Blancpain Sprint Series ; Ready for action in Portimao

Reiter Gallardo on top in first free practice

 

Sunny and hot conditions for the first free practice at the Autodromo Internacional Algarve, albeit with a strong wind blowing over the Portuguese track. All teams and drivers immediately started preparing for what promises to be an exciting couple of races.

Albert von Thurn und Taxis in the #88 Reiter Lamborghini quickly set the reference time and his lap time would only be improved by his Dutch team-mate Nick Catsburg.

The most recent Blancpain Sprint Series main race winner, the #84 Bentley Team HTP of Maxi Buhk and Vincent Abril set the second time, just over half a second slower than the black-and-white Gallardo. Series leaders Laurens Vanthoor and Robin Frijns ended up in third, just four hundredths of a second behind the Bentley.

HTP Bentley fastest in second free practice

 

The winners of the most recent Blancpain Sprint Series race, Maxi Buhk and Vincent Abril in the #84 Bentley Team HTP Continental, were quickest in the second free practice session for the Portuguese round of the fastest GT Series on the motorsports planet.

Vincent Abril lapped the Algarve circuit in Portimao in 1'44.871, which was almost four tenths quicker than the best lap time in the first free practice session.

That time had been set by Nick Catsburg and although the Dutchman left it late in the second session, Catsburg was again at the sharp end with his #88 Reiter Lamborghini, only a quarter of a second off Abril's time. In third was the #1 Audi Sport Team WRT R8 of Frijns and Vanthoor, even though the car caused a brief interruption of the session, when Frijns ended up in the gravel trap in turn 7.

Tomorrow's action starts with qualifying at 9:45, the Qualifying Race will get underway at 14:15.