Ferrari machinery moved to the top of the timesheets in the GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS Pre-Qualifying session at Brands Hatch, with Alessio Rovera and Vincent Abril’s AF Corse – Francorchamps Motors entry going fastest this afternoon (Sunday).
The Ferrari 296 GT3 flew around the Kent circuit’s famed longer Grand Prix layout in 1m23.754s, enabling the duo to head the leaderboard in a session in which track action was curtailed following an incident at Paddock Hill Bend for the grid’s sole Ford Mustang GT3.
At the time full speed activity halted to clear up the HRT Ford Performance car which was being driven by Romain Andriolo at the time, it was another Ferrari which also occupied second to secure a one-two in the session for the manufacturer. Indeed, the Emil Frey Racing car of Konsta Lappalainen and Ben Green was a mere 14 thousandths of a second.
Behind that, there was a slightly larger gap back to the Rutronik Racing Porsche of Sven Muller and Patric Niederhauser. But at just under two tenths of a second behind the session leaders, that was still a competitive showing for the third placed duo.
Arthur Leclerc, brother F1 megastar Charles, and co-driver Thomas Neubauer were another Ferrari pairing to enjoy a strong showing in fourth whilst the all-British pairing of Sandy Mitchell and Hugo Cook put their Lamborghini fifth.
Another Lamborghini, the GRT Grasser car of Jordan Pepper and Luca Engstler, was sixth, just ahead of Free Practice’s fastest duo of Lucas Auer and Maro Engel. The Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG was just over three tenths off this time but it was another strong showing for the reining champion duo on a 30-strong grid.
Adam Smalley and Louis Prette’s McLaren was eighth with Paul Evrard and Gilles Magnus in their Audi and the BMW of Charles Weerts and Kelvin Van Der Linde completing the top-10.
GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS, Pre-Qualifying, Brands Hatch
- Rovera/Abril, AF Corse – Francorchamps Motors, Ferrari 293 GT3, 1m23.754s
- Green/Lappalainen, Emil Frey Racing, Ferrari 296 GT3, +0.014s
- Muller/Niederhauser, Rutronik Racing, Porsche 911 GT3 R (992), +0.177s
- Leclerc/Neubauer, AF Corse – Francorchamps Motors, Ferrari 293 GT3, +0.217s
- Mitchell/Cook, Barwell Motorsport, Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2, +0.233s
- Pepper/Engstler, GRT – Grasser Racing Team, Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2, +0.261s
- Auer/Engel, Winward Racing, Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO, +0.345s
- Prette/Smalley, Garage 59, McLaren 720S GT3 EVO, +0.368s
- Evrard/Magnus, Sainteloc Racing, Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II, +0.433s
- Weerts/Van Der Linde, Team WRT, BMW M4 GT3 EVO, +0.471s
Click here for full results and timing from this weekend's event.