Both drivers spent time in the car. Mike Newton was out first when the track still retained some residual moisture. The combination of hard compound slick tyres on a cold track made for some exciting moments. “The track was a challenge!” he grinned. “I’ve not driven the Porsche since Daytona and its very different from the Saleen. We’re completing a thorough a systems check as well as spending some time on developing a suitable set-up for Bathurst, where we’ll need to run with increased ride-height. The track there follows the public road in some places and has a pronounced curvature. We need to address the question of ground clearance, and it’s a more complex issue on the Porsche and not as straightforward, perhaps, as on some other cars.”

Thomas Erdos completed the first session on intermediate tyres. The last time he drove a Porsche was in1998, when he was asked to pre-qualify the Gerard MacQuillan 911 GT2 for the Le Mans 24 Hours. “It’s very driver-friendly,” was his first impression of the much newer GNM car. “Everything about the driving environment is comfortable, and the visibility is excellent. I’d reckon this was the most driver-friendly car I’ve ever tried. It’s obviously an excellent 24 hour car,” he added.

There will not be much practice time in Australia before the race, so the team was keen to make the most of Friday’s two one-hour sessions ahead of official qualifying. They departed well satisfied with the day’s findings.