The 2021 Fanatec GT World Challenge powered by AWS season got underway today with the first day of testing at the Circuit Paul Ricard. Teams arrived with new drivers and in some cases, cars, to get through their various programs and hit the ground running.
It was the Audi squad of Saintéloc Racing that topped the opening day of pre-season testing at the French circuit. The team’s cars finished one-two in the morning session, with Frédéric Vervisch setting the best time at the wheel of the #26 Audi (1m53.034s). Vervisch beat the sister #25 car of Christopher Haase by 0.158s. Jules Gounon, after switching his Bentley for a Mercedes-AMG, was next for the #88 AKKA ASP squad, 0.648s shy of the pace-setting Saintéloc machine.
Vervisch’s time was not bested in the afternoon session, but the always quick Raffaele Marciello, made a go of it in the #88 AKKA ASP entry. The Italian ace posted a 1m53.133s to finish the day with the second overall time, splitting the two Saintéloc cars at the top of the order. Maro Engel was second in the afternoon while at the wheel of the #6 Toksport WRT Mercedes-AMG, followed by Davide Rigon in the new #71 Iron Lynx Ferrari.
Track action resumes tomorrow morning at 09.00 and runs until 12.00. Following a one-hour lunch break, the test will wrap up with another four hours of running at Circuit Paul Ricard.
