Toyota 1-2 on Friday in Shanghai

Photo: James Moy/Toyota

Toyota Gazoo Racing has set the early pace in Shanghai, with the pair of Toyota TS050 Hybrids topping Friday’s pair of Free Practice sessions for the penultimate FIA World Endurance Championship race of the season.

The No. 7 car was quickest, thanks to a 1:44.741 lap set by Mike Conway in the second of the 90-minute sessions.

Conway’s time was 0.390 seconds quicker than the sister No. 8 Toyota of Anthony Davidson in second, with the pair of Porsche 919 Hybrids a distant third and fourth, more than a half-second slower.

Vaillante Rebellion led LMP2, with Nelson Piquet Jr. storming to a 1:50.556 lap time in the No. 13 Oreca 07 Gibson.

Piquet edged out the class championship-leading No. 38 Jackie Chan DC Racing Oreca of Thomas Laurent by three-tenths, with title-contending No. 31 Rebellion entry third quickest in FP2 and on the day.

GTE-Pro was led by the No. 51 AF Corse Ferrari 488 GTE of James Calado, with Matteo Cairoli in the No. 77 Dempsey Proton Racing Porsche 911 RSR topping GTE-Am.

Significant improvements were made by nearly all teams from the opening session, which was delayed by 90 minutes due to trackside communication issues.

A final 60-minute Free Practice 3 is set for 10 a.m. local time on Saturday, followed by qualifying.

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