Karun and team fifth fastest in free practice

Bahrain: Team JRM Racing, comprising India`s Karun Chandhok, David Brabham and Peter Dumbreck, were overall fifth quickest in free practice ahead of the six hours of Bahrain in FIA World Endurance Championship, here Friday.

The team`s Honda HPD ARX-03a clocked one minute, 49.100 seconds that put them fifth overall and second in the privateers` championship. The day`s first session at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, just outside the capital Manama, started in bright sunshine and finished in darkness as the sun set over the circuit. JRM completed 31 laps in total with all three drivers getting their turn in the car. Dumbreck, who has never been to Bahrain before, opened the session before handing over to Brabham and then Chandhok who set the team`s quickest time of the session, a 1:51.334. Unfortunately, after checking the car over at the end of the sessions, the crew found a crack in the gearbox, thereby requiring a change. The JRM car was quickly readied for second session with only minimal delay, allowing the drivers to continue the run programme. Dumbreck was first up in the car before Brabham took over, with Chandhok again completing the day`s running. The Indian, who made his F1 race debut at the track in 2010, set the team`s quickest time of the day, 1:49.100, after 24 laps, putting it into P5 overall and second in the privateers` classification. Chandhok, who has had the most running at the Bahrain International Circuit, said: "We chipped away at the programme with lots of set-up changes over the two sessions. We all decided it was better to leave one driver in the car and make systematic changes. "As I have the most experience of the track having been here with GP2 and again with F1, it was easier for me to do the most running. I was pretty happy at the end of the second session and was able to do a reasonable time right towards the checkered flag." IANS