Report 1. FP BOSS GP Paul Ricard/FRA
Start: 12:04
End: 12:29
Temperature: 14,5 C
Cars listed: 22
Cars out on track: 12
Weather conditions: mostly cloudly, partially foggy

The first free practice of BOSS GP at Paul Ricard HTTC/Le Castellet on Friday noon served as a first roll out for most of the accredited drivers. The difficult track is quiet challenging for all pilots, who were never driving on this very fast yet safe race track.

12 out of 22 cars left the pitlane and tried to get familiar with the conditions and the lines of the various corners. The best lap time was performed by Stephane Richelmi, who joined the BOSS GP race weekend with his Dallara GP2. Stephane, who knows the track very well and drove in the official GP2 series for the last two years, set the pace with his fastest lap time 1:51:980. Johann Ledermaier, one of the favourits of the title in the Formula Class finished 2nd with 1:55:138. Christophe Brenier, the french local pilot, finished 3rd in 1:56:186.

The newcomers Veronika Cicha, Wolfgang Jaksch and Florian Schnitzenbaumer used the first practice to learn the track and adopt to the conditions. A first indication of the expectations for the qualifying on Saturday might be shown during the 2nd and 3rd free practice which take place today in the afternoon.

Report 2. FP BOSS GP Paul Ricard/FRA
Start: 15:01
End: 15:30
Temperature: 14,8 C
Cars listed: 22
Cars out on track: 15
Weather conditions: rainy, partially foggy

FP 2 was dominated by the weather conditions. Light rain started falling about 15 minutes before the start of the practice and due to the critical and slippery conditions not all cars and drivers decided to leave the pit lane. However 15 cars finally went on track and completed several laps. Some drivers went out with rain tires, some started the session on slicks. The track appeared slippery but not totally wet.

Unfortunately the lap timing did not work correctly and we are not able to summarize the results. FP3 in the late afternoon should definitely give us a benchmark for the saturday qualifying as the rain might stop and the drivers could go out in fair and dry conditions.

Report 3. FP BOSS GP Paul Ricard/FRA
Start: 17:02
End: 17:25
Temperature: 16,1 C
Cars listed: 22
Cars out on track: 18
Weather conditions: mostly cloudly, dry

Finally FP3 could be started in dry and fair conditions and 18 cars left the pit lane immediately after the green light. It was again Stephane Richelmi, who showed all other drivers which fantastic time a Dallara GP2 is able to deliver at Paul Ricard. In 1:49,524 he set his best lap with an average speed of 192km/h.

In second position Johann Ledermair manifested his ambitions to become the fastest non professional driver within the BOSS GP group. He performed very well and improved his lap time comparing to FP1 and FP2 to 1:54,046, followed by Jakub Smiechowski (POL) and the local hero Christopher Brenier.

On 5th position Wolfgang Jaksch was classified, who also made a huge jump in his lap time comparing tot he morning session. Veronika Cicha, the only woman in the group also improved her times a lot and ended up on P11 out of 18 classified cars. It was Florian Schnitzenbaumer who unluckely had to stop his car right 100m after the pit lane exit as one little relais in his car broke an he could not even finish one single lap.

The German pilot Hans Laub set the best lap time in the MASTERS class with his World Series by Renault 3.5 in 2:02,523 followed by the current leader in the Championship Karl-Heinz Becker.

See complete results and gallery  here.

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