Kubica Sets the Pace in Drying Monza Second Practice

Robert Kubica set the pace in a drying second practice for the 6 Hours of Monza FIA World Endurance Championship finale at the wheel of the AF Corse Ferrari 499P.

Times were tumbling during the final minutes of the session as the surface rapidly began to dry and teams bolted on slick tires.

Kubica ultimately put the No. 83 Ferrari at the top of the timesheets with a 1:38.143 that was nearly eight seconds faster than the benchmark in the wet FP1 in the morning.

The Pole was almost eight tenths faster than the opposition, headed by Harry Tincknell in the No. 007 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Valkyrie, while Raffaele Marciello vaulted the No. 15 WRT BMW M Hybrid V8 to third in the closing seconds with a 1:39.759.

Victor Martins had looked on course to again put Alpine at the head of the leaderboard but his 1:40.058 at the wheel of the No. 36 Signatech Alpine A424 was good enough for fourth in the final classification.

The top-six was then rounded out by Mathieu Jaminet aboard the No. 19 Genesis GMR-001 and the No. 38 Hertz Team JOTA Cadillac V-Series.R of Earl Bamber.

Antonio Fuoco was quickest of the factory Ferraris in seventh, while Theo Pourchaire was eighth in the best of the Peugeot 9X8s.

Only manufacturers’ champion Toyota failed to have a presence inside the top-ten, with the best of the TR010 Hybrids finishing up 12th in the hands of drivers’ standings leader Ryo Hirakawa.

The Proton Competition Ford Mustang GT3 EVOs led the way in LMGT3 with the machines taking a 1-2.

Sebastian Priaulx in the No. 77 entry finished up just 0.087 seconds faster than stablemate Logan Sargeant having clocked a 1:50.352.

Best non-Ford was Maxime Martin’s Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo with a time that was two-tenths adrift of Priaulx’s.

The No. 91 Manthey Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo of Ayhancan Guven was fourth, while the No. 87 Akkodis ASP Lexus RC F GT3 of Jose Maria Lopez rounded out the top-five.

There were no major interruptions during the 90-minute session, with just a sole Full-Course Yellow for a systems check.

Attention now turns to the final practice session on Saturday, which is due to begin at 10:30 a.m. CET (4:30 a.m. ET).

RESULTS: Free Practice 2