Tricky Free Practice session on a very wet Hockenheim sees NM Racing Team come out on top

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Tricky Free Practice session on a very wet Hockenheim sees NM Racing Team come out on top

  • #15 NM Racing Team Mercedes-AMG quickest in rainy Free Practice

  • fastest lap times all noted before red flag interruption halfway through

  • difficult session for both Pro-Am and Am Cup leaders

Ominous clouds were looming when the first cars left the pitlane and started their Free Practice Session. Rain then caused a slow start to the session, but Lluc Ibanez in the #15 NM Racing Team Mercedes-AMG put a strong 1'51.561 lap on the boards early in, well clear of the #110 Autosport GP LS Group Performance Alpine A110 and the #23 Overdrive Racing Porsche 718 Cayman.

Just shy of the top 3, two BMW M4 GT4 crews showed strong form in these tricky conditions: the #2 Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport car in fourth place, and the #12 Borusan Otomotiv Motorsport as fifth quickest.

The #75 Centri Porsche Ticino Cayman GT4 RS CS claimed P6 overall, leading Am Cup, while fastest Pro-Am lap time came from the #36 Code Racing Development Alpine A110 from 8th overall.

Approximately halfway through the session, the #4 BCMC Motorsport powered by EastSide Motorsport Mercedes-AMG saw its stunning livery become undone in heavy contact with the tyre wall at turn 12. No harm done to driver Gogollok, but the red flag was waved and Free Practice had to endure a 15 minute interruption.

During that pause, rain made way for sunshine again. But when the session restarted with just under 15 minutes to go, the Hockenheim tarmac was still too soaked to allow for any further lap time improvements. The tricky conditions caused a few championship front runners to remain noticeably absent from the tables. Both the Pro-Am leading #42 Saintéloc Junior Team Audi R8 LMS GT4 and the #10 AVR-Avvatar Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS CS failed to put in a significant lap in this first Hockenheim session.

They will certainly be looking forward to Pre-Qualifying, scheduled for 17.00 CEST later this Friday.

On Saturday, September 2nd, the GT4 European Series powered by RAFA Racing Club goes all live with Qualifying at 11.05 CEST, and Race 1 at 16.55 CEST. More live racing action from Hockenheim follows on Sunday with Race 2, going green at 11.30 CEST.

Both qualifying and the races will be streamed live in English, French and German via the GT4 European Series website and the GTWorld YouTube channel.

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Hockenheim – Free Practice - Results