The Jetalliance Aston Martin took pole in Monza
Courtesy of the FIA GT/DPPI
In both GT1 and GT2, teams claimed their maiden FIA GT pole positions this weekend. Austrian team Jetalliance set its first-ever pole position in the nr 33 Aston Martin DBR9, Karl Wendlinger returning to the front of the grid for the first time since 1999. And in GT2, Paolo Ruberti set an excellent
time to claim the first pole for Racing Team Edil Cris.
GT1 POLE FOR WENDLINGER AND JETALLIANCE
Karl Wendlinger claimed the first pole position for Austrian team Jetalliance at Monza, in the nr 33 Aston Martin DBR9. He set a lap of 1:44.945, half a second ahead of the second-placed car, in an exciting and close qualifying session. This was Karl's fourth FIA GT pole - but his first since 1999 ! “The car has been going well all weekend,” Karl Wendlinger said. “I am very happy with the handling and the Michelin tyres, which are not only fast but very consistent. We have found out over the last two races that we are very good under braking, which is very important here in Monza. We have good downforce in the middle section, and we are also fast on the straight. These factors altogether are very important at this circuit.”
He will share the front row of the grid for tomorrow's race with the nr 2 Vitaphone Racing Team Maserati MC 12, driven by Christian Montanari. “Honestly, it was very difficult qualifying session, because it was very close between the top drivers,” the driver from the Republic of San Marino explained. “I am very happy as we worked a lot in free practice this morning, and this is the result. Monza is a fantastic circuit, very fast. Braking is important here, and my Maserati with Michelin tyres is very good under braking, and we’ll see tomorrow.”
Originally second, the nr 8 All-Inkl.com Racing Lamborghini Murciélago of Peter Kox, which had set an excellent time of 1:45.463, lost its times due to failing scrutineering. He will be joined at the back of the grid by Championship leaders Bouchut and Mücke, their car losing its times after being pushed in parc fermé.
Third on the grid was inherited by another Maserati, the nr 12 Scuderia Playteam Sarafree car driven by Alessandro Pier Guidi. The two Maserati cars were followed by two Corvettes - the nr 5 Carsport Holland C6 just over a tenth ahead of the nr C5 entered by PK Carsport.
In the 15-minute qualifying session, Mike Hezemans was the first to take provisional pole, ahead of the nr 1 Vitaphone Maserati and the nr 8 All-Inkl Lamborghini. Ten minutes into the session, Wendlinger took the lead with a time of 1:45.196. Kox moved up to second place a minute later, with Wendlinger improving again to go under the 1:45 barrier – the first to do so this weekend – and securing pole position with a lap of 1:44.945.
FIRST POLE FOR RACING TEAM EDIL CRIS IN GT2
In GT2, Racing Team Edil Cris took its first pole position, with a lap of 1:50.959 from Paolo Ruberti in the nr 52 Ferrari 430 GT2. This was also Ruberti’s first FIA GT pole, the Italian driver having mainly competed in GT1 in the past. “The team did really good work,” Ruberti said. “My team manager said over the radio, push, push, it’s the last lap ! I am really happy, the car is good, the Pirelli tyres are very constant and we hope to do a good race tomorrow. This is the first pole for Edil Cris, a new team but with very good personnel, and I am very happy for them all.”
He was followed, in this all-Ferrari top three, by the two AF Corse Motorola cars, Dirk Müller qualifying second, just five hundredths behind Ruberti, despite a total of 78 kg penalty weight, while his team-mate Gianmaria Bruni was third. “To be honest I can’t explain how we are up here,” Müller said. “I was expecting P4 or P5 and I would have been really happy. Toni and myself, with Michelin, have found a good compromise, even with our extra weight, and I must say that I have raced here a lot in Monza. Everybody says it is a pretty simple racetrack, but I tell you it’s tricky. You have to know the secrets, and obviously I very much like it and I got a good lap.”
The Ferrari trio was followed by a Porsche duo : the nr 74 Ebimotors Porsche of Marcello Zani and the nr 99 Tech9 car of Sean Edwards. The second Edil Cris Ferrari was sixth, ahead of the BMS Scuderia Italia Porsche, the two Scuderia Ecosse cars and the newcomer, Prospeed Competition.
