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David Malsher-Lopez

Rolex 24: WTR Acura tops much-interrupted FP1 at Daytona

GTP

After a GTD car choking on pitlane entrance caused the first red flag, the running was interrupted again by a red with 16mins run due to debris on Turn 2. At that point, only Philipp Eng in the #24 BMW M Hybrid V8 had set a vaguely representative time, but even so, it was only 1min39.586sec.

When action resumed Tom Blomqvist drove the polesitting Meyer Shank Racing Acura ARX-06 to the top of the times with a 1min35.688sec run, a few hundredths ahead of Renger van der Zande’s #01 Chip Ganassi Racing Cadillac V-LMDh, and Albuquerque’s Wayne Taylor Racing Acura.

With 41mins to go, Earl Bamber moved to the top of the times in the #02 Caddy, 0.033sec faster than Blomqvist.

The #7 Porsche 963 and the #25 BMW M Hybrid V8 missed much of the session with technical issues, IMSA Radio reporting a suspected steering issue for the 963 and a misfire for the M Hybrid V8.

The #25 hit the track with 30mins to go, while Albuquerque in the WTR Andretti Acura lowered the class benchmark to 1min35.366sec, 0.266sec ahead of the #02 Cadillac. But before Connor DePhillippi could set a representative time in the #25 BMW, the fifth yellow flew.

The session got underway with five minutes remaining, and finally the #7 Porsche had a chance to set a time, Matt Campbell only getting one lap on warm tires, 2.668sec off top spot.

LMP2

Fred Poordad’s 1min40.456sec, set in the first quarter hour, was faster than Ben Keating’s pole time in the class, and that was swiftly eclipsed by his team partner in the TDS Racing entry Job van Uitert (1min39.227), TDS teammate Mikkel Jensen, Ryan Dalziel of Era Motorsport and Josef Newgarden in the rebuilt Tower Motorsport machine.

Jensen kept improving, turning a 1min39.076, but it was Paul-Loup Chatin in the PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports who worked down to a 1min38.302sec, less than three-tenths ahead of Oliver Jarvis.

LMP3

Riley Motorsports’ Felipe Fraga got down to a 1min42.704sec, ahead of Joao Barbosa in the Sean Creech Motorsport car, while Cameron Shields was third fastest in the Performance Tech Motorsports machine. However, John De Angelis then shunted this car at Turn 7.

In the brief period between the fourth and fifth red flags, Gabby Chaves slotted the Andretti Autosport entry into second, 0.091sec behind Fraga’s top time.

GTD Pro and GTD

Alec Udell in the Kellymoss with Riley Porsche 911 GT3 R stopped on the entrance to pitlane and needed retrieval, bringing out the red flag after just five minutes. With just over 30mins run, Andrea Caldarelli’s #63 Iron Lynx Lamborghini Huracan caused the third red flag with an off-course excursion.

At this point, Aaron Telitz’s GTD Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F topped all GTD cars with a 1min46.975sec ahead of Russell Ward in the pole-winning Winward Racing Mercedes AMG GT3 and Andy Lally in the Aston Martin Vantage. The second Lexus of Jack Hawksworth led GTD Pro.

With under 25mins to go, Lucas Auer had set fastest time – 1min46.763sec – in the polesitting Winward Mercedes, when he caused the fifth red flag of the session with a heavy front-on impact at Turn 2. Owen Trinkler in the TGM/TF Sport Aston Martin Vantage was top of the GTD Pro times.

Rolex 24 at Daytona - Free Practice 1 results:

