Just as in the opening session the trio of Audis annexed the top positions in the second practice session for the WEC Six Hours of Spa–Francorchamps.
Though the result was the same with the three e-tron quattros in the top three places atop the timesheets the order of the three cars was slightly different. Though the #1 car was again fastest thanks to Andre Lotterer’s time of 2:01.276 it was Lucas di Grassi who was second fastest in the #3 car.
With the weather – and so the track – remaining dry for the full two hour duration of the session all three Audis set fastest laps faster than the one that had Benoit Treluyer had topped the opening session with. The Audi’s lead in the second session was far more comfortable with the three R18 sixth tenths faster than the #12 Rebellion Racing that proved one of the surprises of the session by setting the fourth fastest time in the hands of former F1 man Nick Heidfeld.
The German led both the Toyotas, all three just over a second off the pace set by Lotterer. Strakka Racing were seventh fastest, though more than three seconds slower than the best of the Audis.
With Heidfeld’s third Oliver Turvey provided another surprise by pacing the LMP2 class for Jota. The British team – victorious in the first European Le Mans Series race at Silverstone – are joining the WEC field this weekend in preparation for the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Lucas Luhr a late addition to the team alongside Turvey and Simon Dolan.
After ending the first session slowest in class with less than a dozen laps completed Turvey (2:09.025) was more than four tenths faster than OAK Racing’s Olivier Pla, who was second fastest after leading the opening session. Also showing strong pace again following the earlier session was Nicolas Minassian and Pecom Racing, the combination third fastest once again.
AF Corse were fastest again in both branches of LMGTE, though in less dominant fashion.
Gimmi Bruni was fastest in the #51 car he shares with Giancarlo Fisichella but six of the seven LMGTE Pro cars followed on the timesheets within a second, the only one missing from the group being the ‘extra’ Aston Martin Racing Vantage added for the race and driven by Paul Dalla Lana, Pedro Lamy and Richie Stanaway which ended the session some distance off the class pace.
Such was the gap that the top four in LMGTE Am had fastest laps better than them. Matt Griffin was the fastest man for AF Corse with Rui Aguas second in 8Star Motorsports’ 458 Italia, further showing the apparent advantage enjoyed by the Ferraris around the Spa track. The Corvette of Larbre Competition was third fastest in class, with Allan Simonsen putting the Danish driven Aston Martin fourth in class.
