Renger van der Zande topped the timesheets at the end of a disrupted FP3 outing at Sebring, which ended under the third red flag towards the end of the session.
The Chip Ganassi-run #01 Cadillac Racing V-Series.R were quickest in the only nighttime 90-minute session, proving to be useful conditions for teams to collect data in advance of the race’s final hours into darkness.
There were, however, a few disruptions primarily caused by LMP2 cars although it was the second time the #01 Cadillac GTP was fastest after the Dutchman topped the opening free practice session.
Concerning Lamborghini’s debuting #63 SC63, the GTP had an off-track moment at Turn 3, but continued regardless.
Another off-track moment of a different kind to mention was that the #40 WTRAndretti Acura did not complete any laps due to an engine change being carried out.
As van der Zande set the fastest lap time of 1:49.179, Augusto Farfus put the #24 BMW M Hybrid V8 in second place from a time of 1:49.437.
Third position was taken by the #10 WTRAndretti Acura after Filipe Albuquerque set a 1:49.644.
In fourth was the #31 Wehlen Cadillac Racing V-Series.R after Tom Blomqvist completed a quickest time of 1:49.755, as fifth was taken by the #6 Porsche Penske 963 after Mathieu Jaminet laid down a 1:49.869 lap time.
Shortly after the session turned green at 7.45pm local time, Sean Creech Motorsport’s #33 Ligier JS P217 LMP2 stopped on-track at Turn 8.
A brief red flag was deployed as a result, and the #33 continued with 22 laps accomplished around the Sebring International Raceway venue.
Later on, a second red flag was deployed after it was suspected the #52 PR1 Mathiasen by Inter Europol Oreca 07 made contact with the #70 Inception Racing McLaren 720S GT3 EVO at Turn 7, causing the McLaren to spin.
The third and final red flag was declared minutes before the scheduled end of the session, concerning the #04 Crowdstrike Racing by APR Oreca 07 driven by Colin Braun after he stopped at Sunset Bend, the final corner.
Residing second in LMP2 standings puts the #04 in a vital position to close the 20-point gap to the #18 Era Motorsport Oreca this weekend.
Mikkel Jensen of the #11 TDS Racing Oreca 07 was quickest in the category owing to a 1:51.497 lap time.
Second-fastest in the LMP2 class was the #99 AO Racing ‘Spike the Dragon’ Oreca after reigning LMP2 champion Paul-Loup Chatin drove a 1:51.504, as the #2 United Autosports USA Oreca 07 of Ben Hanley took third with a 1:52.390 time.
Ford Multimatic Motorsports, who did not produce any lap times during FP2, did manage to do so during the course of FP3 although it was a fleeting tense moment for the #65 Ford Mustang GT3 after going off at Turn 16 (the corner onto the Ullmann Straight), yet continued unscathed.
GTD Pro was topped by Earl Bamber in the #4 Corvette Z06 GT3.R with credit to a 2:00.790 set by the Kiwi driver.
Second place was taken by Paul Miller Racing’s Neil Verhagen who set a 2:01.109 in the #1 BMW M4, which occupied fourth in the overall GTD/Pro field.
‘Rexy’ the #77 AO Racing Porsche was a further two places down in the combined GTD order, as Laurin Heinrich put it third in GTD Pro with a quickest time of 2:01.308.
In the GTD category, the only drama concerning the field was when the Inception Racing McLaren spun at Turn 7 due to supposed contact with the #52 LMP2.
Cetilar Racing’s Antonio Fuoco were the fastest in GTD after he set a 2:00.991 in the #47 Ferrari 296 GT3.
Second place was claimed by the Daytona-winning #57 Winward Racing team and their Mercedes-AMG GT3 in which a 2:01.008 was put by Philip Ellis.
Wright Motorsports’ #120 Porsche 911 GT3 R rounded off the top-three after Elliott Skeer set his quickest time of 2:01.192.
The next session will be qualifying on Friday 15 March at 12.50pm local time (4.50pm GMT).
