FIA GT Nogaro - Brief Qualifying Report And Times

Marcel Fässler took his fourth pole position of the year in the #5 Phoenix Carsport Corvette C6.R. The Swiss driver was fastest in Nogaro, where the eighth FIA GT weekend of the season takes place.

The opening stages of the session saw a surprising Saleen domination, with first Kumpen in the PK Saleen and later Greg Franchi in the #7 Larbre S7R on top of the listings. But few minutes before the end Marcel Fässler went round quickest of the bunch.

Franchi remained second, followed by Bouchut in the #3 SRT Corvette. Allan Simonsen, in the Gigawave Aston and Alexandre Negrao, in the Vitaphone Maserati completed the top-5. Kumpen finally scored a fine sixth position.

The championship leaders, Bertolini and Michael Bartels were only 10th, two places behind the runner-up in the standings, the Phoenix pair Hezemans – Gollin.

In GT2, ProSpeed Competition took its second FIA GT pole position ever in the eighth round of the FIA GT season. Richard Westbrook matche the Monza mark of his usual tam-mate Emmanuel Collard posting his first ever FIA GT polewas faster than the works Ferrari and so the British driver will start from pole for tomorrow’s race in his #61 Prospeed Competition Porsche 911 GT3 RSR. Westbrook has a new co-driver aboard the #61 car this weekend, Australian Alex Davison stepping over from Felbermayr Proton.

Richard Westbrook: “I’m surprised myself, because this morning in pre-qualifying we struggled to find the right balance and set-up. Nogaro is a very demanding track and it’s difficult to get a well-balanced car. But everything went right this time and I’m very happy to be on pole for the first time. It’s an enormous relief for the team after the bitter disappointment at Brno, where a race incident made an end to our race.”

Joost Custers

Qualifying Times

1 5    GT1 Marcel FASSLER Corvette C6.R 1:23.703
2 7    GT1 Greg FRANCHI Saleen S7R 1:23.810
3 3    GT1 Christophe BOUCHUT Corvette C6.R 1:23.996
4 10   GT1 Allan SIMONSEN Aston Martin DBR9 1:24.284
5 2    GT1 Alexandre NEGRAO Maserati MC 12 1:24.428 
6 4    GT1 Anthony KUMPEN Saleen S7R 1:24.452 
7 33   GT1 Karl WENDLINGER Aston Martin DBR9 1:24.542 
8 6    GT1 Mike HEZEMANS Corvette C6.R 1:24.829 
9 9    GT1 J P DAYRAUT Corvette C6.R 1:24.832 
10 1   GT1 Andrea BERTOLINI Maserati MC 12 1:25.235 
11 37  GT1 Esteban TUERO Ferrari 550 Maranello 1:25.592 
12 61  GT2 Richard WESTBROOK Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (997) 1:26.296 
13 51  GT2 Christian MONTANARI Ferrari F430 1:26.628 
14 55  GT2 Tim MULLEN Ferrari F430 1:26.808 
15 50  GT2 Gianmaria BRUNI Ferrari F430 1:26.836 
16 56  GT2 Andrew KIRKALDY Ferrari F430 1:26.903 
17 95  GT2 Matias RUSSO Ferrari F430 1:27.292 
18 62  GT2 Fabio BABINI Ferrari F430 1:27.303 
19 77  GT2 Matteo MALUCELLI Ferrari F430 1:27.474 
20 57  GT2 Maurizio MEDIANI Ferrari F430 1:27.488 
21 60  GT2 Markus PALTTALA Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (997) 1:27.806 
22 164 G2 Tomas ENGE Aston Martin Vantage V8 1:28.128 
23 78  GT2 Joel CAMATHIAS Ferrari F430 1:28.574 
24 59  GT2 Richard WILLIAMS Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (997) 1:28.661