Team Switzerland Fastest On Friday At Vallelunga

The inaugural FIA Motorsport Games are officially underway after the opening GT Cup free practice kicked off proceedings at Vallelunga this morning. Team France led the way at the end of the 80-minute morning session, with Jim Pla on top in the Mercedes-AMG he shares with Jean-Luc Beaubelique.

Track conditions were reported by all to be very slippery, torrential overnight rain adding to the difficulties of an already very ‘green’ surface.

The session was declared wet when it began at 10am and Pla led almost immediately, but as the surface dried the names at the top of the timing screens changed rapidly.

Team UK, Team Belgium, Team Russia and Team Japan were amongst the outfits spending time at the top of the timing sheets with times coming down throughout and the track eventually drying rapidly, slicks the order of the day for the second half of the session.

As the clock ticked down Pla returned to the top, posting a 1:32.693s lap to establish an unbeatable benchmark. He ended the session two tenths faster than Patric Niederhauser in the Team Switzerland Lamborghini, with Alfred Renauer third in his Team Germany Porsche.

The session was stopped briefly during the early stages when Team Malaysia’s Porsche came to a halt at pit entry, but green flag running prevailed thereafter. 21 of the 22 teams set a time, with Portugal’s Audi the only machine not to do so, the team paying increasingly frantic attention to an issue at the front of the R8 LMS GT3.

Session 1 results here

Afternoon Session

Team Switzerland (pictured top) hit the front in second practice for the GT Cup at Vallelunga with Patric Niederhauser posting the fastest time of the day, a 1m32.304s in the Lamborghini he shares with Christoph Lenz, edging out morning pace-setter Jim Pla (Team France Mercedes-AMG).

Pla occupied P1 for the opening 50 minutes before Niederhauser – who had also shown well this morning – shaved two tenths off the Frenchman’s benchmark.

Kantadhee Kusiri was third in the Team Thailand Porsche, with the similar Team Germany machine fourth in the hands of Alfred Renauer. Denis Bulatov completed the top-five at the wheel of Team Russia’s Ferrari.

All 22 cars ran during the session, though Team Belarus spent considerable time in the pits before its Ferrari emerged to record 13 laps towards the end. The father-son duo of Alexander Talkanitsa Sr. and Alexander Talkanitsa Jr. would, however, post the slowest time of second practice.

The session saw two red flag stoppages, the second of which came with just a few minutes left on the clock bringing proceedings to an early conclusion.

The GT Cup contenders will qualify tomorrow at 09.45 local, setting the grid for a pair of 60-minute races that will take place on Saturday and Sunday. The results from these will in turn establish the starting order for the deciding final contest. This will take place at 15.15 on Sunday.

Session 2 results Here

Pics copyright SRO / Patrick Hecq Photography