Jean-Eric Vergne’s impressive performance in the third and final Free Practice session (FP3) for the WEC 8H Bahrain put Peugeot Sport back on top as they prepare for the season finale.
The French driver clocked a remarkable lap time of 1:49.443 early in the 60-minute session, establishing a strong foundation for Peugeot ahead of the crucial qualifying rounds. The session marked a significant moment for the team, as they aimed to maintain momentum after a solid showing in previous practice sessions.
Jean-Eric Vergne’s lap was not only the fastest of FP3 but also showcased his ability to harness the potential of the Peugeot 9X8, which has been given a Balance of Performance adjustment for the WEC 8H Bahrain.
His time edged out Yifei Ye from AF Corse, who managed a commendable 1:49.662 in the No. 83 Ferrari 499P, placing him second overall.
Vergne’s performance was particularly noteworthy as it improved upon teammate Paul di Resta’s earlier time benchmark in Free Practice 1, indicating that Peugeot has effectively fine-tuned their setup for the challenging Bahrain circuit.
The final practice was characterized by competitive dynamics among several teams, with Daniil Kvyat driving the No. 63 Iron Lynx Lamborghini SC63 to a third-place finish with a time of 1:50.014. The performance underscored Lamborghini’s competitiveness in the Hypercar category, as they continue to push for podium finishes in this season finale.
The sister Peugeot 9X8 Hypercar driven by Paul di Resta secured fourth place with a time of 1:50.028, just behind Kvyat’s Lamborghini. The two Alpine A424s rounded out the top six, with Mick Schumacher finishing fifth with a time of 1:50.612 and Ferdinand Habsburg following closely in sixth place.
Antonio Fuoco placed seventh for Ferrari with a time that was slightly hindered by an early issue that limited his track time. The No. 50 AF Corse Ferrari 499P, which is contending for championship points encountered an electrical issue related to a cable in its front Motor Generator Unit (MGU).
The problem limited its track time significantly; the car only completed seven laps and recorded a best time of 1:51.162, which was still enough to place it seventh in class but far from competitive.
The two customer Jota Porsche 963 LMDhs rounded out the top ten with Norman Nato edging out Oliver Rasmussen for ninth place. Their performances indicated that Porsche was still very much in contention for a strong finish despite not being at the very top of the timesheets.
Toyota’s GR010 Hybrid cars had a more challenging session than anticipated, with Kamui Kobayashi finishing as their fastest driver in eleventh position. This result raised questions about Toyota’s pace compared to their competitors as they sought to regain their footing ahead of qualifying.
BMW WRT which had dominated FP2 on Thursday ended up 17th and 18th with its pair of M Hybrid V8s.
In the LMGT3 category, Alex Malykhin drove the No. 92 Manthey PureRxcing Porsche 911 GT3 R to dominate with a lap time of 2:03.987, leading the class and showcasing his prowess ahead of qualifying.
Malykhin’s performance was particularly impressive given that he is coming off a championship title win at Fuji in September alongside his teammates Klaus Bachler and Joel Sturm.
Close behind Malykhin was Arnold Robin in the No. 78 Akkodis ASP Team Lexus RC F GT3, who set a time just shy of Malykhin’s at 2:04.041. The competitive nature of LMGT3 was further highlighted by the No. 55 Vista AF Corse Ferrari finishing third in class.
The final practice for WEC 8H Bahrain also saw two Full Course Yellows that disrupted the rhythm for some teams.
The first yellow flag was raised due to a half-spin involving the No. 51 AF Corse Ferrari 499P, which continued on track without major issues. The second yellow flag was prompted by debris on the circuit, further complicating the teams’ strategies during this critical practice session.
Qualifying for WEC 8H Bahrain is set to get underway at 4 p.m. local time (9 a.m. EDT)
