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Kubica Paces Second Session Overall in Prema LMP2

Prema’s LMP2 Oreca set the overall pace in Saturday’s second Prologue test session…

Photo: MPS Agency

Robert Kubica put LMP2 outfit Prema Orlen Team at the top of the overall leaderboard in the second FIA World Endurance Championship Prologue session at Sebring.

Kubica beat the quickest entries from the top Hypercar class with his time of 1:49.084 behind the wheel of the No. 9 Oreca 07 Gibson that he shares with Louis Deletraz and Lorenzo Colombo.

The Pole’s effort, which came just before the two-hour mark, represented the fastest lap of the Prologue so far.

Matthieu Vaxivere set the Hypercar pace for Alpine Elf Team but came up 0.126 seconds short of Kubica’s benchmark.

The three-hour Saturday afternoon session took place in dry conditions after the morning run was brought to a premature halt due to torrential rain.

The most active teams racked up lap counts in the 70s, with one Toyota GR010 Hybrid even reaching 85 laps, as the teams worked through their programs and setups ahead of next weekend’s 1000-mile WEC season-opener at the same venue.

Charles Milesi ranked third overall on a time of 1:49.407 for LMP2 outfit Richard Mille Racing, while Nicklas Nielsen made a late improvement to put AF Corse fourth.

Nielsen edged ahead of Romain Dumas who brought the No. 708 Glickenhaus 007 Pipo LMH into the top five with a 1:49.436.

Rene Rast completed the top six aboard Team WRT’s No. 31 Oreca.

The Toyota GR010 Hybrids ended up seventh and 10th with the No. 7 car going quicker than its No. 8 teammate.

Saturday morning pacesetter Jose Maria Lopez produced a 1:49.624 in the closing minutes of the session to leapfrog the No. 7 Toyota above the No. 22 United Autosports LMP2.

Porsche placed first and second or the second consecutive Prologue outing as Kevin Estre reeled off a 1:56.494 in the Gerrman manufacturer’s No. 92 car to lead.

Estre was the only GTE driver in the 1-minute 56s range as Gianmaria Bruni took second on a 1:57.009 at the wheel of the No. 91 Porsche.

The sole Chevrolet Corvette C8.R went second-quickest, two-hundredths shy of splitting the 911s, while the best Ferrari 488 GTE Evo was the No. 51 car on a 1:57.643.

Giancarlo Fisichella led GTE-Am for his new team Iron Lynx. The Italian raced with AF Corse for three seasons but has recently switched to a different Ferrari team.

His time of 1:58.227 put the No. 60 Iron Lynx Ferrari around six-tenths clear of the second-placed No. 56 Inception-affiliated Team Project 1 Porsche.

Prologue track action resumes on Sunday with a pair of sessions. The first is due to start at 9:50 a.m. and finish at 1:20 p.m. The final Prologue session begins at 2:50 p.m. and lasts three hours (all times ET). 

RESULTS: Session 2

Daniel Lloyd is a UK-based reporter for Sportscar365, covering the FIA World Endurance Championship, Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, among other series.

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