In a powerful display of performance under the Texas sun, Aston Martin emerged as the leading force in both the Hypercar and LMGT3 categories during Free Practice 2 for the Lone Star Le Mans at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA), a comprehensive report published by sportsamo.com indicates. The FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) contenders returned to the demanding Austin circuit amidst challenging conditions, with cloudy skies failing to significantly temper the soaring temperatures. Air temperatures consistently exceeded 30°C, pushing the track surface well above 40°C, creating a formidable environment that tested both machinery and driver endurance.
The return of the WEC to COTA for the first time since 2020 has been eagerly anticipated, bringing its unique blend of cutting-edge technology and relentless competition to one of North America’s premier racing venues. The circuit, renowned for its diverse layout featuring high-speed straights, technical S-curves, and dramatic elevation changes, offers a true test of a car’s aerodynamic efficiency, chassis balance, and tire management. With the championship battle intensifying, every session at COTA carries significant weight, and Free Practice 2 provided the first clear indicators of who might hold the upper hand as the weekend progresses.
Hypercar: Valkyrie Lays Down a Marker
In the premier Hypercar class, the No. 007 Aston Martin Valkyrie, driven by the experienced Harry Tincknell, delivered a blistering lap of 1m52.567s. This impressive benchmark not only topped the session but also demonstrated the potent capabilities of the Valkyrie, a machine that has shown flashes of brilliance throughout the season. Tincknell, sharing duties with the highly-rated Tom Gamble, showcased precision and raw speed, besting the No. 35 Alpine by a narrow 0.122-second margin. This early pace suggests that Aston Martin, often a dark horse in the Hypercar landscape, is ready to challenge for top honors, especially given the Valkyrie’s proven pedigree in other endurance series. For Tincknell, a veteran of prototypes and GT racing, putting the Valkyrie on top reflects his adaptability and deep understanding of COTA’s intricate layout, a circuit where subtle lines and perfect braking points are paramount.
The No. 35 Alpine, a consistent front-runner this season, immediately signaled its intent to challenge, with its close second-place finish hinting at a tight qualifying battle. The French manufacturer has been steadily building momentum, and their performance here indicates a strong, well-balanced package capable of sustained speed. However, the session wasn’t without its drama, as the No. 17 Genesis encountered an early setback. Young Mathys Jaubert, perhaps caught off guard by the notoriously slick conditions of cold tires on COTA’s Turn 2 – a tight hairpin after a fast section – spun into the run-off area shortly after the session began, triggering a brief but impactful red flag. Despite this hiccup, the Genesis team recovered admirably, managing to secure a commendable third place, showcasing the car’s underlying potential and the team’s ability to bounce back under pressure.
The Hypercar field remained tightly contested behind the leading trio. The sister No. 36 Alpine secured fourth, just 0.287 seconds adrift of Tincknell’s time, reinforcing Alpine’s dual threat. Following closely were the three Ferraris, demonstrating their characteristic Italian flair and raw pace. The customer No. 83 AF Corse Ferrari led the charge in fifth, a mere few hundredths of a second ahead of the factory No. 50 and No. 51 499Ps. This consistent performance across all three Ferraris underscores the strength of their package and their unwavering commitment to maximizing performance. AF Corse’s ability to match or even slightly edge out the factory cars speaks volumes about their operational excellence and the inherent competitiveness of the 499P platform.
Further down the order, the No. 009 Aston Martin, the sister car to the session leader, finished eighth, 0.925 seconds off the pace. While not as quick as its stablemate, its position within the top ten indicates a solid foundation for the weekend. The two BMW entries rounded out the top 10, showing consistent, albeit not chart-topping, performance. These mid-pack results for manufacturers like BMW often signal a focus on long-run pace and race setup rather than outright qualifying speed, a strategic approach common in endurance racing where points are awarded for finishing positions rather than pole positions.
