IMSA: Porsche, Lamborghini lead FP1 at VIR

The factory Porsche North America team made a long-awaited return to the top of IMSA's WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GT Le Mans class after a rapid 60-minute session that opened the event at VIRginia International Raceway.

Frederic Makowiecki and Earl Bamber's No. 912 Porsche 911 RSR (1m43.232s) edged Joey Hand in the No. 66 Ford GT (-0.018) and Antonio Garcia in the No. 3 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R (-0.354) as teams got a feel for the resurfaced 3.3-mile road course.

"It was a good way to start the weekend," Bamber said. "It's a new surface for everybody so we're exploring what we can do. The guys at VIR have done a great job to repave it. It's great to have the Porsche up front; it's been a long time."

GT Daytona saw its class leader change on the final lap as Madison Snow moved the No. 48 Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini Huracán GT3 to the top (1m45.722s) ahead of Spencer Pumpelly, who led most of the session in the No. 16 Change Racing Lamborghini Huracán GT3 (-0.238), and Magnus Racing's Andy Lally in the No. 44 Audi R8 LMS GT3 (-0.436).

Two incidents paused the opening practice session. The No. 6 Stevenson Motorsports Audi R8 LMS GT3 went off at Turn 15 and found the wall before the car was driven to the pits and taken back to the paddock. The No. 25 BMW Team RLL M6 lost its roof during the session which triggered a red flag to remove the debris.

UP NEXT: Free practice 2 at 3:35 p.m. ET.