Cla Num Driver Class Chassis Time Gap
1 10 United States Ricky Taylor
Portugal Filipe Albuquerque
Switzerland Louis Deletraz
New Zealand Brendon Hartley
GTP Acura ARX-06 1'35.366  
2 02 New Zealand Earl Bamber
United Kingdom Alex Lynn
United Kingdom Richard Westbrook
GTP Cadillac V-LMDh 1'35.632 0.266
3 60 United Kingdom Tom Blomqvist
United States Colin Braun
Brazil Helio Castroneves
France Simon Pagenaud
GTP Acura ARX-06 1'35.665 0.299
4 01 France Sébastien Bourdais
Netherlands Renger van der Zande
New Zealand Scott Dixon
GTP Cadillac V-LMDh 1'35.740 0.374
5 6 France Mathieu Jaminet
United Kingdom Nick Tandy
United States Dane Cameron
GTP Porsche 963 1'35.752 0.386
6 31 Brazil Pipo Derani
United Kingdom Alexander Sims
United Kingdom Jack Aitken
GTP Cadillac V-LMDh 1'36.550 1.184
7 24 Austria Philipp Eng
Brazil Augusto Farfus
Germany Marco Wittmann
United States Colton Herta
GTP BMW M Hybrid V8 1'36.563 1.197
8 7 Australia Matt Campbell
Brazil Felipe Nasr
Denmark Michael Christensen
GTP Porsche 963 1'38.034 2.668
9 52 United States Ben Keating
France Paul-Loup Chatin
Alex Quinn
France Nicolas Lapierre
LMP2 ORECA LMP2 07 1'38.302 2.936
10 18 Dwight Merriman
United Kingdom Ryan Dalziel
Christian Rasmussen
United Kingdom Oliver Jarvis
LMP2 ORECA LMP2 07 1'38.597 3.231
11 11 Thomas Steven
Denmark Mikkel Jensen
Scott Huffaker
Netherlands Rinus van Kalmthout
LMP2 ORECA LMP2 07 1'38.601 3.235
12 55 United States Fred Poordad
Italy Francesco Pizzi
Australia James Allen
Italy Gianmaria Bruni
LMP2 ORECA LMP2 07 1'38.903 3.537
13 35 France François Heriau
Netherlands Giedo van der Garde
United States Josh Pierson
Netherlands Job Van Uitert
LMP2 ORECA LMP2 07 1'39.227 3.861
14 51 United States Eric Lux
Canada Devlin DeFrancesco
United States Austin Cindric
Brazil Pietro Fittipaldi
LMP2 ORECA LMP2 07 1'39.283 3.917
15 25 United States Connor de Phillippi
United Kingdom Nick Yelloly
South Africa Sheldon Van Der Linde
United States Colton Herta
GTP BMW M Hybrid V8 1'39.365 3.999
16 8 Canada John Farano
New Zealand Scott McLaughlin
United States Josef Newgarden
Kyffin Simpson
LMP2 ORECA LMP2 07 1'39.701 4.335
17 20 Denmark Dennis Andersen
United Arab Emirates Ed Jones
Denmark Anders Fjordbach
Italy Raffaele Marciello
LMP2 ORECA LMP2 07 1'39.891 4.525
18 88 France François Perrodo
France Matthieu Vaxiviere
France Julien Canal
Denmark Nicklas Nielsen
LMP2 ORECA LMP2 07 1'40.122 4.756
19 04 United States George Kurtz
United Kingdom Ben Hanley
United States Matt McMurry
Mexico Esteban Gutierrez
LMP2 ORECA LMP2 07 1'40.584 5.218
20 74 United States Gar Robinson
Brazil Felipe Fraga
Netherlands Glenn van Berlo
Josh Burdon
LMP3 Ligier JS P320 1'42.704 7.338
21 36 United States Jarett Andretti
Colombia Gabby Chaves
United States Dakota Dickerson
Sweden Rasmus Lindh
LMP3 Ligier JS P320 1'42.795 7.429
22 33 United States Lance Willsey
Portugal Joao Barbosa
Nicolas Pino
Nolan Siegel
LMP3 Ligier JS P320 1'42.841 7.475
23 38 John DeAngelis
Christopher Allen
Australia Cameron Shields
Connor Bloum
LMP3 Ligier JS P320 1'43.257 7.891
24 85 United States Till Bechtolsheimer
Netherlands Tijmen van der Helm
United States Luca Mars
United States Mason Filippi
LMP3 Duqueine D08 1'43.272 7.906
25 17 Canada Anthony Mantella
United Kingdom Wayne Boyd
Nico Varrone
United States Thomas Merrill
LMP3 Duqueine D08 1'43.578 8.212
26 13 Canada Orey Fidani
United Kingdom Matthew Bell
Germany Lars Kern
Germany Moritz Kranz
LMP3 Duqueine D08 1'43.620 8.254
27 87 Japan Yu Kanamaru
Canada James Vance
Serravalle Antonio
United States Nicholas Boulle
LMP3 Duqueine D08 1'43.936 8.570
28 43 Sebastian Alvarez
Singapore Danial Frost
United States James French
Guilherme de
LMP3 Ligier JS P320 1'44.115 8.749
29 57 United States Russell Ward
Switzerland Philip Ellis
Netherlands Indy Dontje
Austria Lucas Auer
GTD Mercedes AMG GT3 1'46.763 11.397
30 12 United States Aaron Telitz
United States Frankie Montecalvo
United States Kyle Kirkwood
Parker Thompson
GTD Lexus RC F GT3 1'46.975 11.609
31 64 United States Ted Giovanis
United States Hugh Plumb
United States Matt Plumb
United States Owen Trinkler
GTD PRO Aston Martin Vantage GT3 1'47.010 11.644
32 44 United States John Potter
United States Andy Lally
United States Spencer Pumpelly
Denmark Nicki Thiim
