Detroit Sports Car Challenge - Live reporting from the VICI Racing pits

8:00 PM The sun is dropping fast over Belle Isle, we're in the race. Mosport is a fading memory. The team has really pulled together this week to get the #18 car repaired and ready. It's been another faultless performance from every single member of this team.

7:30 PM One member of the team isn't with us at the track today. Team Co-ordinator James Lang has had to rush home to Columbus, Ohio last night due to a family emergency. He is in everyone's thoughts at this difficult point in time for him and we wish him well.
 

7:00 PM The bond between the crew members is strong, both on a professional level, and as people who are in each others company constantly for long weekends. They work hard for each other, each playing a key role in the functioning of the team; and in the dangerous scenario of a pit lane, they need to be totally confident of each other, they are literally relying on each other for their lives. Here the crew have taken a quick break to lap the track on the tire cart. Another late night beckons but spirits are high.

5:05 PM Second practice saw the Detroit rain returning and the team chose to sit out most of the session. Qualifying went smoothly; with some concerns over the car a cautious strategy sees us safely onto the fifth row of the grid.

9:50 AM With some fuel added to the #18, it's now Francesco’s chance to get out on track here for the first time, and he returns to the fray after 50 mins. With the track rapidly drying, although he was still running on the original Kumho wet tyres that had started the practice session, the 21-year-old's times are coming down.

9:30 AM The rain has eased off but there's a lot of standing water on the track, and especially so in the pitlane. Marc turns in a 1:56.238 as the clock ticks to half an hour (one third duration). His next lap is a 2:02.414 as he eases his way round, before chopping his best to 1:53.897 on 33 mins.

9:25 AM Nicky makes several careful exploratory laps before turning in a 1:56.682 after 9 mins. He follows this up with a1:56.422 before a brief visit to the pits after 12 mins. Out on track again after 16 mins the rain is now falling steadily and the 25-year-old turns in a 1:59.785 (22 mins) before pitting to hand over the #18 to Marc.

9:00 AM This morning at Belle Isle has started wet, overcast and generally miserable, a change from the dry weather we have seen over the last two days. A brief shower in the minutes leading up to the green flag to start the first session has ensured that the teams have been greeted with a wet track and consequently wet Kumho compounds have been called for.

7:45 AM The action on the 2.09-mile, 14-turn temporary Belle Isle course gets underway this morning with a 90 minute long practice session (9:00-10:30AM) open to all the ALMS classes. This will followed by a further hour’s practice in the afternoon (3:20-4:20 PM), again open to all classes, before a brief 15 minute break leads into the 20-minute qualifying session (4:35-4:55PM) reserved for the GT1 and GT2 teams. The crew are already at work, making final preparations to the #18 car. André is in his customary position underneath the car.