladdich Radical GREAVES Tim/MOSELEY Stuart/DEVLIN Ben Radical SR9 AER 1:28.573 11 1:28.573 0:06.126
6 20 LMP2 M Pierre Bruneau ROSTAN Marc/BRUNEAU Pierre Pilbeam Judd 1:28.785 11 1:28.785 0:06.338
7 22 LMP2 D Rollcentre Racing SHORT Martin/BARBOSA Joao/BARFF Rob Radical SR9 Judd 1:28.911 12 1:28.911 0:06.464
8 36 LMP2 P Paul Belmondo Racing GOSSELIN Claude-Yves/OJJEH Karim/RAGUES Pierre Courage C65 Ford 1:29.910 12 1:29.910 0:07.463
9 44 LMP2 K Kruse Motorsport LUEDERS Jan Dirk/PETERSEN Jens/BURGESS Tony Courage C65 Judd 3:22.704 3 3:22.704 2:00.257
GT1
1 63 LMGT1 M Team Modena GARCIA Antonio/HARDMAN Peter Aston Martin DBR9 1:28.629 10 1:28.629
2 55 LMGT1 M Team Oreca ORTELLI Stephane/AYARI Soheil Saleen S7R 1:29.409 11 1:29.409 0:00.780
3 50 LMGT1 M Aston Martin Larbre LAMY Pedro/GARDEL Gabrielle/VOSSE Vincent Aston Martin DBR9 1:29.710 9 1:29.710 0:01.081
4 70 LMGT1 D PSI Experience KUISMANEN Pertti/MENTEN Jos/PALTTALA Markus Corvette C6-R 1:29.937 11 1:29.937 0:01.308
5 72 LMGT1 Alphand Aventures POLICAND Jerome/GOUESLARD Patrice/ALPHAND Lu Corvette C5-R 1:30.442 11 1:30.442 0:01.813
6 67 LMGT1 M Convers Menx Team KOX Peter/PERGL Robert/VASILIEV Alexei Ferrari 550 Maranello 1:31.762 12 1:31.762 0:03.133
GT2
1 82 LMGT2 P Team LNT TOMLINSON Lawrence/DEAN Richard/HYNES Marc Panoz Esperante GTLM 1:32.941 12 1:32.941
2 81 LMGT2 P Team LNT HUGHES Warren/BELL Robert Panoz Esperante GTLM 1:33.146 11 1:33.146 0:00.205
3 76 LMGT2 P Autorlando Sport LIEB Marc/CAMATHIAS Joel Porsche 996 GT3 RSR 1:33.256 12 1:33.256 0:00.315
4 99 LMGT2 D Virgo Motorsport EAGLING Dan/SUGDEN Tim Ferrari 430 GT 1:33.291 9 1:33.291 0:00.350
5 78 LMGT2 P Autorlando Sport KRISTENSEN Gunnar/SIMONSEN Allan Porsche 996 GT3 RSR 1:33.665 12 1:33.665 0:00.724
6 92 LMGT2 D IMSA Perf. Matmut BOUCHUT Christophe/NARAC Raymond Porsche 996 RSR 1:33.695 11 1:33.695 0:00.754
7 86 LMGT2 D Spyker Squadron CORONEL Tom/DUMBRECK Peter Spyker C8 Spyder GT2R 1:33.775 11 1:33.775 0:00.834
8 90 LMGT2 Y Farnbacher Racing EHRET Pierre/FARNBACHER Dominik Porsche 996 GT3 RSR 1:33.802 11 1:33.802 0:00.861
9 85 LMGT2 D Spyker Squadron BLEEKEMOLEN Jeroen/KANE Jonny Spyker C8 Spyder GT2R 1:34.439 11 1:34.439 0:01.498
10 80 LMGT2 Y Farnbacher Racing NIELSEN Lars Erik/SEEFRIED Marco Porsche 996 GT3 RSR 1:35.067 8 1:35.067 0:02.126
11 83 LMGT2 P GPC SPORT ZONCA Stefano/BELICCHI Andrea/CIOCI Marco Ferrari 430 GT 1:36.374 10 1:36.374 0:03.433
12 97 LMGT2 P GPC SPORT DRUDI Luca/ROSA Gabrio/MONTERMINI Andrea Ferrari 430 GT 1:36.698 12 1:36.698 0:03.757
13 75 LMGT2 D Thierry Perrier SMITH Nigel/HESNAULT Philippe/BELTOISE Anthony Porsche 996 GT3 RSR 1:38.134 10 1:38.134 0:05.193
14 96 LMGT2 D James Watt Automotive DANIELS Paul/MC CORMICK Bo/POMPIDOU Xavier Porsche 996 GT3 RSR 1:41.315 10 1:41.315 0:08.374
15 95 LMGT2 D Racesport Peninsula DOCKERILL Iain/HARTSHORNE John TVR Tuscan T400R 1:42.476 11 1:42.476 0:09.535
Sam Tickell