1000km Algarve. Friday Qualifying - GT

The start of the session devoted exclusively to the GT cars was delayed due to the late arrival of the incoming train. Or was it because of red flags in the preceding Classic Endurance session?

Anyway, the 20-minute session kicked off around ten minutes late, which allowed the temperature to drop marginally, to 24.5 Celsius. But even though “it was the same for everyone”, there was only a dribble of cars out onto the track at the start. The no 81 Easyrace Ferrari was the first to show, Gianpaolo Tenchini at the wheel, and quickly down to a 1:48.4.

Then it was the JMB Ferrari, Campanico at the wheel, followed by another Portuguese driver, Francisco Cruz Martins, in the no 88 Felbermayr Porsche. Then Dominik Farnbacher in the FBR Ferrari, and Allan Simonsen in the no 89 Hankook Ferrari. None was to break 1 minute 46 seconds. That honour was to go to Patrick Pilet in the no 76 IMSA Porsche, with 1:45.74.

It took until half way through the session before the first GT1 car appeared, Yann Clairay at on qualifying duty in the Luc Alphand Corvette. Gimmi Bruni was at the wheel of the Dunlop-liveried JMW Ferrari, and got down to 1:45.72, quicker than anyone else. Jonny Cocker was driving the Drayson Aston Martin Vantage GT2 car and proceeded to lap consistently, getting quicker on each lap, ending up on 1:46.636, good enough for eighth in class.

Next out was Richard Lietz, in the no 77 Porsche, who went quickest (in 1min 44.804) on just his second flying lap. The team decided that was good enough, and they decided to save tyres for the race.

Although Bruni was able to improve in the Ferrari to a 1min 44.868, it wasn’t good enough and the JMW team had to be satisfied with second.

Right at the end, all eyes were on Antonio Garcia, in the Modena Ferrari, who was only able to complete two flying laps before the chequered flag, the second of which was a 1min 45.4secs, giving the Spanish driver third place in class.

Paul Truswell