The Wayne Taylor Racing Acura topped the time sheets in a stoppage-filled first practice session for the Rolex Daytona 24 Hours, with Filipe Albuquerque setting a 1:35.366 to go fastest in the #10 Acura ARX-06, amid five red flags and a heavy crash for GTD pacesetter Lucas Auer.
Alex Lynn, behind the wheel of the #02 Cadillac V-LMDh, was next fastest, 0.266 off Albuquerque’s time. The #60 Meyer Shank Acura, which will start on pole for tomorrow’s race, was third quickest, with pole-setting driver Tom Blomqvist lapping the Speedway a few hundredths slower than countryman Lynn.
Sebastien Bourdais followed in the sister Chip Ganassi Cadillac, while Mathieu Jaminet was next up in the fastest of the Porsche 963s, driving the #6 car. Pipo Derani was the slowest Cadillac, in the #31, while the lone BMW M Hybrid V8, #24 in the hands of Philipp Eng, was seventh. The final GTP car to set a time was the #7 Porsche of Matt Campbell.
Over in LMP2, Paul-Loup Chatin was quickest in the #52 PR1 Mathiasen Oreca 07-Gibson, setting a 1:38.302. Next up was Oliver Jarvis in the #18 Era Motorsports Oreca 07-Gibson, while Mikkel Jensen, driving the #11 TDS Oreca 07-Gibson, was third.
In LMP3, Felipe Fraga led the way for #74 Riley Ligier JS P320, with a 1:42.704. Gabby Chaves, behind the wheel of the #36 Andretti Ligier JS P320, was second, while Joao Barbosa was third for #38 Performance Tech Motorsports Ligier JS P320.
In the GT categories, the trend from the Roar Before the 24, of the GTD cars being quicker over a single lap compared to GTD Pro, continued. Lucas Auer was quickest in the #57 Winward Mercedes-AMG GT3, with the Austrian setting a 1:46.763. Second in GTD was Aaron Telitz in the #12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3. However, Auer also caused the fifth and final red flag of the session when he crashed heavily at turn 1. He has been taken to hospital for further evaluation, with no further details available at this time.
Other red flags were caused by the Kellymoss Porsche 911 RSR GT3 stopping on the apron of the banking, the #63 Iron Lynx Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo22 stopping on track, and the #38 Performannce Tech Ligier, third in LMP3, crashing at the Le Mans chicane, nosing into the barriers, and debris.
Splitting second and third in GTD was the quickest GTD Pro car, Owen Trinkler in the #64 TGM/TF Sport Aston Martin Vantage GT3, with Trinkler setting a 1:47.010. Spencer Pumpelly followed him, third place in GTD behind the wheel of the #44 Magnus Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3.
Second in GTD Pro went to the sister Vasser Sullivan Lexus, Jack Hawksworth in the #14 Lexus RC F GT3, while third in the class, although slower than a handful of GTD cars, was Ross Gunn in the #23 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3.
Practice 2 starts at 3:20 local for the GTD/LMP2/LMP3 cars, with the GTD Pro and GTP classes following 15 minutes later.