The fifteen-minute session was extremely busy. Early on, the Porsche cars dominated, with Malucelli on provisional pole ahead of Edwards in the Tech9 car. Eight minutes into qualifying, Ruberti took provisional pole with a lap of 1:51.416. Zani, in the Ebimotors Porsche, took pole from him a minute later. Shortly before the end of the session, Dirk Müller set provisional pole. But on his final lap, Ruberti retook the lead, going under the 1:51 barrier to set a time of 1:50.959.
Edil Cris takes GT2 pole
Courtesy of the FIA GT/DPPI
KESSEL RACING TAKES CITATION CUP POLE
The Citation Cup pole position went to Lorenzo Casè in the Kessel Racing Ferrari 575 M Maranello, making three different poles from three races for the Citation Cup. “Today the work was difficult as the car is nearly completely new after our big crash in Bucharest,” Lorenzo explained. “We worked hard in the morning to find a good set-up for qualifying. There is a big Citation Cup field this weekend and it’s good to start from the front !”
Second fastest in the Cup was the nr 14 Ferrari 550 Maranello entered by Solution F, with the nr 16 JMB Racing Maserati MC 12 of Macari and Aucott third.
CONSTANT IMPROVEMENTS FOR RED RACING IN G2
The sole competitors in G2 this weekend, as Belgian Racing are preparing for Spa with an updated Vertigo, Red Racing’s Chrysler Viper has seen constant improvements for the Luxembourg-based duo of Stepec and Carcone. “So far it has been getting better and better,” Stepec explained. “We have possibly one of the hottest cars, and that means we are going to suffer tomorrow. But we have improved every lap, and we’ve taken good care of the qualifying tyres. We are looking to do a good race and to be there at the end – and then we’ll see what happens.”
The two-hour race, with two obligatory pit stops, will start at 13:15 in Monza on Sunday. It can be seen live on TV on a number of channels, including 7TV in Russia, ART in the Middle East, CT4 in the Czech Republic, DSF and Premiere in Germany, Men & Motors in the UK, Sky Sports in Italy, Sport + in France, Sport 1 in the Netherlands and Sport TV in Portugal.
Quotes1st in GT1 : Karl Wendlinger – nr 33 Jetalliance Aston Martin DBR9 : “This is my first FIA GT pole since 1999 – I’m an old man now so it takes longer to repeat something. All weekend the car has been going well, we were near the front in both free practice sessions. I am very happy with the handling of the car and about the Michelin tyres, which are not only fast but very consistent. I think we are very well prepared for the race. We have found out over the last two races that we are very good under braking, which is very important here in Monza. We have good downforce in the middle section, and we are also fast on the straight. These factors altogether are very important in Monza. For all of us this first pole is a good motivation to continue working as hard as we did. In Silverstone we were second on the grid, and in Bucharest we were running good in the wet conditions in the race, so things are running very well.”
2nd in GT1 : Christian Montanari – nr 2 : “Honestly, it was very difficult qualifying session, because it was very close between the top drivers. I am very happy as we worked a lot in free practice this morning, and this is the result. The race is tomorrow, and we’ll see. I think it will be very hard tomorrow as it is very hot. But Monza is a fantastic circuit, very fast. Braking is important here, and my Maserati with Michelin tyres is very good under braking, and we’ll see tomorrow.”
Citation Cup pole position : Lorenzo Casè – nr 21 Kessel Racing Ferrari 575 M Maranello :
“Today the work was difficult as the car is nearly completely new after our big crash in Bucharest. We worked hard in the morning to find a good set-up for qualifying. I was not so lucky today as in my second quick lap I lost a part in the front, and could not push harder for a better time. So I only had one quick lap and it was good enough for the Citation Cup pole. There is a big Citation Cup field this weekend and it’s good to start from the front !”
GT2 Pole Position : Paolo Ruberti – nr 52 Racing Team Edil Cris Ferrari 430 GT2 :
“The team did really good work. My team manager said over the radio, push, push, it’s the last lap ! I am really happy, the car is good, the Pirelli tyres are very constant and we hope to do a good race tomorrow. This is the first pole for Edil Cris, a new team but with very good personnel, and I am very happy for them all.”
