European Le Mans Series Heads To Imola: Watch Qualifying LIVE
The no47 Algarve Pro Racing Oreca was the fastest of the 42 cars that took part, with Aussie Alex Peroni posting a 1m32.845 early in the session that the others were unable to match. The nearest rival was the no31 TDS Racing X Vaillante Oreca, with 2016 4 Hours of Imola race winner Mathias Beche setting a 1m33.029 lap, 0.184s behind Peroni and just 0.009s ahead of round 1 winners Prema Racing after Louis Deletraz set a best time of 1m33.038.
The number 22 United Autosports Oreca was 4thfastest, ahead of the no37 Cool Racing and the no88 AF Corse Orecas, the top 6 cars split by less than half a second.
The LMP3 field was headed by the no17 Cool Racing Ligier driven by Round 1 winner Malthe Jakobsen, the young Dane posting 1 m38.666 lap to finish at the head of the 13-car entry.Jakobsen’s time was just 0.078 ahead of the second fastest car, the no10 Eurointernational Ligier of Xavier Lloveras.
The next three cars were split by just 0.028s, with the no3 United Autosports Ligier going third fastest with Kay Van Berlo setting a 1m39.102, just 0.026s ahead of the no14 Inter Europol Competition Ligier of Mateusz Kaprzyk, which in turn was just 0.002s ahead of the no27 Cool Racing Ligier of Nicolas Maulini.
In LMGTE it was a Porsche at the head of the time sheets at the end of the 90-minute session, with a Ferrari in second and an Aston Martin in third.
The no18 Absolute Racing Porsche 911 RSR-19 was the fastest of the 12 cars, with Alessio Picariello posting a session best time of 1m41.801s, two tenths ahead of the no83 Iron Lynx Ferrari F488 GTE EVO of Michelle Gatting.The Danish Iron Dames driver was just 0.004s ahead of the no95 Oman Racing with TF Sport Vantage after Jonny Adam posted a 1m42.074 lap.
The top four was rounded out by the no57 Kessel Racing Ferrari of Mikkel Jensen, who set a 1m42.146 lap, 0.345s behind the no18 Porsche.
