Endurance RacingGT World ChallengeSportscars

Belgian Audi Club Team WRT make a statement of intent at Imola

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Credit: SRO/Dirk Bogaerts Photography

Today saw proceedings for the 2020 GT World Challenge Endurance Cup kick off with the first two practice sessions. Belgian Audi Club Team WRT made their intentions known by topping the morning and afternoon practice sessions with Mirko Bortolotti setting the pace both times.

In the Pro class, the Audi newcomer made sure he didn’t need too much time getting used to a new car by setting a 1:41.723 in the first morning session. Making sure Team WRT had a brilliant start, Christopher Mies finished second in the sister Audi with a 1:41.996. Patrick Pilet clocked the third fastest lap setting a 1:42.067 in his GPX Racing Porsche followed by the Orange1 FFF Racing Lamborghini of Dennis Lind rounding out the top 4.

The morning 90 minute session was interrupted by several red flags, one for heavy rain at the end of proceedings and another for the #52 AF Corse Ferrari which suffered from a fire due to an oil leak.

Credit: SRO/Dirk Bogaerts Photography

Bortolotti made it two from two once again setting the fastest time of a 1:42.497 in the afternoon session. Practice was tricky as the start of the session as heavy showers just before meant the track was wet but it was gradually drying up but Mirko eventually got within four tenths of his morning time. The Mercedes of the new Haupt Racing Team driven by Maro Engel managed to get within 0.083s for Bortolotti with an impressive run from Frederik Schandorff in the Silver Cup Barwell Motorsport Lamborghini to round out the top 3. The #99 ROWE Racing Porsche completed the top four.

An impressive day was had by the Silver Cup Tech 1 Racing team after being the fastest class runners in the morning then following that up with second in the second session.

Pro Am had AKKA ASP and SKY Tempesta Racing top the morning and afternoon respectively.

The last session for the day was the Bronze driver test. This consisted of a one hour session for the bronze drivers only and had the #74 RAM Racing Mercedes-AMG driven by Remon Vos top the time sheets, second was Mickael Blanchemain in the Sainteloc Racing Audi with Hiroshi Hamaguchi completing the top three in his Orange1 FFF Racing Lamborghini.

Tomorrow sees the one more practice session and pre-qualifying in the morning before we go to the buisness end of deciding the grid at 17:30 local time.

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