Vanthoor Paces Barcelona Free Practice for WRT

Dries Vanthoor overcame Joel Sturm’s early benchmark to set the fastest lap in Free Practice for the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup season finale at Barcelona.

The Team WRT driver produced a session-leading time of 1:39.888 in the No. 32 BMW M4 GT3 that he shares with Charles Weerts and Sheldon van der Linde.

Vanthoor’s effort, which came shortly after the halfway mark in the 90-minute run, beat Sturm’s initial number in the Pure Rxcing Porsche 911 GT3 R by 0.121 seconds.

Sturm paced the Bronze Cup class despite missing out on the overall top spot.

Vanthoor was the only driver to break the 1m 40s barrier around the modified Barcelona circuit layout which is faster than last year’s configuration due to the final-sector chicane being removed.

Jules Gounon was third in the Endurance Cup points-leading No. 88 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo from Akkodis ASP with a time of 1:40.064.

Gounon narrowly beat AF Corse Ferrari driver Antonio Fuoco and Sven Mueller in the No. 54 Dinamic GT Porsche.

Dennis Lind finished sixth overall and set the pace in the Pro-Am class for Lamborghini outfit Barwell Motorsport.

The highest-placed Gold Cup car was the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG in ninth while the best Silver Cup contender was the No. 53 AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3 down in 23rd.

There were two short red flags in Free Practice, with the first caused by Niki Leutwiler spinning Car Collection Motorsport’s No. 24 Porsche into the gravel at Turn 13.

The second one was introduced to enable a trackside marshal to retrieve a cone on the racing line at the final corner.

Track action at Barcelona continues with Pre-Qualifying at 1:25 p.m. CEST (7:25 a.m. EDT).

RESULTS: Free Practice