GTD Aston Martin Vantage GT3 1'47.066 11.700
33 14 United Kingdom Jack Hawksworth
United Kingdom Ben Barnicoat
United Kingdom Mike Conway
GTD PRO Lexus RC F GT3 1'47.174 11.808
34 70 Brendan Iribe
Switzerland Frederik Schandorff
United Kingdom Ollie Millroy
Germany Marvin Kirchhofer
GTD McLaren 720S GT3 1'47.266 11.900
35 93 Ashton Harrison
Danny Formal
Canada Kyle Marcelli
Australia Ryan Briscoe
GTD Acura NSX GT3 1'47.290 11.924
36 32 United States Mike Skeen
Canada Mikael Grenier
United States Kenton Koch
Maximillian Goetz
GTD Mercedes AMG GT3 1'47.295 11.929
37 75 Australia Kenny Habul
Germany Luca Stolz
Germany Fabian Schiller
Zimbabwe Axcil Jefferies
GTD Mercedes AMG GT3 1'47.329 11.963
38 23 United Kingdom Ross Gunn
Spain Alex Riberas
David Pittard
GTD PRO Aston Martin Vantage GT3 1'47.353 11.987
39 66 Sheena Monk
United Kingdom Katherine Legge
Germany Mario Farnbacher
United States Marc Miller
GTD Acura NSX GT3 1'47.468 12.102
40 19 Italy Raffaele Giammaria
France Franck Perera
Italy Claudio Schiavoni
Switzerland Rolf Ineichen
GTD Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 1'47.506 12.140
41 78 Canada Mikhail Goikhberg
Italy Loris Spinelli
Benja Hites
Italy Marco Mapelli
GTD Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 1'47.576 12.210
42 3 Spain Antonio Garcia
United States Jordan Taylor
United States Tommy Milner
GTD PRO Corvette C8.R GTD 1'47.613 12.247
43 63 Italy Andrea Caldarelli
Italy Mirko Bortolotti
South Africa Jordan Lee Pepper
France Romain Grosjean
GTD PRO Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 1'47.672 12.306
44 62 Italy Alessandro Pier Guidi
United Kingdom James Calado
Brazil Daniel Serra
Italy Davide Rigon
GTD PRO Ferrari 296 GT3 1'47.677 12.311
45 95 United States Bill Auberlen
Chandler Hull
Canada Bruno Spengler
United States John Edwards
GTD PRO BMW M4 GT3 1'47.683 12.317
46 27 Canada Roman De Angelis
Denmark Marco Sorensen
United Kingdom Ian James
United Kingdom Darren Turner
GTD Aston Martin Vantage GT3 1'47.703 12.337
47 1 United States Bryan Sellers
United States Madison Snow
United States Corey Lewis
Belgium Maxime Martin
GTD BMW M4 GT3 1'47.814 12.448
48 96 United States Patrick Gallagher
United States Robby Foley
Michael Dinan
Germany Jens Klingmann
GTD BMW M4 GT3 1'47.927 12.561
49 83 Switzerland Rahel Frey
Belgium Sarah Bovy
Michelle Gatting
Doriane Pin
GTD Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 1'48.065 12.699
50 21 Mann Simon
Argentina Luis Perez Companc
Spain Miguel Molina
Italy Francesco Castellacci
GTD Ferrari 296 GT3 1'48.155 12.789
51 42 United States Don Yount
United States Jaden Conwright
Kerong Li
Alessio Deledda
GTD Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 1'48.293 12.927
52 80 PJ Hyett
Seb Priaulx
United States Gunnar Jeannette
United Kingdom Harry Tincknell
GTD Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) 1'48.356 12.990
53 47 Italy Roberto Lacorte
Italy Giorgio Sernagiotto
Italy Antonio Fuoco
Italy Alessandro Balzan
GTD Ferrari 296 GT3 1'48.589 13.223
54 16 United States Ryan Hardwick
Belgium Jan Heylen
Canada Zacharie Robichon
Norway Dennis Olsen
GTD Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) 1'48.734 13.368
55 023 Onofrio Triarsi
Charles Scardina
Italy Alessio Rovera
Italy Andrea Bertolini
GTD Ferrari 296 GT3 1'48.886 13.520
56 53 United States Mark Kvamme
United States Trenton Estep
Denmark Jan Magnussen
United States Jason Hart
GTD Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) 1'48.956 13.590
57 77 United States Alan Brynjolfsson
United States Trent Hindman
Max Root
France Kevin Estre
GTD Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) 1'48.969 13.603
58 91 Alan Metni
Netherlands Kay van Berlo
Australia Jaxon Evans
Julien Andlauer
GTD Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) 1'49.029 13.663
59 9 Austria Klaus Bachler
France Patrick Pilet
Belgium Laurens Vanthoor
GTD PRO Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) 1'51.349 15.983
60 79 United States Cooper MacNeil
Spain Daniel Juncadella
France Jules Gounon
Germany Maro Engel
GTD PRO Mercedes AMG GT3    
61 92 David Brule
United States Alec Udell
United States Andrew Davis
Netherlands Jeroen Bleekemolen
GTD Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)    
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