Pepper Fronts Lamborghini 1-2 in Jeddah Pre-Qualifying

Jordan Pepper led a Lamborghini 1-2 in Pre-Qualifying for the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup finale in Jeddah.

The South African’s best lap of 1:59.846 behind the wheel of the No. 163 GRT Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 was 0.038 seconds faster than Loris Spinelli in the No. 63 Iron Lynx machine.

This marked the second time on Friday that Iron Lynx ended a session in second place, as Matteo Cairoli trailed Mercedes-AMG driver Jules Gounon during the two-hour Free Practice session.

The No. 2 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo that went quickest earlier in the day was in strife on Friday evening and failed to set a time after Fabian Schiller inflicted right-rear suspension damage after a brush with the wall.

Bastian Buus ended Pre-Qualifying third overall and fastest in the Bronze Cup behind the wheel of the No. 80 Lionspeed GP Porsche 911 GT3 R, setting the early place with a best lap of 1:59.895.

The pair of Pro class AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3 completed the rest of the top five, with Alessandro Pier Guidi’s No. 51 car just 0.044 seconds ahead of the sister No. 71 machine piloted by Thomas Neubauer.

A late flyer from Gilles Magnus in the No. 25 Sainteloc Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II gave the French squad the top spot in Gold Cup in sixth overall, with class rival Lorenzo Patrese just 0.003 seconds back for Tresor Attempto Racing.

Patrese, in turn, narrowly outpaced stablemate Ricardo Feller in ninth while Kobe Pauwels rounded out the top ten for Sainteloc Racing and topped Silver Cup in the process.

Qualifying for the six-hour Endurance Cup finale at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit takes place Saturday at 11:45 a.m. local time (3:45 a.m. EDT).