Jani, Porsche Quickest in First Test Session at Monza

Photo: Porsche

Porsche has opened the FIA World Endurance Championship Prologue test on top, with Neel Jani leading the way in the opening three-hour session at Monza.

The defending LMP1 World Champion reeled off a best lap of 1:32.068 in his No. 1 Porsche 919 Hybrid, edging out the No. 8 Toyota TS050 Hybrid of Anthony Davidson by 0.158 seconds.

The No. 7 Toyota, driven by Mike Conway was third, less than four-tenths behind in third.

Times recorded in the top class smashed the previous LMP1 track record set here in 2008, the last time top-level prototypes have competed at the historic Italian circuit.

The pair of Rebellion Oreca 07 Gibsons were quickest in LMP2, with Bruno Senna and Mathias Beche setting the quick laps.

Senna’s 1:36.094 lap was only four seconds slower than the overall pace-setting Porsche.

Michael Christensen led the way in GTE-Pro in the No. 92 Porsche 911 RSR, while Ben Barker topped the time charts in GTE-Am, in his 2015-spec Porsche run by Gulf Racing.

No major incidents were reported during the session, which saw a brief Full Course Yellow early on.

The second of three test sessions gets underway at 2 p.m. local time.

RESULTS: Test Session 1

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John