Indy NXT Racer Kucharczyk Stars in Portimao Rookie Test

Photo: Laurent Cartalade/MPS Agency

Indy NXT frontrunner Tymek Kucharczyk was fastest of the LMP2 newcomers in the European Le Mans Series’ post-season rookie test at Portimao, while Doriane Pin set the quickest time overall.

Pin clocked a 1:32.840 aboard the No. 30 Duqueine Team Oreca 07 Gibson in which she has been competing this year to top the afternoon leaderboard, while Inter Europol Competition regular Nick Yelloly headed the morning times with a 1:33.088.

But single-seater convert Kucharczyk was fastest of the true rookies as he posted a 1:33.522 in the afternoon aboard the No. 29 Forestier Racing by Panis machine that finished second in this year’s ELMS standings.

Kucharczyk, who was third in the Indy NXT standings, was just eight thousandths of a second faster than the lap FIA World Endurance Championship Lexus RC F GT3 pilot Hadrien David posted in the same car during the morning.

Third quickest among the LMP2 newcomers was Enea Frey in the No. 7 Vector Sport Oreca with a 1:33.700 as she stepped up from the team’s Michelin Le Mans Cup LMP3 machinery.

The best LMP3 time was posted by Vic Stevens in the No. 17 CLX Motorsport Ligier JS P325 that claimed the class championship.

Stevens, who has been racing a Virage Ligier in the Michelin Le Mans Cup, posted a 1:40.096 to narrowly improve upon Sebastian Gravlund’s morning time of 1:40.104, the latter having swapped from his ELMS Ultimate-run Ligier to a DKR Engineering machine.

Le Mans Cup race winner Arthur Rogeon was next fastest in the No. 35 Ultimate Ligier, while Pacome Weisenburger in the Forestier by VPS Ligier that contests the Michelin Le Mans Cup was fourth on the combined times and best of the true LMP3 rookies.

There was no doubting who was fastest out of the seven LMGT3 machines that took part in the test.

Brazilian Stock Car racer Gaetano di Mauro was nearly a second quicker than anyone at the wheel of the No. 57 Kessel Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo having posted a 1:42.975 in the morning running.

Single-seater convert Nicola Lacorte — who is due to race a Ferrari 499P in the Asian Le Mans Series’ new Hypercar class this winter — was second fastest aboard the No. 51 AF Corse Ferrari with a 1:43.723.

Third fastest was then another of the drivers to sample the Kessel Ferrari, Alpine A110 Cup racer Paul Alberto.

RESULTS: Morning Test/Afternoon Test

Source: Sports Car 365