With air temperatures around 32°C and track temperatures well into the 40s, the drivers of the Blancpain GT Series round at Circuit Paul Ricard had their work cut out during the first free practice session for the sixth round of the 2017 season.
Times dropped quickly though, and after a flurry of fast lap times, it looked like Am Cup championship leader David Perel (#888 Kessel Racing Ferrari) would set the fastest time, being the first driver to break the 1’59 barrier, with a 1’58.706 lap. But half an hour into the session, Davide Rigon (#72 SMP Racing Ferrari) improved with a 1’58.442 lap around the 5,791 km Circuit Paul Ricard.
Perel remained in second, as fastest of the Am drivers, and while Toni Vilander’s 1’59.245 in the new #37 BBT Ferrari looked like it would be the fastest of the Pro-Am drivers, it was the #89 AKKA ASP Mercedes-AMG of Alex Fontana who ended up as first of the Pro-Am cars, in seventh overall. The Pre-Qualifying session starts at 16.25 CEST.