Bosi Race Tech’s Wim de Pundert and Bernd Schneider made an electrifying start to their Fanatec GT2 European Series Powered by Pirelli campaign by topping Free Practice in Barcelona, while Philippe Prette headed the Am runners.
De Pundert shone throughout the hour-long session in the #81 Mercedes-AMG GT2 to seize the early edge on pace in Spain, backed up by the experienced Schneider as their best effort of 1:44.399s cemented them at the top of the times.
The duo were not without fierce competition however, sitting just a mere 0.167s clear of their nearest rivals. Closest would be the #67 Maserati of DINAMIC Motorsport, climbing the order with late surges by its Italian duo of Roberto Pampanini and Mauro Calamia in their second event of the term.
Coming in a close third were Pro-Am points leaders Reinhard Kofler and Martin Koch, just three tenths of the second from the ultimate best in the Team MZR KTM X-BOW GT2. With a title up for grabs, the #812 crew enter the weekend’s double-header with a 43-point lead in their favour.
Just 0.002s further back was the impressive RTR Projects KTM, shared by returnee Matej Homola and debutant, Lennart Marioneck, in the #89 machine. Another driver making his Fanatec GT2 debut is Andy Cantu, who showed strong pace along with Jörg Viebahn in the #888 NM Racing Mercedes which finished fifth overall.
Pro-Am title contenders Leonardo Gorini and Carlo Tamburini were sixth in the #1 Maserati, ahead of LP Racing team-mates Gianluca Giorgi and Alfio Andrea Spina in the #88 Audi R8 LMS GT2. The third LP Racing entry of Prette (#2 Maserati) followed closely, the Italian driver gaining the early bragging rights as fastest of the Am class crews in eighth overall.
Rounding out the overall top 10 were father-son pairing Mauro and Benjamin Ricci (#61 Akkodis ASP Mercedes-AMG GT2) and the #80 Razoon - more than racing KTM of Simon Birch and Thomas Andersen. The latter were forced to stop out on track at one stage, in what proved the only red flag interruption.
Pre-Qualifying is next on the agenda at 16:40, giving drivers a further hour to prepare for the weekend’s all-important title deciders.