The Phoenix Racing Audi R8 LMS of Christopher Haase and Christopher Mies has set the early pace for the Oschersleben weekend in Germany.  Haase, who set the pole position time in a Lamborghini Gallardo for race 1 in 2008, put in a lap of 1m30.278 half way through the 60-minute session.  The Audi was 0.64 seconds quicker than the second placed car of Wido Roessler and Sascha Bert in the Zakspeed Racing Viper Competition Coupe S2.  Florian Gruber and Christoffer Nygaard were third quickest in the Fischer Racing Ford GT with Nicolas Armindo and Cesar Campanico in the Team Rosberg Audi R8 LMS.

There were yellow flag periods during the session.  Luca Moro (#6 Callaway Competition Corvette Z06R GT3) went into the gravel at Turn 13 with 19 minutes to go. Chris Dymonds first outing in the MP Racing BMW Alpina B6 GT3 ended in the barriers at Turn 10 with 15-miuntes left on the clock.

Thirty-one cars took to the track out of the 33 cars entered for Rounds 5 & 6 of the 2009 FIA GT3 European Championship.  The #7 Kessel Racing Ferrari of Paulo Bonifacio and Claudio Ricci and teh #22 Trackspeed Porsche 997 GT3 Cup S of David Ashburn and Sean Edwards didn't take part in the first free practice of the weekend.

The second free practice session is due to start at 14:40 local time.

CLICK HERE for results from Free Practice 1