Deletraz Paces Opening CTMP Practice

Louis Deletraz set the fastest time for AO Racing in the opening practice session for the Chevrolet Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

The Swiss driver, deputizing for Paul-Loup Chatin aboard the No. 99 Oreca 07 Gibson, reeled off a 1:07.895 in the opening stages of Friday’s 90-minute session to go quickest.

He outpaced fellow stand-in Renger van der Zande’s No. 8 Tower Motorsports Oreca by a mere 0.003 seconds, with Ben Hanley completing the top three for United Autosports.

Hanley sat one position ahead of his United stablemate Filipe Albuquerque, with Colin Braun rounding out the overall top five in the No. 04 CrowdStrike Racing by APR machine.

Albuquerque’s co-driver Daniel Goldburg caused the session’s sole red flag when he found the barriers at Turn 10 near the halfway mark, although the car later rejoined.

Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports took a 1-2 to lead the GTD Pro class, with Alexander Sims beating Nicky Catsburg with a late-session flyer.

Sims steered the No. 3 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R to a best lap of 1:16.696, narrowly improving upon Catsburg’s 1:15.714 that had been the benchmark time for much of the session.

Ross Gunn went third aboard the No. 23 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo, ahead of the GTD-leading Robby Foley in the No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3.

Foley fell behind Gunn by just 0.002 seconds, but remained clear of the No. 1 Paul Miller Racing machine of Bryan Sellers, AO Racing’s Seb Priaulx and the No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 of Ben Barnicoat.

Behind Barnicoat, the No. 70 Inception Racing McLaren 720S GT3 Evo driven by Frederik Schandorff and Kyle Marcelli’s No. 45 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 took second and third in GTD.

Track action for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship continues with the second practice session set for Saturday at 10:35 a.m. EDT.

RESULTS: Practice 1