• 10.25 - 11.00 Grid and Start
• 12.00 - 13.00 Race
• 13.15 - 14.15 Race
• 16.30 - 17.00 Finish

Third Practice - First Saturday Session

There was nothing bright about the skies as the Le Mans Series cars took to the track at 09:45 for the start of the final free practice session ahead of this weekend's Spa 1000 Kilometres.

Andy Wallace was in the cockpit of the #25 RML AD Group Lola, enjoying his first stint here at Spa. The red, white and blue coupé was in the second phase of cars to join the session, and while top times in LMP2 were being set by the likes of Moreau in the #35 Oak Pescarolo and de Pourtales in the #39 KSM Lola, Andy was just getting into his stride.

Within the ranks of LMP2, at least, a significant number of teams had elected to send out those drivers who'd missed out on track time yesterday. Tim Greaves was in the #41 Bruichladdich Ginetta Zytek, and Miguel Amaral in the #40, while Nick Leventis was gaining confidence in the #42 Strakka Racing HPD.

Andy's laps grew steadily more rapid, and as he did so, the clouds overhead began to thin, just a little, and the light improved. The track too was deemed dry, the the laptimes reflected this. Moreau's best with a quarter hour gone was 2:09.322, with Leventis lying second on 2:11.681. Andy, still two laps behind them, had set 2:12.937 to stand fifth in LMP2.

The Gathering Storm

In LMP1, Allan McNish was knocking on two-minutes dead in the #7 R15, but a storm was gathering in his wake in the form of the three works Peugeot 908s. Strangely, despite a succession of very quick first and second sectors, the Pugs never quite seemed able to string together an equally rapid final sector, so Allan's time remained fastest for the opening three-quarters of the hour-long session. The first of the petrol-powered prototypes was the #12 Rebellion Lola, 7th overall.

With the clock showing twenty minutes completed, Andy returned to the pitlane for fresh tyres, some minor adjustments and a driver change. He complained about traffic, but confirmed that yesterday's brake issue had been successfully resolved. Richard Hein had taken over in the #35 Oak Pescarolo, but Leventis was still setting quicker personal bests in the Strakka HPD, clocking 2:10.525. Lahaye, in the second Oak Pescarolo (#24 - lower number but, generally, higher times) was third, Tim Greaves fourth and Andy's best of 2:12.937 good enough for fifth.

Mike Newton then took over driving duties in the RML Lola. His first flyer was a 2:14.978. Hampered by traffic, his second was a 2:18.904, but he was back into the fourteens next time round, and then down to a 2:13.061. Jonathan Kennard, meanwhile, was enjoying himself in the KSM Lola. Buoyed by the news yesterday that the team would, after all, be at Le Mans next month, the twenty-five year-old was staking his claim to a seat in the 24 Hours by running third in LMP2.

With twenty minutes remaining the sun finally broke through the clouds, and at much the same time the potential qualifying drivers in several of the LMP2 teams started to make their appearances on track. Danny Watts came out in the Strakka Racing HPD, and Thomas Erdos was strapping on his helmet in anticipation of a final stint in the #25. "Mike is feeling far more confident in the car, and his own abilities," suggested Tommy. "He should be feeling very pleased with that thirteen dead. It was an excellent lap, and through traffic as well."

Times getting quicker

Watts was the first to set a flyer, and posted 2:06.882 in the #42 to move quickest in class. The two Racing Box Lolas then popped up into third and fourth, while Noda, now in the KM, started to slip. Sarrazin, meanwhile, had finally broken through the barrier to post 1:59.428 for the #2 Peugeot 908 and become the first today to duck under two minutes.

Tommy's first flyer was a 2:09.761, fourth fastest in LMP2. He followed this with a 2:08.642 to move third, just behind the time set earlier by Moreau in the #35. The #40 ASM Ginetta Zytek had, at this stage, been in the pits for some while with Amaral still showing as the driver. This later proved to be the result of contact with one of the barriers, and some slight rear-end damage. The car will be fixed in time for qualifying.

Danny Watts was still pushing, and with six minutes to go (and time, perhaps, for three more laps) he posted a new best for the Strakka HPD of 2:05.322. Tommy responded with a 2:07.904, and second fastest, and then a 2:06.966 to narrow the gap just a little.

Also making up for missed opportunities, Thor Ebbesvik thrust the #41 Bruichladdich GZ up into third with an improved 2:07.841. With seconds remaining, Watts pitted, and Tommy too received his instructions to return to the garage.

