Last week saw the Kateyama tests at the Imola racetrack with many participants in the GT3, Hypercar, LMP2, LMP3 and LMPGT classes. Driver names were not released but some of those spotted in the paddock included Jenson Button, Valentino Rossi, Andre Lotterer, Kevin Estre, Davide Rigon and Alessio Rovera.
The day was divided into two shifts, morning and afternoon where the competitors could freely take to the track in the open pit lane The United team with their ORECA-07 LMP2 took the best overall lap time with a time of 1:31.426, In the Hypercar class the best time went to Porsche Penske with a time of 1:33.739 and in the GT3 category it was the AF Corse Ferrari 296 with a time of 1:40.719.
The maximum speed reached was 305 km/h achieved by the Jota and Penske Porsche teams.
The constantly changing weather allowed the teams to test different solutions both with heavy rain and with sunshine in anticipation of the FIA WEC race in April. Several red flags during the day slowed things down but fortunately it was only a few off-track exits.
The teams present from the Italian GT championship saw the best time of the day set by Audi Sport Italia with 1:41.260, immediately behind the Lamborghini of Sospiri and the BMW of Ceccato.
Report by Alessio Romano.
Photos by Alessio Romano, Daniele Paglino, Davide Stori.
Please consider making a donation so we can keep bringing you our best content from the racetrack.
