Peugeot stands out in the rain

If it was to be expected that there would not be a sunny climate in Zhuhai, the competitors of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup are not spoiled this weekend, however. Most of them arrived on Wednesday, and they have not yet seen a patch of sunshine in the Chinese sky! Worse, the mist gradually invaded the place. “ If the fog can be annoying, the rain on the other hand could bring a little fun to the race, comments the no less fun Franck Montagny. Normally the circuit is not very difficult but things get complicated with the humidity. » But “FKM” can be reassured, the two 908 HDi FAP showed themselves to their advantage during the two free practice sessions. First and fourth, the French prototypes flank the two Audi R15 TDIs. But the uncertainty will remain great since, according to the weather forecasts, the competitors will not have the opportunity to ride on a dry track before Sunday!

En GT2, c?est Porsche qui a pris l?avantage mais Ferrari remains in ambush: 32 thousandths on the first F430. Best performers of the day, Richard Lieb and Richard Lietz decided not to give up. After the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Le Mans Series, the duo is determined to conquer the ILMC. If the 997 GT3 RSR was expected at the front, no one expected to see its hybrid version at such a party. The energy recovery system seems particularly effective given the twists and turns of the Chinese track, and even if this car is lined up outside the classification, it could well cause trouble in the fight between Porsche, Ferrari, BMW, Jaguar and Lamborghini.

The delicate conditions highlight the talent of the drivers and two of them particularly stood out with their Audi R8 LMS: Alex Yoong, former member of the Minardi team in Formula 1, and Danny Watts, winner of the last 24 Hours of Le Mans, in the LM P2 category, took part in the GT2. “ I like the Zhuhai track, says British pilot. It is narrow and bumpy in places but made up of a wide variety of turns. The car's settings are made of compromises, it is necessary to take into account the long straight line and several very tight curves. We will therefore prioritize braking stability and traction. »