Porsche Quickest on Friday in Shanghai

Photo: Vision Sport Agency

Porsche has topped the time charts on Friday in Shanghai, with Brendon Hartley quickest in both Free Practice sessions for Sunday’s penultimate round of the FIA World Endurance Championship season.

Hartley’s 1:44.594 lap in the No. 1 Porsche 919 Hybrid, set on his first flying lap in FP2, stood as the quickest of the day, and a considerable 1.617 seconds faster than the LMP1 competition.

The No. 8 Audi R18 was second quickest with a 1:46.211 lap time, followed by the No. 2 Porsche, rebounding from a battery change in FP1, to end the day third.

Toyota Gazoo Racing was fourth quickest with its No. 5 TS050 Hybrid, with the No. 7 Audi completing the top-five overall and in class.

G-Drive Racing led the way in LMP2, also in both sessions, with a 1:54.627 from Will Stevens in FP2 ending up quickest of the day in class.

Stevens was followed by the pair of Manor Oreca 05 Nissans, which ended FP2 second and third, followed by the No. 43 RGR Sport Ligier JS P2 Nissan in fourth.

It was an AF Corse sweep in GTE-Pro, with the No. 51 Ferrari 488 GTE of Gianmaria Bruni laying down a 2:02.481 to go quickest in class.

Bruni edged out the sister No. 71 entry of Davide Rigon by 0.260 seconds, with the No. 66 Chip Ganassi Racing Ford GT ending the day third on the time sheets.

GTE-Am was led by the No. 88 Abu Dhabi Proton Racing Porsche 911 RSR of David Heinemeier Hansson in FP2, although Pedro Lamy’s 2:04.503 lap from FP1 held as quickest of the day in class.

A final 60-minute Free Practice session is on tap for Saturday at 9 a.m. local time.

RESULTS: Free Practice 2

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