Mann tops Saturday morning LMGT3 practice in Barcelona for AF Corse Ferrari

Vista AF Corse's Simon Mann ran quickest in this morning's hour-long Free Practice 3 session for LMGT3 cars only at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

The American made multiple improvements in the No. 21 296 LMGT3 during the session, which was held in cool, foggy conditions, eventually posting a 1m41.696s 25 minutes in to cement his position at the top of the timing screens.

The time was 0.442s faster than the other LMGT3 cars in the class and just shy of the fastest LMGT3 time of the weekend (the 1m41.650s from Finn Gehrsitz in Free Practice 2), setting the No. 21 crew up nicely for Qualifying and Hyperpole. Notably, it also came after a brief off into the gravel for Mann 15 minutes into the session on the run down to the final corner.

The No. 61 Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG LMGT3 was next, with Rui Andrade reeling off a 1m42.138s with 22 minutes left on the clock, pushing the No. 58 Garage 59 McLaren to third.

AKKODIS ASP's No. 87 Lexus also set a late flyer two minutes later to claim third. The No. 58 McLaren finished up fourth with a 1m 42.607s from Benji Goethe. The No. 88 Proton Ford Mustang completed the top five, as the final car in the running order to set a time within a second of the No. 21 Ferrari.

The top two cars in the championship standings, the No. 33 TF Sport Corvette and No. 27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin, ended up 15th and 13th, respectively.

"We're paying the price for our recent success, carrying 42 kilos of success ballast, so it's tricky here," Heart of Racing team boss/driver Ian James admitted to the FIA WEC + broadcast. "We're going to have to strategize our way to the front. We're not going to win it on pace, but the car is nice to drive."

"I hope it rains. I think we'll be good in the wet, so I'll be dancing tonight," Nicky Catsburg, who shares the No. 33 Corvette with Ben Keating and Jonny Edgar, said.

Next on the schedule today is Qualifying and Hyperpole for LMGT3, at 11:50 local time. Free Practice 3 for the Hypercar runners is set for 12:40.

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