Portimao Post Season Testing Notebook
The regular post ELMS season testing sessions are underway at Portimao with three days of track action scheduled.
There was plenty to spot once again along the pit lane with LMP2, LMP3 and GTE teams going about the business of preparing for the 2023 season.
Some teams will test later this week, including Inter Europol who hd planned to test one of their LMP3 crews in the LMP2 Oreca today, but will be testing a number of potential LMP3 drivers for 2023 far both their planned ELMS and new-for-2023 Michelin Le Mans Cup efforts.
TDS Racing meanwhile are set to test potential drivers for a planned Asian Le Mans Series LMP3 effort.
GTE
On track on Monday were a trio of Proton Competition Porsche 911 RSR-19s with ‘Iron Dames Sarah Bovy and Michelle Gatting joined in the garage by IMSA Bob Akin award winner Ryan Hardwick, and Iron Lynx driver Matteo Cressoni.
Matteo Cairoli was on hand to assist with the transition and, as noted earlier on DSC, Christina Nielsen was driving, and whilst there was no comment whatsoever from any party involved, the two-time IMSA GTD Champions’ Bronze ranking could prove vital for the 2023 WEC ambitions for the team.
LMP2
United Autosports were shaking down their brand new Oreca 07, bound for the 2023 ELMS. as one of a pair of LMP2 entries. Phil Hanson was on shakedown duties whilst 2023 LMP2 signing Daniel Schneider was getting track time in the 2022 #22 car.
Ex D’Station Racing driver Andrew Watson was trying out the #51 Team Virage Oreca ahead of a potential return to the fray next season.
Cool Racing rolled out the #37 to assist Alexandre Coigny and newly crowned LMP3 Champion Malthe Jakobsen’s transition ahead of a planned Asian Le Mans Series effort.
The duo are set to reunite in a second Cool Racing car in the 2023 ELMS, quite possibly together with Nicolas Lapierre! fellow 2022 LMP3 champ Mo Smith was enjoying the test though the Tennessee-based neurosurgeon is unlikely to return to the ELMS in 2023 as thing stand.
Algarve Pro Racing’s garage was very busy with a number of new faces to the team in evidence:
Silver-ranked Nico Varrone has race-winning form in GTE this season with Rinaldi Racing.
WTM Racing’s Leo Weiss may well be set to step up from LMP3, and historic racer Stuart Wiltshire has ‘history’ with Algarve Pro Racing – literally – he owns and races one of the team’s old Ligier JSP2 LMP2 cars, the car raced in 2016 by Sir Chris Hoy at Le Mans.
And, again as already reported by DSC, Prema team were t4sting Iron Dame Doriane Pin on Monday, the team looking set to mount a two-car WEC effort in 2023.
LMP3
United Autosports were trialling the regular array of new talent looking to join the squad for 2023.
Amongst those spotted:
GB3 race winner Cian Shields, 2022 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship runner up Will Martin and American GT4 racer Alexandre Papadopulos
Cool Racing had two cars marked up with the names of drivers being tested this week:
One car was prepped for Cool Racing’s 2022 Ligier European Series racer Cedric Oltramare, Mexican Indy Lights racer Manuel Sulamain and 2022 RLR MSport driver Valentin Catalano.
The other was set to welcome 2022 Inter duopoly racer Noam Abramczyk, single-seater Argentine Marcos Siebert who had a one-off outing for Eurointernational in 2022 and (not that!) A-Garcia!!)
RLR MSport were evaluating a number of young drivers for 2023 action.
Graff Racing were busily prepping one of their LMP3 Ligiers for track action later.
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