Vanthoor, No. 5 Audi Sweep Friday at Nürburgring

Photo: Vision Sport Agency

Dries Vanthoor has topped both of Friday’s Free Practice sessions for the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup finale at Nürburgring, leading an Audi 1-2 in Free Practice 2.

After setting the pace in the morning session, Vanthoor improved by 1.3 seconds in the afternoon to post a time of 1:54.708 in his No. 5 Audi R8 LMS run by Belgian Audi Club Team WRT.

Co-driver Marcel Fassler took over the car for the second half of the session but was unable to beat his teammate’s time.

Robin Frijns was the second fastest driver on track in the No. 17 WRT Audi, two-tenths down on the leader’s pace. 

He was followed by Rob Bell in the No. 59 Strakka Racing McLaren 650S GT3 in the team’s best Free Practice outing since the Zolder round in June.

Daniel Keilwitz was the quickest Pro-Am driver, classified fourth overall, driving the Rinaldi Racing-run No. 333 Ferrari 488 GT3, while Dominik Baumann’s HTP Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 completed the top five.

The sister No. 85 HTP car was the quickest in the Silver Cup, coming seventh overall, while the sole Pro-Am entry from Kessel Racing was classified 30th overall.

FP2 was ended several minutes early when Mirko Bortolotti picked up a puncture, leaving his Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini Huracan GT3 in a dangerous position on track,

Qualifying will take place at 9:40 a.m. local time on Saturday morning, followed by the Qualifying Race at 2 p.m.

RESULTS: Free Practice 2

Jake Kilshaw

Jake Kilshaw is a UK-based journalist. He is a graduate of Politics and International Relations.