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WEC: Hartley Tops Free Practice Again as Preparations are Complete for Qualifying

05.11.21

For the final time during the 2021 FIA World Endurance Championship the teams and drivers took to the track for Free Practice 3 in Bahrain. Brendon Hartley proved to be quickest again for the third time in a row in the #8 Toyota GR010 Hybrid, leading a Toyota 1-2. 

The #92 Porsche GT Team 911 RSR tops LMGTE Pro as Kevin Estre sets blistering pace with the #38 JOTA fastest in LMP2, and the #83 AF Corse Ferrari fastest in LMGTE Am. 

Hypercar  

Toyota Gazoo Racing 1-2 again in 60-minute Friday afternoon free practice session for Bapco 8 Hours of Bahrain.  Brendon Hartley is on form again as he sets 1m48m.346s lap leads sister #7 Toyota by 0.3s, with Kamui Kobayashi posting a 1m48.777s. The #36 Alpine ELF Matmut A480 is third, with Matthieu Vaxiviere setting a 1m51.749s lap.

LMGTE Pro  

Kevin Estre tops LMGTE Pro in the #92 Porsche as qualifying expert warms up for later with a blistering 1m56.590s lap. The #91 Porsche GT Team 911 RSR driven by Richard Lietz, Gimmi Bruni and Frederic Makowiecki places second 0.8s in arrears to the leading Porsche.   The #51 AF Corse Ferrari 488 GTE Evo is third ahead of #52 machine as title battle gets ready for finale with one point splitting the two manufacturers 

LMP2  

JOTA head LMP2 times as the #38 car driven by Antonio Felix da Costa edges rivals with a bets lap of 1m51.188s.  Filipe Albuquerque splits JOTA cars with a best lap of 1m51.524s in the #22 United Autosports USA Oreca. 

Stoffel Vandoorne is the quickest driver in the #28 JOTA Oreca to finish the session as third fastest, as the team aims to overturn the 5-point advantage enjoyed by the #31 Team WRT entry for title glory on Saturday evening.  The Belgian team ended the session in 8th position.

LMGTE Am  

Matteo Cairoli tops another session in the #56 Team Project 1 Porsche with a best lap of 1m58.696s.  Niklas Nielsen puts the championship leading #83 AF Corse Ferrari into second position, with the #47 Cetilar Racing Ferrari in third with a 1m58.926s lap set by Roberto Lacorte.