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Bathurst 12 Hour: Maranello Ferrari leads opening practice

Toni Vilander put the #88 Maranello Ferrari 488 GT3 on top in the opening practice session for the 2017 Bathurst 12 Hour.

#88 Maranello Motorsport, Ferrari 488 GT3: Toni Vilander, Craig Lowndes, Jamie Whincup

#88 Maranello Motorsport, Ferrari 488 GT3: Toni Vilander, Craig Lowndes, Jamie Whincup

Daniel Kalisz

Nissan Motorsport, Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 logo detail
#24 Nissan Motorsport, Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 rear wing detail
Bathurst 12 Hour cars group photo
Bathurst 12 Hour drivers group photo
#23 Nissan Motorsport, Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3: Jamie Whincup with the media
#60 BMW Team SRM, BMW M6 GT3: Steve Richards, Mark Winterbottom, Marco Wittmann

The Finn set the benchmark time early in the one-hour session, Vilander’s 2m04.192s – at the time, well over two seconds faster than anyone else – keeping the all-star Ferrari he’ll share with Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes on top until the end.

Not that he did all the heavy lifting for the #88 entry; Supercars legend Whincup, making his debut in GT3 machinery this weekend, put in one of the most impressive laps of the session when he set a 2m04.826s with nine minutes to go. It was to that point the second fastest lap of the session.

In the end it was another Supercars star and GT3 virgin that popped up second fastest, Mark Winterbottom putting in a 2m04.373s with just under five minutes remaining in the #60 BMW Team SRM M6 GT3 that he’ll share with Marco Wittmann and Steve Richards.

It was a pair of Audis next in line, the #75 Jamec Pem entry of Markus Winkelhock/Robin Frijns/Frank Stippler in third with a 2m05.002s, leading the #74 car of Garth Tander/Chris Mies/Chris Haase and its 2m05.016s.

The best-placed Nissan GT-R was fifth fastest, Katsumasa Chiyo setting a 2m05.136s right at the death in the #23 entry. That was enough to knock Timo Glock down to sixth, the former Formula 1 driver putting in an impressive 2m05.300s in the #7 BMW Team SRM M6 GT3 he’ll share with Mark Skaife, Tony Longhurst, and Russell Ingall.

Maro Engel set the pace for Mercedes, the German seventh fastest in the #22 HTP Motorsport AMG GT3. Next in line was the #11 Objective McLaren, which was the best of the Pro-Am entries.

The #1 Tekno McLaren was ninth fastest, ahead of the #5 GT Motorsports Audi in 10th, which was the best placed Am car.

Behind the GT3 cars, Group B was led by the #4 Grove Motorsport Porsche (28th outright), Group I the #65 Daytona Sportscars Viper (29th outright), and Group C the #55 RA Motorsports Ginetta (45th outright).

The second all-in practice session of the day will be held at 12:35pm local time.

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Edition

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