It had been an interesting session, with much improved track and ambient conditions drawing quicker performances out of almost every car in the class. The chequered flag was waved to the accompaniment of bright sunshine and the prospect of a close-fought and entertaining qualifying session to follow. In LMP2, it looks set to be a battle between the two Ginetta Zyteks, the Strakka HPD, and Tommy in the RML Lola HPD. In LMP1, there seems to be some acceptance that the 908s haven't yet shown their true colours, and this afternoon's session may see several cars under two minutes, assuming the fine(r) weather holds.

Third Session - LMP2 Times

"We've arrived at a chassis set-up now that everyone's happy with, and I believe we have an excellent basis for a race set-up," said Tommy after the end of the session. "The Strakka Racing HPD is clearly going to be the car to beat here in qualifying," he added, "but we'll do our best. We have a good race strategy and I think we have every reason to be fairly confident for the race tomorrow."

Qualifying

Qualifying for the GT categories got under way first, with sixteen GT2 contenders, and seven in GT1. For the first half of their twenty minutes, it was hard to differentiate between the classes, with GT2 (in the shape of Jaime Melo) quickest overall, and out-pacing all the GT1 cars. Fastest in that class, in the early stages, had been the #72 Luc Alphand Corvette, but that was eclipsed with nine minutes to go by Leinders in the #70 Ford GT.

With that marker set, the classes began to resolve themselves, until Rahel Frey in the #61 Matech went off backwards on the exit of Pif-Paf and propped itself, one wheel up on the concrete wall and facing the wrong way. That brought out the red flags and a suspension of the session with six minutes to go.

It took the marshals several minutes to remove the car from the top of the wall. At 14:16 the lights turned green and the session resumed, with perhaps time for two laps remaining. The delay had helped the #52 Young Drivers Aston, which had been late in joining, but now had the opportunity for a couple of clear laps, and posting 2:19.595 to slot into fourth place in GT1.

The chequered flag fell with pole in GT1 going to the #70 Ford GT from the sister car, #60, and Luc Alphand's Corvette third. In GT2, top honours to Jaime Melo in the #96 AF Corse Ferrari 430, with Marc Lieb (#77 Felbermayr) second, and Andrew Kirkaldy third for CRS in the #91 Ferrari 430 GT2.

Prototypes . . .

With red flag delays affecting the GT session, it was 14:29 before the prototypes took to the track, ready to decide the fate of the front rows of the grid. Unusually, it was LMP1 cars to the fore, with the first seven cars emerging from the pitlane being from the ranks of P1. Tommy Erdos was seventeenth, and among the last of the competitors to ease out onto tarmac.

There was concern moments into the session when Tom Kristensen in the # 7 Audi collided with the Strakka Racing HPD. Both cars appeared to continue, but there may have been superficial damage. Danny Watts was in the #42 Strakka car at the time.

First to post a flying lap in LMP2, and claim provisional pole, was Lahaye in the #24 Pescarolo, on 2:07.159. Tommy's opener at 2:09.061 set the RML Lola third in class behind Pla in the ASM Ginetta Zytek. With nearly half the session gone, there was still no sign of the Strakka HPD, but that was swiftly resolved when Watts popped in at the top of the LMP2 timing screen with a time of 2:03.135. Tommy's reply was a 2:05.681, and while comfortably two seconds clear of Lahaye in third, was 2.5 seconds adrift of Watts.

With the job done to his satisfaction, Danny Watts headed for the pitlane. Tommy Erdos, in communication with the team over the radio, conceded that catching Strakka's 2:03.135 was beyond the car today, so the #25 RML Lola also returned to the pits. With Lahaye also in the pits, the only person with a chance of making any improvement was Olivier Pla in the #40, and he did make some advances, with a few tenths here and there, but not enough to alter the picture. The #41 Bruichladdich car had stopped out on the rack early in the session and failed to post a time.

The chequered flag fell with the LMP2 order unchanged. In LMP1, outright pole to the #3 Peugeot, with Bourdais setting 1:57.894. Second, the #9 Audi, Timo Bernhard also cutting the two minute tape by clocking 1:59.519. The #2 Peugeot third and the #4 fourth. Top-scoring petrol entry; the #008 Signature Plus Aston Martin Lola, just of the #12 Rebellion Lola.

Qualifying - LMP2 Times

Please note that the #29 Racing Box Lola is now running on Dunlop tyres.