ILMC/ LMS, Silverstone - GT Qualifying

Qualifying started on time and the threat of rain meant most of the teams went out as soon as the lights went to green. The #88 Team Felbermayr Proton Porsche 997 GT3 RSR was the first car to set a fast lap and then spun at turn 3.

Wolf Henzler’s 2:02.937 in the IMSA Performance Matmut Porsche was the first real fast lap, showed by the fact that Gianmaria Bruni was just 0.034 seconds slower on his flyer. Local yellows then came out as Julien Canal went off into the gravel trap on his out-lap. Unfortunately for the Larbre Corvette being sponsored by McDonald’s didn’t help as the car sunk into the gravel and it clearly wasn’t a drive-thru.

Fred Makowiecki bettered Henzler’s time and took provisional pole position with a 2:02.934. Bruni and Marco Holzer were right behind with the top four within 0.037 seconds and 11 minutes left in qualifying.

Team Felbermayr Proton went back to the front in GTE Pro when Marc Lieb posted a 2:02.787 in the #77, but his time was soon bettered by the Ferrari of Toni Vilander, the gap again very small as it was now 0.043 seconds. Behind the GTE Pro cars it was Pat Long in the Proton Competition Porsche who set the fastest lap time in GTE Am, a 2:04.172.

Seven minutes from the end the BMW Motorport drivers finally got into action and Augusto Farfus was sent out, followed by Andy Priaulx a lap later. On his first and only flying lap the Brazilian posted a 2:01.768, almost one second quicker than the rest of the GT field. Priaulx put in a 2:02.096 to take second place and was as quick as Farfus in the first sector, before finding one of the CRS Ferrari’s on his way.

Nicolas Armindo took advantage of the clear track in the final minutes as well and successfully attacked the fastest time set by Long. His lap time of 2:04.028 means the IMSA Performance Matmut Porsche will start from GTE Am pole position.

Despite taking pole position for BMW Motorsport Augusto Farfus wasn’t the happiest of drivers after the session. "It has been a very tough weekend so far. We struggled with the balance and the setup of our car and we struggled with understeer," said Farfus. With the distance between the quickest BMW and the rest of the field almost a second it makes one wonder what would have happened if the Brazilian would have had a perfect car.

With the gap between third and thirteenth in GTE Pro at one second and rain predicted for tomorrow the race in GTE is far from decided though. BMW seems to have the upper hand however and if the Schnitzer-run operation wants to win a race this year this is their chance. "I think victory will come. We have a great chance tomorrow. Everything is well prepared for this race," said Farfus.

GTE Am pole sitter Nicolas Armindo was also very happy with his pole position, although he admitted his mind wasn't set on a battle with Pat Long. "Pole is very important and I am very satisified," said Armindo. "But our objective for the race is to put as many cars in between us and the Ferrari of Cioci, not a battle with Long and Narac."