Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA demonstrated an impressive performance in the second test session of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) Prologue held at the Lusail International Circuit in Qatar. The team, with its V-Series.Rs, secured the top two positions on the timing screens, setting a promising tone for their future performances.
The spotlight shone on Alex Lynn in the No. 12 Cadillac, who clocked a remarkable time of 1m39.575s during a six-lap qualifying simulation on medium tires. This marked a significant improvement from Robert Kubica’s 1m41.673s record set earlier in the day for AF Corse.
In a similar vein, Sebastien Bourdais, driving the No. 38 JOTA Cadillac, posted a decent 1m39.788s on his second run, securing the second spot on the leaderboard. Bourdais, along with teammates Jenson and Earl, and their engineering group, acknowledged the need for improvements but remained optimistic about the upcoming challenges. “Although we aren’t perfect, the Prologue has provided us with ample time to learn and hone our skills for the next week. We find the start encouraging,” Bourdais remarked.
The No. 50 AF Corse Ferrari 499P, driven by Antonio Fuoco, secured the third position, just two-tenths off the leading time. He also managed to clock a time in the 1m39s range during his qualifying simulation.
Further down in the standings, the fastest Penske Porsche—the No. 5—ended up in fourth place, followed by the No. 83 499P from AF Corse in fifth. The top-performing Toyota managed to break into the top 10, outpacing the two Peugeots in ninth and tenth positions, which nonetheless exhibited impressive long runs.
The No. 93 9X8, driven by Jean-Eric Vergne, completed a noteworthy 32-lap stint, subsequently followed by a 33-lap run on the same set of hard tires. On the other hand, the No. 94, which ended up in the tenth spot, followed a slightly different strategy. Stoffel Vandoorne went on a six-lap run, followed by a 32-lap and then a 28-lap run, all on the same set of medium Michelins.
The session was not without its share of challenges. The No. 6 Porsche Penske 963, after an engine change, could not manage stints longer than 10 laps, but still clocked the seventh-fastest time.
The Aston Martin THOR Team Valkyries showed consistency, completing a combined total of 174 laps around the Qatar circuit. Although they didn’t top the timing screens, they managed to maintain a steady pace, with their best times only 2.7 and 3.4 seconds off the leading pace.
In the LMGT3 category, AKKODIS ASP led TF Sport once again, but this time the No. 87 Lexus RC F LMGT3 set the pace. Jose Maria Lopez clocked the car’s best time of 1m54.959s, the only lap under 1m55s. The No. 33 Corvette followed in second, with a 1m55.132s time from Daniel Juncadella.
The Prologue continues tomorrow with a three-hour session set to commence at 12:00pm local time. Participants and spectators alike will be eagerly waiting to see who emerges as the frontrunner in this thrilling race.
