Dries Vanthoor set the pace for BMW in the #15 car in third practice for this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours, with the Belgian setting a 3:23.202 to go quickest.
Le Mans newbie Victor Martins was second fastest in the #36 Alpine, 0.423 off the headline from Vanthoor.
Will Stevens was third quickest in the #12 Cadillac, less than a tenth off Martins.
The sister #20 BMW, in the hands of Robin Frijns, was fourth, while Mathys Jaubert took fifth in the #17 Genesis with a late lap.
The first 8 cars were LMDh-rules cars in a continued showing of pace from BMW, Cadillac and Alpine at Le Mans this year. The first LMH-rules car was the #51 Ferrari of Antonio Giovinazzi, with the top Toyota driven by Ryo Hirakawa in the #8 machine, finishing 12th.
Gray, Barrichello top LMP2 and LMGT3
Oliver Gray topped the LMP2 standings in the #29 Forestier Racing by Panis Oreca, with a 3:34.252.
Second was Porsche factory driver Julien Andlauer in the #30 Duqueine Oreca, just a thousandth of a second off Gray ahead. Third was Nico Muller in the #343 Inter Europol Oreca, a further 4 tenths off.
In LMGT3, Dudu Barrichello was fastest in the #27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin. The Brazilian, son of F1 legend Rubens Barrichello, set a 3:53.728. This was over 2 tenths up on Augusto Farfus in the #32 WRT BMW, while third was Clemens Schmid in the #87 ASP Lexus, 0.179 off Farfus and almost half a second off Barrichello.
The session was red flagged in the second half of the 3 hours due to a heavy crash for the #222 United Autosports Oreca of Daniel Schneider, who crashed at the Ford Chicanes to end the lap. The red flag came out as the car was recovered behind the barriers before being taken back to the pits – a short journey from the Ford Chicanes. Schneider was uninjured in the crash.
Check out the full session results on the FIAWEC website. Hyperpole starts 8pm local time with the LMGT3 and LMP2 cars going first before the Hypercars take to the track after for their shot at pole.
READ MORE: BMW’s Frijns: Cadillac ‘the team to look at’ for Le Mans
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