Notably, some of the series’ stalwarts appeared to be playing their cards close to the chest. The Cadillac Jota entries finished 11th and 16th, suggesting they might be exploring various setups or focusing on race simulations. Similarly, the Toyota Gazoo Racing team, perennial championship contenders and arguably the most dominant force in modern WEC history, finished 12th and 15th. Their relatively subdued performance is almost certainly a strategic choice, prioritizing race-day endurance and optimal tire degradation over a single fast lap. Toyota’s history at COTA includes multiple victories and strong showings, and it would be premature to count them out based on a practice session. Their engineers are masters of race strategy, and their focus on "race set-up work" is a clear indication of their ultimate goal. Conversely, the two Peugeots continued to grapple with performance, finishing more than a second off the leading time in 14th and 17th. The French manufacturer has faced an uphill battle since its Hypercar debut, and their COTA performance suggests that the challenges in unlocking consistent pace persist.
LMGT3: Robichon Puts Aston Martin on Top Again
The LMGT3 category, a fiercely competitive new addition to the WEC, also saw Aston Martin assert its dominance, with Zach Robichon setting the fastest time in the waning minutes of the session. Robichon, a highly regarded GT specialist, piloted his Aston Martin to a 2m05.609s lap, a remarkable effort that put him more than 0.4 seconds clear of the next closest competitors – the two Iron Lynx Mercedes entries. This significant margin in GT racing is often indicative of a particularly well-suited setup or an exceptional driver performance on the day. Robichon’s ability to extract such pace from the Vantage GT3 Evo on COTA’s challenging layout speaks to both his skill and the car’s inherent balance.
The Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMGs, known for their formidable presence in GT racing, will undoubtedly be dissecting the data to close that gap. Their consistent performance suggests they remain strong contenders, but Robichon’s advantage provides a crucial psychological edge. The two Garage 59 McLarens also made a strong showing, climbing into the top five despite being over half a second off the class-leading time. McLaren’s ongoing development in WEC GT3 has been promising, and their consistent presence near the sharp end of the grid bodes well for their long-term prospects in the category.
The LMGT3 class is a melting pot of manufacturers, and the session underscored its depth. The No. 92 Manthey Porsche and No. 78 Lexus ASP followed the McLarens, showcasing the broad competitive landscape. Within a second of Robichon’s benchmark, the top 10 also included the No. 54 AF Corse Ferrari, the No. 91 Manthey Porsche, and the No. 87 Lexus ASP. This tight grouping of diverse manufacturers – Porsche, Lexus, Ferrari – highlights the Balance of Performance (BoP) efforts and the sheer talent distributed across the grid. The LMGT3 class consistently delivers thrilling, wheel-to-wheel action, and COTA is expected to be no different.
Further down the order, teams like TF Sport Corvettes, WRT BMWs, and Proton Competition Fords found themselves needing to extract more pace. While practice sessions can often mask true potential due to varying fuel loads and tire strategies, these teams will be looking for significant improvements in Saturday’s sessions to challenge for top positions. The LMGT3 battle promises to be a captivating one, with multiple teams and manufacturers vying for every tenth of a second and every championship point.
The Road Ahead: Qualifying and Hyperpole
As the WEC field prepares for a pivotal Saturday, the focus shifts from practice to outright speed. The day’s program at COTA begins with the final 60-minute Free Practice 3 session at 11 am local time (6 pm CET), providing one last opportunity for teams to fine-tune their setups. Following this, the high-stakes qualifying and Hyperpole sessions will commence from 3 pm local time (10 pm CET). These sessions are crucial, as starting positions can significantly influence race strategy and track position, especially on a circuit like COTA where overtaking can be challenging.
Aston Martin’s impressive double topping of the practice charts sets a thrilling precedent for the weekend. However, with the likes of Alpine, Ferrari, and the strategically focused Toyota lurking, the battle for pole position and, ultimately, the Lone Star Le Mans victory remains wide open. The WEC’s return to Austin promises a weekend of intense endurance racing, where every lap, every pit stop, and every strategic decision will be critical in determining who emerges victorious from the Texas heat.
