At the end of the afternoon, Valentino Rossi, Luca Marini and Alessio Salucci (Uccio), it was the youngest of the three who had the honor of setting the track first. Ferrari 488 GT3 #46 from the Kessel Racing team on the Bahrain International Circuit for the first night tests of the Gulf 12 Hours.
The program for this first three-hour session began with the discovery of the route, since the previous editions took place in Abu Dhabi.
This did not prevent Luca marini to immediately lift the midnight blue and fluorescent yellow Ferrari to the top of the provisional ranking, with a time of 2:02.852 on its first flying lap, showing in fact a pronounced determination.
Obviously, this leadership was only provisional and the future Avintia driver, in 2:01.851 on the next pass, shortly after left the lead for 6 tenths to his compatriot Marco Frezza on one of the two other Ferraris, the #8, from the same team Swiss.
These first times were then an opportunity to note that only 12 cars were on track, whereas there were 30 during the last edition: the health and economic crises have definitely had their effects...
After around ten laps, Luca Marini left the wheel to Alessio salucci but he couldn't improve the car's best time, just like Valentino Rossi who took over. As a result, it fell back to 4th place, logically leaving Lewis Williamson record the best time in 2:00.811 on the McLaren 720S GT3 of the 2 Seas Motorsport team, the only team which fields cars in the Pro category (for young drivers whose objective is to become professional drivers, while the “Pro- Am” are for Gentlemen Drivers, who maintain a professional activity in parallel, but who show an ability to drive in the same second as Pro drivers).
Monster VR46 Kessel 488 GT3 ✅@ValeYellow46 driving ✅
46 laps of FP1 complete ✅# Gulf12Hours pic.twitter.com/nc5k5nkK1k- Gulf 12 Hours (@ gulf12hours) January 7, 2021
In the last half hour, Dylan Pereira still grabbed a few hundredths behind the wheel of the #7 McLaren and the first day ended there. However, watch out for the team leader's second car, which did not take to the track today. It should nevertheless be noted that the Ferrari #46 is the car which completed the most laps, with motorcycle drivers undoubtedly feeling the need to acclimatize to the two additional wheels.
Let's not jump to conclusions, but getting on the podium this year will be deserved...
