Aston Martin Racing set the fastest time in the final day of testing at Sebring, but the achievement was marred by an accident for Harold Primat.
The Geneva-based driver was sent to hospital for precautionary checks after a large shunt at turn 1 with a couple of hours of the test remaining. The damage to the rear end of the team’s Lola-Aston Martin LMP1 prototype was substantial and immediately ended its day’s running, leaving the British squad a race against time to be ready for next month’s 12 Hours of Sebring.
The Lola-Aston Martin’s best time of 1:46.894 was over a second quicker than the next best time set by the Intersport Racing Lola B06/10 AER of Jon and Clint Field.
Patron Highcroft Racing’s David Brabham, Simon Pagenaud and Marino Franchitti were the fastest of the P2 runners in third overall, just three tenths quicker than the Dyson Racing Lola-Mazda of Chris Dyson, Guy Smith and Andy Meyrick.
Genoa Racing topped the LMPC class with its Oreca FLM09 shared by Larry Connor, Andy Wallace and JR Hildebrand, less than two tenths faster than the Green Earth Team Gunnar car, with Scott Tucker and Christophe Bouchut just a couple of tenths further back for Level 5 Motorsports.
Jaime Melo and Gianmaria Bruni were again quickest in GT2 in their Risi Competizione Ferrari 430 ahead of the Flying Lizards Motorsports Porsches in second and third.
In the GT Challenge class for Rob Walton went quickest for Kelly Moss Racing. His lap of 2:07.795 gave him a slim, near half-second advantage over Darrell Carlisle in another Kelly Moss entry. GMG Racing’s Brent Holden was third in class at 2:08.412.
Sebring test – Day 2 combined times
1 P1 Aston Martin Racing, Harold Primat / Stefan Mucke / Adrian Fernandez, Lola B09 60 Aston Martin, 1:46.894
2 P1 Intersport Racing, Jon Field / Clint Field, Lola B06/10 AER, 1:47.925
3 P2 Patron Highcroft Racing, David Brabham / Simon Pagenaud / Marino Franchitti, HPD ARX-01c, 1:48.153
4 P2 Dyson Racing, Chris Dyson / Guy Smith / Andy Meyrick, Lola B09 86 Mazda, 1:48.496
5 P2 Team CytoSport, Greg Pickett / Klaus Graf, Porsche RS Spyder, 1:49.318
6 PC Genoa Racing, Larry Connor / Andy Wallace / JR Hildebrand, Oreca FLM09, 1:56.753
7 PC Green Earth Team Gunnar, Christian Zugel / Gunnar Jeannette / Elton Julian, Oreca FLM09, 1:56.900
8 PC Level 5 Motorsports, Scott Tucker / Christophe Bouchut, Oreca FLM09, 1:57.054
9 PC Primetime Race Group, Joel Feinberg / Kyle Marcelli, Oreca FLM09, 1:57.515
10 PC Intersport Racing, Mitch Pagerey / Brian Wong, Oreca FLM09, 1:58.988
11 GT2 Risi Competizione, Jaime Melo / Gianmaria Bruni, Ferrari F430 GT, 2:02.559
12 GT2 Flying Lizards Motorsport, Seth Neiman / Darren Law, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 2:02.929
13 GT2 Flying Lizards Motorsports, Jorg Bergmeister / Patrick Long, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 2:03.021
14 GT2 Extreme Speed Motorsports, Scott Sharp / Johannes van Overbeek, Ferrari F430 GT, 2:03.198
15 GT2 Team Falken Tire, Bryan Sellers / Wolf Henzler, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 2:03.227
16 GT2 Extreme Speed Motorsports, Ed Brown / Guy Cosmo, Ferrari F430 GT, 2:03.250
17 GT2 BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team, Dirk Muller / Joey Hand / Dirk Werner, BMW E92 M3, 2:03.305
18 GT2 BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team, Bill Auberelen / Tommy Milner, BMW E92 M3, 2:03.377
19 GT2 Black Swan Racing, Tim Pappas / Jeroen Bleekemolen, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 2:04.252
20 GT2 Robertson Racing, David Robertson / Andrea Robertson / David Murry, Doran Ford GT Mk7, 2:04.835
21 GT2 Jaguar RSR, Paul Gentilozzi / Marc Goossens / Scott Pruett / Tomy Drissi, Jaguar XKRS, 2:07.734
22 GTC Kelly Moss Racing, Rob Walton, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, 2:07.795
23 GTC Kelly Moss Racing, Darrell Carlisle, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, 2:08.205
24 GTC GMG Racing, Brent Holden, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, 2:08.412
25 GTC GMG Racing, Bret Curtis / James Sofronas, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, 2:08.854
26 GTC WERKS II/P7 Racing, Robert Rodriguez / Galen Bieker, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, 2:10.016
27 GTC Velox Motorsport, Shane Lewis / Jerry Vento, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, 2:10.856
28 GTC Kelly Moss Racing, Pete LeSaffre, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, 2:11.962
Watch the 12 Hours of Sebring LIVE on Motors TV (Sky Channel 413, Virgin Media 545) on Saturday 20 March at 2pm (GMT).
Andy Wilkinson
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