Pierre Kaffer set the pace in the final Fanatec GT2 European Series free practice session in Portimão this morning, the #18 LP Racing Audi topping the timing screens with a best time of 1:44.107 around the 4.653km roller-coaster circuit in the Algarve.
The German Pro driver made his mark early on in the 60-minute session until the sister LP Racing Audi of Anthony Beltoise stole the top spot just past the halfway point. A brief excursion into the gravel a short time later, however, brought out a brief red flag and a premature end to the #67 car’s session. That left Kaffer free to pull off his quickest lap time yet in the closing stages.
There was nothing to choose between the following four cars, with just 0.16s seconds covering second to fifth fastest. Reinhard Kofler and Hubert Trunkenpolz clocked in the third for the #17 True Racing KTM, 0.023s adrift of Beltoise.
In turn, Mattia di Giusto came even closer to third, with his best time only 0.012s off the KTM, while Stienes Longin was just 0.125 further back in the PK Carsport Audi.
Jan Krabec returned to the top of the Am order ahead of the fourth round of the season while ranking fifth fastest overall.
Jean Luc Beaubelique and Christophe Bourret continued their encouraging first Fanatec GT2 outing in the new Akkodis ASP Team Mercedes-AMG with second in class, closely followed by Klaus Angerhofer and Sehdi Samini in the #16 True Racing KTM.
Next up in the Algarve, the GT2 field prepare for the first qualifying session of the weekend at 14:10, to set the grid for race one at 16:40 this afternoon. Both sessions will be streamed live via GT World on YouTube.