As the track cooled in the final half hour, several drivers turned their fastest lap of the session and three-time Sebring 12H winner Derani’s 1min46.898sec ensured AXR’s Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R was 0.454sec clear of the similar Chip Ganassi Racing machine driven by Renger van der Zande.
Filipe Albuquerque turned the fastest turbocharged lap, slotting the Wayne Taylor Racing Acura ARX-05 into third, a further 0.1sec in arrears, but three tenths clear of Kamui Kobayashi in the second AXR Cadillac, and Sebastien Bourdais in the JDC Miller Motorsports Cadillac.
Olivier Pla claimed Meyer Shank Racing’s best time in the #60 Acura but a second adrift of top spot, while defending Sebring winner Jonathan Bomarito was 1.3sec off in the sole Mazda.
Mikkel Jensen again claimed top spot in LMP2 for PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports while Wayne Boyd slotted United Autosports’ entry into second place, half a second from top spot, and just a tenth clear of Gabriel Aubry in the Tower Motorsports by Starworks car.
Mathieu Jaminet was half a second clear of his nearest GTLM opposition, driving the WeatherTech Racing Proton Porsche 911 RSR, with the Rolex 24-winning #3 Corvette C8.R second in the hands of Antonio Garcia, a couple of tenths ahead of its sister car piloted by the impressive endurance extra Alexander Sims.
Connor De Phillippi’s best effort in the #25 BMW M8 ensured there were four GT cars ahead of the fastest LMP3 car, the #91 Riley Motorsports Ligier steered by Jeroen Bleekemolen.
The versatile Dutch driver was half a second clear of teammate Spencer Pigot, while Oliver Askew was third in the #7 Duqueine of Forty7 Motorsports.
Factory Porsche driver Laurens Vanthoor continues to show his class in a 911 GT3 R, clocking a lap in the Pfaff Motorsport entry that was 0.35sec clear of Aaron Telitz’s best effort in the #14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F. Its sister car, the #12, hit early trouble when it shed a wheel on an out lap for Frankie Montecalvo, bringing out a red flag. However, he returned to the track to set 11th fastest time.
Franck Perera was third fastest in the Grasser Racing Lamborghini Huracan, just ahead of Trent Hindman who is clearly adapting well to the Wright Motorsports Porsche, as he again subs for Ryan Hardwick.
Maro Engel was fifth in the Sun Energy1 Mercedes AMG GT, while Earl Bamber was sixth in the faster of the two Hardpoint Racing EBM Porsches.
Qualifying for Saturday’s Sebring 12 Hours begins at 11.15am local (Eastern) time tomorrow.