ELMS Portimao: Masson leads the way with direct rival close behind.

Esteban Masson clocked the fastest time on both Friday and Saturday during the practice sessions, setting the quickest lap overall across the two days in FP2. The 22-year-old Frenchman crossed the line with a 1:31.913 in the #29 Forestier Racing by Panis LMP2, closely followed by championship leader and direct rival United Autosports, with the #22 LMP2 just 0.046 seconds behind. 

In LMP2 Pro/Am, where eight teams can still win the championship, the #20 Algarve Pro Racing car clocked the fastest time on Saturday, while the #21 United Autosports entry was quickest on Friday. Just like the championship battle, free practice remains too close to call. 

Championship leaders CLX Motorsport, with their #17 LMP3, continued their momentum by setting the fastest times on both Friday and Saturday, doing so with a dominant margin of around 7 tenths at the end of both sessions. 

Kessel Racing and their #57 Ferrari 296 LMGT3 have been on top so far this weekend, while championship leaders Iron Lynx and their #63 Mercedes-AMG LMGT3 only managed a top-three finish on Friday. The #57 crew trails by 21 points, and taking the title home will not be easy, but with momentum on their side, the impossible could still become possible. 

FP1 Results 

Top 5 Overall 

#29 Forestier Racing by Panis – 1:32.646 – LMP2 

#22 United Autosports – 1:32.731 (+0.085) – LMP2 

#25 Algarve Pro Racing – 1:32.735 (+0.089) – LMP2 

#20 Algarve Pro Racing – 1:32.737 (+0.091) – LMP2 Pro/Am 

#28 IDEC Sport – 1:32.769 (+0.123) – LMP2 

Top 3 LMP2 

#29 Forestier Racing by Panis – 1:32.646 

#22 United Autosports – 1:32.731 (+0.085) 

#25 Algarve Pro Racing – 1:32.735 (+0.089) 

Top 3 LMP2 Pro/Am 

#20 Algarve Pro Racing – 1:32.737 

#43 Inter Europol Competition – 1:33.077 (+0.340) 

#47 CLX Motorsport – 1:33.256 (+0.519) 

Top 3 LMP3 

#17 CLX Motorsport – 1:39.197 

#5 Rinaldi Racing – 1:39.807 (+0.610) 

#13 Inter Europol Competition – 1:40.033 (+0.836) 

Top 3 LMGT3 

#57 Kessel Racing – 1:42.737

#23 United Autosports – 1:42.896 (+0.159)

#63 Iron Lynx – 1:42.994 (+0.098) 

FP2 Results 

Top 5 Overall 

#29 Forestier Racing by Panis – 1:31.913 – LMP2 

#22 United Autosports – 1:31.959 (+0.046) – LMP2 

#28 IDEC Sport – 1:32.065 (+0.152) – LMP2 

#18 IDEC Sport – 1:32.343 (+0.430) – LMP2 

#10 Vector Sport – 1:32.682 (+0.769) – LMP2 

Top 3 LMP2 

#29 Forestier Racing by Panis – 1:31.913 

#22 United Autosports – 1:31.959 (+0.046) 

#28 IDEC Sport – 1:32.065 (+0.152) 

Top 3 LMP2 Pro/Am 

#21 United Autosports – 1:32.921 

#3 DKR Engineering – 1:32.992 (+0.071) 

#99 AO by TF – 1:33.024 (+0.103) 

Top 3 LMP3 

#17 CLX Motorsport – 1:39.352 

#26 Bretton Racing – 1:40.154 (+0.802) 

#8 Team Virage – 1:40.282 (+0.930) 

Top 3 LMGT3 

#57 Kessel Racing – 1:42.579 

#59 Racing Spirit of Leman – 1:42.679 (+0.100) 

#50 Richard Mille AF Corse – 1:42.913 (+0.334)