Ferrari 296 posts 2:02.986 at Paul Ricard

Ferrari’s 296 LMGT3 Evo was the standout GT car in Friday practice at Paul Ricard. The headline lap was a 2:02.986 from Mathys Jaubert in Kessel Racing’s No. 57 Ferrari during ELMS Free Practice 2 on May 2. That mattered because it wasn’t just a random quick lap — Ferrari also had the No. 55 Spirit of Race car third in the same session, so the pace looked real across two entries. ### What actually happened at Paul Ricard? In FP2 for the 4 Hours of Le Castellet weekend, Jaubert put Kessel’s Ferrari on top of the LMGT3 timesheets with a 2:02.986. The next-best GT car was the No. 59 Racing Spirit of Leman Aston Martin Vantage, just 0.087s back on a 2:03.073, with David Perel third for in depth. ### Why is 2:02.986 a big deal? Because in GT racing at Paul Ricard, hundredths matter. Jaubert’s margin over the Aston Martin was less than a tenth, which tells you the class was tight, but he still had the benchmark. The lap was also described in event coverage as an unofficial class record for the current ELMS LMGT3 configuration at this layout, which gives the number extra weight beyond just “quickest in practice.” ### Who is Mathys Jaubert here? Jaubert is better known right now for prototype work, but he was the driver who delivered the lap for Kessel in GT machinery. That matters because practice pace in endurance racing often comes from the driver most willing to lean on fresh tires and low fuel, and Jaubert clearly found the window. Kessel Racing’s No. 57 then became the reference Ferrari for the rest of the LMGT3 field heading into qualifying. ### Did Ferrari turn that speed into pole? Not with the Kessel car. By qualifying later on May 2, LMGT3 pole went to Al-Khelaifi rather than a Ferrari, while the broader event story centered on Esteban Masson’s overall LMP2 pole. But Ferrari still stayed in the conversation, because Spirit of Race’s No. 55 converted Ferrari pace into one of the best starting spots. ### Why does that split matter? Because endurance weekends are rarely won by the car that looks prettiest in one session. Practice tells you who has raw speed. Qualifying tells you who can repeat it under pressure. Ferrari showing both — fastest in FP2 with Kessel, top-three on the grid with Spirit of Race — suggests the 296 LMGT3 Evo arrived at Le Castellet with a genuinely strong setup range rather than one perfect lap from one crew. ### What does Paul Ricard reward? Paul Ricard is a long, technical 5.84 km circuit with long straights, heavy braking zones, and a lot of time to lose if the car isn’t stable through the fast stuff. In GT3, that usually rewards a car that can rotate cleanly in the slower corners without burning the rear tires on exit. Ferrari’s Friday pace hints that the 296 had that balance, at least over a lap. ### So what was the real takeaway? The real story wasn’t just one flashy number. It was that Ferrari’s 296 LMGT3 Evo looked like the reference car in Friday running at Le Castellet, with Jaubert’s 2:02.986 leading the way and a second Ferrari close behind in the order. Even without pole, that kind of two-car speed is exactly what makes a GT manufacturer look dangerous once the race starts.