Alexander Lynn was fastest in final practice in Bahrain, setting a 1:49.512s lap time in the #2 Cadillac Racing V-Series.R ahead of qualifying for the final race of the FIA World Endurance Championship later today.
Lynn and Cadillac was the only driver-car combination to break the 1:50s barrier in the session at the Sakhir International Circuit, which saw the #50 Ferrari 499P finish the session in second and the #99 Proton Competition Porsche 963 in third.
In contrast to the sandstorm-afflicted conditions of the earlier practice session on Thursday, Friday morning’s session was run in intensely hot and dry conditions.
The hour-long session offered teams the final chance to prepare before qualifying, where the lap times really count.
Lynn’s lap time of 1:49.512 came at around the thirty-minute mark, before handing over to co-driver Richard Westbrook and the time from the British driver remained the benchmark until the chequered flag in a session devoid of major incidents.
Second in the #50 Ferrari was the Centenary Le Mans pole-sitter Antonio Fuoco with a lap time of 1:50.010, almost half a second shy of Lynn’s time.
Third overall went to Gianmaria Bruni in the Proton Porsche 963, with a time of 1:50.256.
Centenary Le Mans winner Alessandro Pier Guidi posted the fourth fastest time of 1:50.451 in the #51 Ferrari 499P, with the #94 Peugeot 9X8 of Nico Muller rounding out the top five with a time of 1:50.526.
The two factory Penske Porsche 963s posted the sixth and seventh fastest times, with Andre Lotterer’s time of 1:50.741 in the #6 machine bettering Frederic Makowiecki’s 1:50.935 effort in the #5 entry.
The two Toyotas, who set the pace on Thursday, looked to be keeping their powder dry in final practice and as such only posted the eighth and ninth fastest times.
Brendon Hartley, in the #8 Toyota GR010 Hybrid lapped the Sakhir circuit in a time of 1:51.770, ahead of Jose Maria Lopez in the #7 Toyota, as the Argentine set a time of 1:52.258.
Will Stevens in the #38 Hertz Team Jota Porsche 963 rounded out the top-10, after he posted a time of 1:52.591.
Bragging rights in the LMP2 category ahead of qualifying went to Tom Blomqvist in the #23 United Autosports Oreca 07 machine with the Brit’s lap time of 1:53.661 bettering the rest of the intermediate class.
Second in LMP2 went to Bent Viscaal in the #9 Prema, as his time of 1:53.689 meant that Pietro Fittipaldi’s 1:53.892 effort in the #28 JOTA was good enough for third in LMP2.
Last but certainly not least, the GTE Am swansong continues in Bahrain and the fan-favourite ‘Rexy’ #56 Project 1 – AO Porsche 911 RSR – 19 of Matteo Cairoli topped the category timesheet with a time of 1:58.214.
Second in GTE Am went to French ace Lilou Wadoux in the #83 AF Corse Ferrari 488 GTE Evo, courtesy of a 1:59.577 lap time – with third in GTE Am going the way of Davide Rigon in the #54 AF Corse Ferrari, with the Italian posting a 1:59.659s lap time.
The 8 Hours of Bahrain continues with qualifying later today.
GTE Am qualifying commences at 16:15 local time (13:15 GMT), with LMP2 getting underway at 16:40 local time and Hypercar at 17:05 local time.
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