Kamui Kobayashi was the fastest driver in the #7 Toyota GR010 Hybrid after the opening three-hour session on the 24 Hours of Le Mans Test Day.
The first track action saw the 62-car grid take to the Circuit de la Sarthe to open the pre-event test ahead of the 92nd running of the Le Mans 24 Hours.
At almost 17 degrees Celsius and 62% humidity, drivers took on calm, stable weather conditions in order to commence vital testing with the first of two sessions today.
Besides several reserve drivers tasting their first Hypercar laps around the 13.626 km circuit, those who will be entering their first Le Mans would aim to complete their mandatory minimum of 5 laps.
Whilst the lap times themselves may not differentiate the pecking order in the Hypercar, (Oreca 07) LMP2 and LMGT3 classes, the Test Day serves as a vital first step towards preparing for the main race next weekend.
Even more so, after the conclusion of the Test Day, track action for the main race picks up again on Wednesday 12 June with FP1 and more importantly, qualifying practice.
Matt Bell of the #47 LMP2 Pro/Am Cool Racing Oreca 07 encountered a difficult start to the day after he was reported moving slowly in the final sector (3) whilst producing smoke.
A red flag was called with 40 minutes completed after Renger van der Zande in the #3 Cadillac V-Series.R stopped on his outlap in Sector 3 as the Hypercar made it eventually made it back to the pits.
Ryan Cullen was the first driver to be penalised for track limits excursions with a 5-minute stop-and-go in the #10 Vector Sport Oreca, before a safety car was deployed as part of a test.
Takeshi Kimura of the #87 Akoddis ASP Lexus RC F LMGT3 brought out a full course yellow after he stopped in the first sector at the Dunlop Bridge.
A second red flag was called two minutes before the scheduled end of the session after a stoppage in the middle of the Porsche Curves section, at Turn 25.
By the end of the session, Kobayashi set the quickest time of 3:28.467 in the #7 Toyota GR010 Hybrid, followed by the #6 Porsche Penske 963 of Kevin Estre with a 3:29.205.
Third position in the Hypercar category went to the #20 BMW WRT M Hybrid V8 of Robin Frijns with a 3:29.433.
Fourth and fifth places were taken by the #63 Lamborghini Iron Lynx SC63 of Mirko Bortolotti and his 3:29.639 time, and the #83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P of Robert Kubica and a 3:29.732.
LMP2 was topped by the #28 IDEC Sport Oreca of Job van Uitert who set a fastest time of 3:37.044.
They were followed by the #22 United Autosports Oreca of Olly Jarvis and his 3:37.176, as the #14 (Pro/Am) AO Racing by TF Sport ‘Spike The Dragon’ Oreca took third from a 3:37.394 set by Louis Deletraz.
In fourth was the #34 Inter Europol Competition Oreca of Clement Novolak with a 3:37.762, followed by the #65 (Pro/Am) Panis Racing Oreca’s 3:38.159 by Mathias Beche.
Finally in LMGT3, Akkodis ASP finished in 1-2 with the #78 Lexus RC F quickest owing to a 4:00.106 completed by Kelvin van der Linde, followed by the #87 Lexus’ 4:00.668 by Esteban Masson.
Third place was claimed by Sean Gelael in the #31 BMW WRT M4 with a 4:00.929 on the timesheet.
The #59 United Autosports McLaren 720S LMGT3 EVO took fourth owing to a 4:01.173 lap time by Nicolas Costa, followed by the #70 Inception Racing McLaren 720S of Frederick Schandorff with a 4:01.194.
For the full provisional classification including how many laps were completed by each car, see here.