2nd in GT2 : Dirk Müller – nr 50 AF Corse Motorola Ferrari 430 GT2 :
“To be honest I can’t explain how we are up here. I was expecting P4 or P5 and I would have been really happy. Toni and myself, with Michelin, have found a good compromise, even with our extra weight, and I must say that I have raced here a lot in Monza. Everybody says it is a pretty simple racetrack, but I tell you it’s tricky. You have to know the secrets, and obviously I very much like it and I got a good lap.”
3rd in GT2 : Gianmaria Bruni – nr 51 AF Corse Motorola Ferrari 430 GT2 :
“It was a good performance. We were a bit unlucky as we did not race in Bucharest. The people from AF Corse rebuilt our car, which is now completely new. Stephane [Ortelli] and I did a good job, and we’re looking in good shape for the race.”
Thierry Stepec - pole G2 – nr 102 Chrysler Viper GTS-R : “So far it has been getting better and better. Every lap is faster, but it’s very hot in the car. We have possibly one of the hottest cars, and that means we are going to suffer tomorrow. But we have improved every lap, and we’ve taken good care of the qualifying tyres. We are looking to do a good race and to be there at the end – and then we’ll see what happens.”
Peter Kox – nr 8 All-Inkl.com Lamborghini Murciélago (originally 2nd, lost qualifying times after scrutineering): “Today started off, as usual, not very well, but the people from Reiter Engineering did a really good job to get the car ready for qualifying. We always said this would be our worse circuit, but we seem to go well here, and I hope the season actually starts for us now. I know it’s only qualifying, but we’re going in the right direction. We have a strong race pace, so I’m very confident for tomorrow.”
The Grid
Pos Car Class Drivers Car Time
1 33 GT1 Wendlinger/Sharp Aston Martin DBR9 01:44.9
2 2 GT1 Ramos/Montanari Maserati MC12 GT1 01:45.5
3 12 GT1 Giannoccaro/Pier Guidi Maserati MC12 GT1 01:45.5
4 5 GT1 Deletraz/Hezemans Corvette C6R 01:45.6
5 4 GT1 Kumpen/Longin Corvette C5R 01:45.7
6 1 GT1 Bartels/Biagi Maserati MC12 GT1 01:45.7
7 23 GT1 Babini/Davies Aston Martin DBR9 01:45.7
8 11 GT1 Bertolini/Piccini Maserati MC12 GT1 01:45.8
9 36 GT1 Lichtner-Hoyer/Lechner Aston Martin DBR9 01:45.9
10 22 GT1 Toccacelo/Monfardini Aston Martin DBR9 01:46.1
11 19 GT1 Peter/Hines Corvette Z06 01:46.9
12 7 GT1 Bouchut/Mucke Lamborghini Murcielago 01:47.4
13 21 GT1 Kessel/Case Ferrari 575 Maranello 01:48.4
14 14 GT1 Jakubowski/Labhardt Ferrari 550 Maranello 01:48.9
15 16 GT1 MacAri/Aucott Maserati MC12 GT1 01:49.3
16 18 GT1 Cloet/Casadei Corvette C5R 01:50.4
17 52 GT2 Ruberti/Pasini Ferrari 430 GT2 01:51.0
18 50 GT2 Vilander/Muller Ferrari 430 GT2 01:51.0
19 51 GT2 Bruni/Ortelli Ferrari 430 GT2 01:51.0
20 74 GT2 Busnelli/Zani Porsche 997 GT3 RSR 01:51.2
21 99 GT2 MacHitski/Edwards Porsche 997 GT3 RSR 01:51.5
22 20 GT1 Vannelet/Engelhorn Corvette C5R 01:51.6
23 53 GT2 Cressoni/Rugolo Ferrari 430 GT2 01:51.7
24 97 GT2 Collard/Malucelli Porsche 997 GT3 RSR 01:51.9
25 62 GT2 Mullen/Enge Ferrari 430 GT2 01:52.6
26 15 GT1 Waaijenberg/Kutemann Maserati MC12 GT1 01:53.3
27 63 GT2 Niarchos/Kirkaldy Ferrari 430 GT2 01:54.6
28 60 GT2 Penders/Lamot Porsche 997 GT3 RSR 01:55.5
29 102 G2 Carcone/Stepec Chrysler Viper GTS-R 01:55.7
Not Classified
-- 8 GT1 Menten/Kox Lamborghini Murcielago
Session Notes
Weather sunny
Track conditions dry
Stewards Decisions 10
Notes car 8 all times dissallowed
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