Maranello (Modena), 8 May

One month on from the season opener at France’s Paul Ricard HTTT circuit at Le Castellet, the Le Mans Series set up camp at the legendary Spa Francorchamps circuit to tackle the 1000 km race, one of the most prestigious endurance races in the history of motor sport and a good rehearsal for the Le Mans 24 Hours on 13 June. Yesterday saw two free practice sessions, with qualifying to decide the grid taking place today, before tomorrow’s race gets underway at the Belgian track at 11.30. Among the fifty two cars entered in the GT and prototype classes, there are no less than six Ferrari’s in the GT2 category: the AF Corse car, took the class pole in the hands of Gimmi Bruni and Jaime Melo, ahead of the Porsche 997 of Marc Lieb-Richard Lietz and the other Ferrari of Andrew Kirkaldy and Tim Mullen (CRS Racing.) The second car entered by the team from Piacenza was not so lucky, doing no better than thirteenth on the grid, in the hands of Giancarlo Fisichella, Jean Alesi and Toni Vilander. “Unfortunately, the red flag came out on my quick lap,” said the Roman driver when he was back in the garage. “When I went back out there was oil on the track and so I couldn’t do better than that. Despite that, we are very confident as we went well in free practice and if it doesn’t rain tomorrow, we can have a good race.”