Mercedes-AMGs Head Practice At Circuit Paul Ricard

GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup Practice Recap: Mercedes-AMG Dominates at Circuit Paul Ricard

Circuit Paul Ricard, France – The Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVOs showcased their performance in the Free Practice sessions for the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup, setting the stage for the season-opening six-hour race.

Free Practice 1 Highlights:
Jules Gounon led the session in the #3 Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing entry, clocking a best lap of 1:54.690. He edged out Christopher Haase, who was second in the #84 Eastalent Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II by a mere 0.064 seconds. Max Hofer secured third in the #9 Pure Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) Evo, with Benjamin Paque (fourth overall) marking the fastest time in the Bronze Cup in the #914 Razoon Porsche.

• Top Results:
  1. Jules Gounon (Mercedes-AMG) – 1:54.690
  2. Christopher Haase (Audi) – 1:54.754
  3. Max Hofer (Porsche) – Time not specified
  4. Benjamin Paque (Porsche) – Time not specified (Bronze Cup leader)
  5. Kelvin van der Linde (BMW) – Time not specified

Free Practice 2 Highlights:
The evening session was topped by Fabian Schiller in the #17 Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed vehicle with a blistering lap of 1:54.624. Benjamin Paque again excelled in the Bronze category, finishing second overall with a time of 1:54.840. The #97 Rutronik Racing Porsche and #80 Lionspeed GP cars followed, indicating a strong showing from the Porsche contingent.

• Top Results:
  1. Fabian Schiller (Mercedes-AMG) – 1:54.624
  2. Benjamin Paque (Porsche) – 1:54.840 (Bronze Cup leader)
  3. Ricardo Pera (Porsche) – Time not specified
  4. Thomas Preining (Porsche) – Time not specified
  5. Tommaso Mosca (Ferrari) – Time not specified

The sessions featured three red flags, notably caused by incidents involving the #18 Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin and #89 Lionspeed GP Porsche.

Key Technical Insights:

• Vehicle Performance:
  The Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO’s leading times underline its competitive edge early in the season, while Porsche’s strong representation among the top finishers indicates robust enhancements to their 911 GT3 R platform.

• Session Format Adjustments:
  Qualifying on Saturday at 12:05 CEST will introduce a new format, splitting competitors into Pro & Gold groups against Silver & Bronze, maintaining an aggregate time system.

The 90-minute practice sessions saw participation from 56 cars, illuminating the competitive landscape heading into the season’s first major event.

For more thorough analysis and details, access the full Free Practice 1 and 2 results.