An exciting new era for the Fanatec GT2 European Series has got under way in France, with the 2023 prologue held in Dijon.
Seven top-flight teams took to the track in the official pre-season test, including two potential new crews – Manthey Racing and RTR Projects – who took the opportunity to run their respective GT2 machinery.
Among the 15 drivers taking the opportunity to test were seven new drivers also looking to lock in their 2023 race seat in Europe’s premier GT2 series.
Manthey Racing’s Porsche GT2 RS CS topped the four-hour session in showery conditions on Tuesday morning, in the hands of Christoph Breuer and Marco Holzer. They headed RTR Project’s KTM X-BOW duo Erik Janis and Jan Krabec and the third-placed True Racing by Reiter Engineering machine.
With the rain easing for the second and final session, it was 2022 Am Champion, LP Racing’s Henry Hassid who topped the order, ahead of the team’s Audi R8 LMS GT2 being tested by Team Principal Luca Pirri and Mattia Di Giusto.
RTR Projects clocked in third, followed by the brace of Ebimotors Porsches and the True Racing KTM to complete the top six.
A raft of team and driver announcements will now follow ahead of the first round of the 2023 Fanatec GT2 European Series season in Monza, Italy, taking place on 22-23 April.
Fanatec GT2 European Series Prologue – Dijon – Tuesday 15 March, 2023
Morning Session:
1 - Manthey Racing - Breuer / Holzer - Porsche GT2 RS CS - 1:18.475
2 - RTR Projects - Erik Janis - KTM X-Bow GT2 +0.035
3 - True Racing - TBC - KTM X-Bow GT2 +1.906
4 - LP Racing - Henry Hassid - Audi R8 LMS GT2 +2.213
5 - LP Racing - Ratel / Pirri / Di Giusto - Audi R8 LMS GT2 + 3.890
6 - Ebimotors - Valentin Flükinger - Porsche GT2 RS CS +5.538
7 - Ebimotors - Aurelijus Rusteika - Porsche GT2 RS CS +5.638
8 - PK Carsport - Longin / Guelinckx / Longin - Audi R8 LMS GT2
Afternoon Session:
1 - LP Racing - Henry Hassid - Audi R8 LMS GT2 – 1:19.620
2 - LP Racing - Ratel / Pirri / Di Giusto - Audi R8 LMS GT2 +1.584
3 - RTR Projects - Erik Janis - KTM X-Bow GT2 +1.962
4 - Ebimotors - Aurelijus Rusteika - Porsche GT2 RS CS + 4.644
5 - Ebimotors - Raëd Charawi - Porsche GT2 RS CS +4.710
6 - True Racing - TBC - KTM X-Bow GT2 +8.557
7 - Manthey Racing - Breuer / Holzer - Porsche GT2 RS CS +9.555
8 - PK Carsport - Longin / Guelinckx / Longin - Audi R8 LMS GT2