Le Mans Series

LMS Spa 1000 km - Second practice report

© Planetlemans - Marcel ten Caat

Once more the Peugeot team was unbeatable in a Le Mans Series free practice session. Just like earlier in the afternoon it was the number 7 Peugeot 908 HDi FAP that set the fastest lap time of all the cars that participated. The gaps between the front cars was smaller in this session, half a second splitting the top three.

Despite setting a 2:00.5 in the first session the times were slower this sesson. Gene, Minassian and Villeneuve were quickest, in a time of 2:01.133. At just over three tenths of a second they were followed by the sister car of Lamy, Sarrazin and Wurz. Like earlier today the McNish and Capello Audi completed the top three. Fourth fastest at only 1.3 seconds from the leading Peugeot was the Oreca-Courage.

In LMP2 it was once again the Van Merksteijn Porsche leading the class. Jos Verstappen set a time of 2:05.742, seven tenths slower than in the first free practice session. Team Essex did improve their lap time, but were still almost two seconds slower than the Dutch Porsche RS Spyder (2:07.613). The RML Lola was the third placed car this session, their lap time a 2:08.385

The IPB Spartak Racing Lamborghini Murcielago was fastest in the GT1 category. Lapping the track in 2:17.053 the Lamborghini was 3.3 seconds quicker than its rivals. The Luc Alphand Corvette C6.R (#72) was second quickest, with the Strakka Racing Aston Martin DBR9 in third place. After setting the second fastest time in practice 1, the Team Modena Aston did not do a single lap in session 2.

In GT2 the Porsches were on top again. Richard Lietz and Raymond Narac in the IMSA Performance Matmut Porsche 997 GT3 RSR were fastest, their fastest lap in 2:22.738. The second placed Porsche of Team Felbermayr-Proton (#77) was very close in 2:22.895. Gianmaria Bruni and Robert Bell were third fastest in 2:24.089.

The session was interrupted twice by red flags. After most of the cars were in after the first red flag, the Bruichladdich Radical and WR were the ones that returned very late. The second red flag was caused by the WR being stuck in the gravel at Fagnes. Only meters before the place of the stranded WR there was blue bodywork on the track, with the Team Essex Porsche spotted with damage not much later.