Allen Tops Extended-Length 4H Algarve Practice

Algarve Pro Racing’s James Allen set the pace in the three-hour Free Practice session ahead of Friday’s 4 Hours of Algarve, the first of two races in the Portimao double header that will conclude the European Le Mans Series season.

The Australian driver steered the No. 25 Oreca 07 Gibson to a best lap of 1:33.398, 0.125 seconds clear of the No. 21 United Autosports Oreca of Nelson Piquet Jr.

Piquet Jr. topped the LMP2 Pro-Am standings in the process, while Phil Hanson joined the Brazilian in the No. 22 sister car to complete the overall top three.

Teams were given three hours of practice time on Thursday as part of the double header schedule, combining the pair of 90-minute sessions that usually make up an ELMS weekend schedule into a single outing.

After qualifying and the first race are completed on Friday, teams will then get a second three-hour Free Practice session on Saturday before the season concludes with the 4 Hours of Portimao on Sunday.

Laurents Hoerr slotted into fourth for IDEC Sport, with the top five rounded out by the No. 30 Duqueine Team machine in the hands of Nico Pino.

The sixth-placed No. 21 DragonSpeed Oreca, piloted by Sebastian Montoya, took second in Pro-Am, ahead of Jose Maria Lopez for Cool Racing and Ben Hanley for Nielsen Racing.

Racing Team Turkey driver Charlie Eastwood and Cool Racing’s Malthe Jakobsen formed the remainder of the top ten.

In LMP3, Ligier led Duqueine as Wyatt Brichacek posted a 1:38.649 aboard the No. 13 Inter Europol Competition Ligier JS P320 Nissan, 0.448 seconds quicker than the Oscar Tunjo-driven No. 12 WTM by Rinaldi Racing Duqueine D08 Nissan.

Adam, Cressoni in Dead Heat in GTE

TF Sport’s Jonny Adam and Iron Lynx driver Matteo Cressoni set identical times to top the GTE class.

Both drivers, with Adam in the No. 95 TF Sport Aston Martin Vantage AMR and Cressoni piloting the No. 60 Iron Lynx Porsche 911 RSR-19, reeled off a time of 1:42.409.

Spirit of Race’s Matt Griffin slotted into third just 0.040 seconds behind, with Julien Andlauer and Nicki Thiim fourth and fifth for Proton Competition and GMB Motorsport. The entire top five was covered by just 0.085 seconds.

The session was interrupted early by a red flag, triggered when the No. 51 AF Corse Ferrari 488 GTE Evo went off at Turn 1.

Qualifying for the 4 Hours of Algarve kicks off Friday at 9:50 a.m. CEST (3:50 a.m. EDT).

RESULTS: Free Practice