Haase Fastest in Misano Sprint Cup Practice

Christopher Haase clocked the fastest time during practice for the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Sprint Cup meeting at Misano.

As the Sprint Cup returned following a two-month break since the Brands Hatch season opener, Haase headed the 44-car field with a 1:32.347 lap in the second of two 80-minute sessions held on Friday.

The No. 84 Eastalent Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II Haase shares with Simon Reicher lapped 0.393 seconds quicker than Aurelien Panis in the No. 6 GetSpeed Team Bartone Bros Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO to raise hopes of a record-extending eleventh win at the track for Audi in the Sprint Cup.

Times were quicker in the second session held in fading light, in conditions similar to those predicted for Saturday evening’s Race 1, with temperatures marginally lower than in the mid-afternoon which peaked at 86.54°F.

Fabian Schiller led the way in opening practice on a 1:32.868 aboard the No. 12 GetSpeed Team Dubai Mercedes-AMG he shares with Gabriel Rindone in the Bronze Cup, but it was only good enough for fourth in the overall classification.

Silver Cup entry Panis was joined in the top three by fellow Mercedes-AMG driver Jules Gounon, who lapped just 0.040 seconds slower aboard his No. 3 Verstappen Racing entry.

Fifth on the overall times and fourth in FP2 was the second of the Bronze Cup entries, the No. 991 Paradine Competition BMW M4 GT3 EVO of Augusto Farfus, while Andrea Frassinetti completed a strong day for Audi by going sixth overall in his No. 66 Tresor Attempto Racing Audi that had earlier gone third fastest in FP1.

The best-placed Gold Cup entry of Tommaso Mosca in the No. 51 AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3 was eighth in the overall times, fractionally slower than fellow Ferrari driver Dennis Marschall’s No. 74 Kessel Racing Bronze Cup entry.

Pre-event Sprint Cup points leaders and recent Spa 24 Hours winners Ricardo Feller and Bastian Buus ended the day ninth in the overall times aboard their No. 80 Lionspeed GP Porsche 911 GT3 R EVO, courtesy of a 1:33.057 lap from the former.

Qualifying for Race 1 is scheduled to commence at 1:05 p.m. local time (7:05 a.m. EST) on Saturday.

RESULTS: Free Practice 1/Free Practice 2