Andlauer Concludes Friday Practice in Dubai Fastest

Photo: Asian Le Mans Series

Pure Rxcing’s Julien Andlauer led the way in Friday afternoon’s second practice ahead of this weekend’s Asian Le Mans Series round at Dubai Autodrome.

Factory Porsche driver Andlauer, drafted in to replace the team’s original signing Louis Deletraz for the remaining double-headers in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, set the quickest time of 1:48.790 aboard the TF Sport-run No. 91 Oreca 07 Gibson.

That lap, set just after halfway, was enough to outpace Olli Caldwell in the No. 20 Algarve Pro Racing Oreca that led Friday’s opening session by 0.437 seconds, although it was some distance slower than Alex Quinn’s FP1 benchmark in the same car.

Laurents Hoerr put the No. 3 DKR Engineering car third, within half a second of Andlauer, while the two AF Corse entries were fourth- and fifth-fastest, with Matthieu Vaxiviere in the No. 83 car outpacing Jeremy Clarke in the No. 50.

The points-leading RD Limited Oreca, second-fastest in FP1, was 10th and slowest of the LMP2 contingent this time, behind both Proton Competition cars, the sole Nielsen Racing entry and Algarve Pro’s No. 25 car.

Australian teenager Griffin Peebles set the pace in LMP3 driving the No. 26 Bretton Racing Ligier JS P320 Nissan with an early lap of 1:55.387.

Anders Fjordbach was Peebles’s nearest rival aboard the No. 45 High Class Racing Ligier, just over four tenths behind, while Kevin Rabin was almost a further second back in third in the No. 43 Inter Europol Competition car.

Porsche teams led the way in GT, with Riccardo Pera setting the quickest time of 1:59.033 aboard the No. 92 Manthey EMA Porsche 911 GT3 R.

Nico Menzel was second in the sole surviving No. 12 Car Collection Motorsport entry car, the sister car having withdrawn due to accident damage, while third-fastest in the No. 74 Kessel Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 of Dennis Marschall.

Lucas Auer, who topped FP1 in the No. 14 Climax Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo, was fourth-fastest ahead of Gabriele Piana in the No. 81 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG and Fran Rueda’s No. 27 Optimum Motorsport McLaren 720S GT3 Evo.

Qualifying for the 4H Dubai is due to take place on Saturday at 9:40 a.m. local time (12:40 a.m. ET), with the first four-hour race following at 2:10 p.m. (5:10 a.m. ET).