Porsche leads washed out WEC Prologue night test

The four factory LMP1s each managed one quick lap before the rain arrived just after the start of the two-hour session, with the Swiss driver’s 1m31.666s standing as the best. 

Earl Bamber was second fastest in the sister #2 Porsche 919 Hybrid, a tenth and a half in arrears on a 1m31.823s.

Kazuki Nakajima set the best Toyota time with a 1m31.970s aboard the #8 TS050 Hybrid, which was half a second up on teammate Kamui Kobayashi’s fastest lap in the #7 car. 

Nakajima subsequently set the fastest times in each of the first two sectors before losing out over the final third of the lap as the rain arrived. 

All four factory P1s returned to the track after the rain drenched the Monza circuit, but were only able to lap in the mid-1m40s.  

Mike Conway’s second-session best of 1m31.332s for Toyota therefore stood as the fastest time of the first day of the day.

The ByKolles ENSO CLM-Nissan P1/01 made it out on track for the first time of the test so far after being finished in the pits, Oliver Webb completing six laps in the wet. 

Mathias Beche was the only LMP2 runner to set a flying lap in anything resembling dry conditions, his 1m41.467s aboard the #13 Rebellion Oreca some four seconds shy of teammate Bruno Senna’s class best in the morning session. 

The two GTE Pro Porsches and one Ford and one Aston Martin all took to the track in the wet conditions. 

Kevin Estre ended up at the top of the class times aboard the #92 Porsche 911 RSR on a 1m58.247s, which put him over two seconds up on teammate Frederic Makowiecki in the sister car.

The #86 Gulf Racing Porsche was the only GTE Am car to set a time, Ben Barker ending up fastest on a 2m02.640s.