Renger van der Zande has set the quickest time in first practice for the Cadillac Grand Prix of Sebring in a session that was delayed for well over an hour due to bad weather.
The Dutchman posted a time of 01:51:152 in the #10 Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac DPi-VR to go 0.216s quicker than Stephen Simpson’s #85 JDC-Miller Motorsports Cadillac, with Pipo Derani third for Whelen Engineering Racing.
The first practice session at Sebring International Raceway started 90 minutes later than intended, with the track wet in the early running. It began to dry out in the second half of the session, with quicker lap times as a result.
Acura Team Penske was fourth and fifth with their pair of Acura ARX-05s, with Ricky Taylor’s #7 car leading the #6 machine of Dane Cameron. Joao Barbosa was sixth for Mustang Sampling Racing, while the two Mazdas brought up the rear.
In LMP2, only one car set a representative lap time, and that was the #81 Dragonspeed ORECA 07-Gibson in the hands of Gustavo Menezes. The Rebellion WEC star is subbing for Ben Hanley, who is competing in the European Le Mans Series. He set a 01:55:897.
Mechanical gremlins
Several teams encountered mechanical issues in the changeable conditions. The session was stopped with less than ten minutes remaining when the #5 Cadillac was brought to a halt on track.
Almost at the same moment, the #30 Team Hardpoint Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo in the hands of Rob Ferriol also encountered issues. One of the GTD front runners, the #96 Turner Motorsports BMW M6 GT3 of its own.
Porsche leads GTLM
Laurens Vanthoor set the quickest time in GTLM in the #912 Porsche 911 RSR-19 with a 01:59:501, well clear of the pair of Corvettes in second and third. Jordan Taylor was 0.754s back in the #3 Corvette, with Oliver Gavin a further seven-tenths behind in the #4 Corvette.
Nick Tandy took fourth place in the #911 Porsche 911 RSR-19, ahead of both BMW M8 GTEs.
GTD practice went the way of Paul Holton and Compass Racing as Holton set a late best time of 02:06:012 in the #76 McLaren 720S GT3, 0:445s clear of Daytona winner Jack Hawksworth in the #12 AIM Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3.
Andy Lally was third in the #44 GRT Magnus Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo, while the top five was completed by the #76 Riley Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3 of Gar Robinson and the #14 AIM Vasser Sullivan Lexus of Frankie Montecalvo.
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