American Le Mans Series newcomer Franck Montagny defied his lack of experience behind the wheel of Andretti Green Racing's Acura prototype - and of the Mid-Ohio circuit - to post the fastest time of the pre-race test day ahead of this weekend's Acura Sports Car Challenge.
The idea that the Frenchman is growing increasingly comfortable behind the wheel should be a bit frightening to the rest of the ALMS paddock, as Montagny swapped the seat of his European prototype for AGR's LMP2 entry with apparent ease after he posted a 1min 08.827secs benchmark that left the rest of the field trailing. The sometime
F1 pilot only drove the XM-sponsored car for the first time at Mid-Ohio last week, days before his first ALMS race at Lime Rock Park. And, while the familiarity with the circuit helped on Thursday, more and more laps in the Acura are even more beneficial.
"As you spend more time in the car, you understand the team better and they understand you better," said Montagny, who was fifth overall and fourth in class on his ALMS debut, "I am still not completely happy with the car, but we made a lot of damper and spring adjustments today and that seemed to help."
Montagny's time was 0.266secs quicker than Audi Sport North America's 'Dindo' Capello could manage in the R10 TDI that he will share with Emanuele Pirro. Capello was the fastest LMP1 driver on the day as he returned to the ALMS in place of Frank Biela.
Third up was Gil de Ferran in his eponymous team's Acura, the Brazilian lapping in 1min 09.652secs to claim second spot in LMP2. de Ferran was 0.217secs ahead of Penske Racing's Timo Bernhard, the quickest Porsche RS Spyder driver. Audi's Marco Werner was second in LMP1 and fifth overall.
