Le Mans Series Test Days - Paul Ricard – GT Round Up

The first public airing of the new GTE Pro and GTE Am brought a dozen cars to a rather cold Paul Ricard HTTT.

GTE Pro numbered 7 with a trio of Porsches, a pair of Aston Martin Vantages and a pair of Ferraris (one brand new 458 Italia and the soon to be retired Hankook Team Farnbacher 430)

It was the oldest car present, the #89 430 that dominated, posting fastest times in three of the four sessions and second fastest in the final session of the weekend.

Tyre testing with the third year iteration of the Hankook programme was the order of the weekend for the ever playful and enthusiastic Simonsen/ Farnbacher combo, the high jinks and practical jokes though always stop when this pair get down to business – the conditions here suited their tyres but we’ll soon see whether the Korean company has progressed their warmer weather form.

IMSA Performance were the only other team to top a timesheet, that came in the second Saturday session with Wolf Henzler edging out the Hankook 430 in the now very striking ‘Tricolour’ liveried #76 Porsche.

This is a team that is signalling substantial intent in both GTE classes and the driver line-up of Henzler and 3rd year returnee Patrick Pilet will surely be regular favourites for podiums or better!

To do better though they’ll have to beat the current LMS and LM24 Champs – Lieb and Lietz are back with the #77 Felbermayr Proton Porsche, a team and a driver duo which must rank in anyone’s list of the very best.

The third Porsche is a car of quality too, Factory man Marco Holzer joined by Belgium’s returning prodigal son Marc goossens in the #75 Prospeed Competition car – Both quick, in a team of quality once again, Porsche’s attack looks mighty convincing!

Ferrari’s new prancing horse is the 458 Italia and the 4th example delivered arrived here on Friday.  It looks the part, it sounds the part and it’s not far from the ultimate pace over a single lap but the body language at AF Corse indicates that there’s plenty of work to do before the car will be operating at the level that the designers are hoping for.  With Gimmi Bruni and Giancarlo Fisichella aboard the #51 car this will be a contender – but when?

The pretty, pretty Aston Vantage had two examples on track here, Jota Sport bringing their new acquisition out to play ahead of a full season attack.  Sam Hancock was looking for every available opportunity to learn more about, and squeeze more out of, the #79 car.  Simon Dolan is getting quicker by the day too and was unlucky to have an off on Friday that cost the team time – And before anyone points the finger the very same accident befell the far more experienced Alex Mueller minutes later.

That second Vantage shunt ended the test for the #86 Young Driver AMR team, the GTE entry a new direction for the FIA GT1 regulars with Tomas Enge, Alex Mueller and Christoffer Nygaard joined here by potential ‘super sub’ Johnathan Kennard.  The car will race here next month and will also be at the Le Mans test as the team hold their breath for any seismic activity in the Le mans entry list.

GTE Am saw a single Porsche ranged against a quartet of Ferrari 430s.

The Porsche is the second car fielded by IMSA Performance Matmut, team owner Raymond Narac paired with Nicolas Armindo in what could prove to be a very convincing attack on the inaugural ‘Pro-Am’ GTE title.

Kessel Racing were mounting a scouting mission with their #70 Ferrari 430 for Phillip Peter and Michael Bromiszewski.  The car looks set to reappear for next month’s race here and then “We’ll see”

CRS Racing are back again in 2011, the 430 driven last year by Kirkaldy and Mullen now in the hands of gentleman racer Klaas Hummel, aided and abetted by Phil Quaife and Adam Christodoulou.  Hummel thoroughly enjoyed the long stints in this test and his level of commitment and application might be the key to this team delivering consistent points scoring finishes.

Finally to AF Corse and their pair of 430s, one for NASCAR man Michael Waltrip and business partner Robert Kauffman whose GT racing world tour continues, marked with speed and humility from both Americanss, both having the time of their lives with the assistance in 2011 of Rui Aguas.

The #61 car matches fast Belgian sportsman Stephane Lemeret with Marco Cioci and Pierguiseppe Perazzini – A classic Pro-Am squad, the competitiveness and staying power of this sort of crew will surely be the proof of the GTE Am pudding?