> Result: Free Practice 2
Team Abba Racing made it a Mercedes-AMG clean sweep in Oulton Park practice after Sam Neary made the most of a new-tyre run just past the mid-way point. In GT4, Tom Edgar’s early effort was enough to keep Toyota Gazoo Racing UK’s Supra on top for much of the hour.
With many teams having used their new tyres during first practice, the second practice session in Cheshire was naturally run at a slightly slower pace than its predecessor. Once again, RAM Racing made a strong start, with Jules Gounon putting the #6 fastest early doors before pitting for Ian Loggie and laying down the challenge for the rest to match his effort.
Sandy Mitchell came closest, dropping just 0.2sec in the sole Barwell Lamborghini before things settled down as the pros vacated for their amateur team-mates. Things began to change when Adam Carroll was installed in the Balfe Motorsport Audi R8 LMS and lit up the timing screens, topping Gounon’s time by almost two tenths.
That fired up Sam Neary, who initially snuck past Gounon to run second fastest, before finally setting a 1m34.020sec to scrape into top spot by just 0.004sec. Shaun Balfe and Carroll held second in the Audi, ahead of Gounon and Loggie’s RAM Mercedes-AMG. Adam Balon and Mitchell were fourth for Barwell, as a late effort from James Kell put the Team Rocket RJN McLaren he shares with Simon Watts into fifth. Lewis Williamson and James Cottingham rounded out the top six in the 2 Seas Mercedes.
GT4 was less eventful, mostly due to a superb early effort from Edgar ensuring the Toyota Gazoo Racing GR Supra led the way for virtually the entire session.
Having shown well in opening practice, Jamie Day led the field early on as the R Racing Aston looked to make it two in a row, but it didn’t take Edgar long to find a gap and pull three tenths on the field before relaying with Jack Mitchell.
Sennan Fielding made a great charge to put the Steller Motorsport Audi R8 he shares with Richard Williams second, and looked to have the place secured until a late effort from Ross Wylie helped the Valluga Racing Porsche 718 Cayman sneak past at the end.
Matt Cowley and Marco Signoretti were fourth-fastest in the Academy Motorsport Ford Mustang, despite the car losing the final minutes of the session after stopping out on track with a technical issue. Jamie Orton and Seb Hopkins brought the Team Parker Racing Porsche 718 Cayman into fifth fastest, with Matt Topham and Darren Turner completing the top six and staying ahead of the GT4 Pro-Am pack.