The Jetalliance Aston took pole
Courtesy of the FIA GT/DPPI
Karl Wendlinger, in the nr 33 Jetalliance Aston Martin DBR9, will start from pole position for the seventh round of the FIA GT Championship, at the Adria International Raceway in Italy. His lap of 1:12.051 was unfortunately followed by a trip into the gravel, with his car suffering a broken steering arm.
The session was briefly red-flagged, but after the re-start, no-one was able to improve on Karl’s time. This pole position – his fifth in the FIA GT - rounds off an Italian double for the Austrian, who also set pole in Monza earlier this season.
He will start alongside the nr 2 Vitaphone Maserati MC 12, driven by Christian Montanari. Third place went to Mike Hezemans in the nr 5 Carsport Holland Corvette C6-R, despite the 70 kg penalty weight the car is carrying after its victory in the Total 24 Hours of Spa.
The Ebimotors squad had problems in qualifying and did not set a representative time
Courtesy of the FIA GT/DPPI
In GT2, Dirk Müller set the fastest time of the session, with a lap of 1:14.883 in his nr 50 AF Corse Motorola Ferrari 430 GT2. However, during post-qualifying scrutineering, the car did not pass the ride height test with tyres at 1.5 bar. His qualifying times were therefore cancelled, and the car will start from the back of the grid. This gave Racing Team Edil Cris a one-two in qualifying, with Paolo Ruberti inheriting his home pole position with a lap of 1:14.945. Ruberti, who was also on pole in Monza, will start alongside his team-mate, FIA GT newcomer Maurizio Mediani. Originally fourth, the nr 51 AF Corse Motorola Ferrari 430 GT2 of Bruni and Ortelli moves up to third, with Mullen and Turner fourth for Scuderia Ecosse.
In the Citation Cup, Alain Ferté set pole position in the nr 16 JMB Racing Maserati MC 12 he is sharing with Ben Aucott this weekend. The Frenchman, who last raced in the FIA GT in 1997, set a lap of 1:14.812, despite the car, the track and traction control all being new to him. He qualified ahead of the nr 18 SRT Corvette C5R of Cloet and Amaduzzi, with the nr 15 JMB Racing car third. The nr 21 Kessel Racing car did not take part due to engine problems.
The Gillet team hope to emulate last years result
Courtesy of the FIA GT/DPPI
The only G2 competitor, the Belgian Racing Gillet Vertigo, was 22nd overall. The team, which claimed its best-ever result in the FIA GT in Adria last season, hopes for another good result tomorrow.
The Grid
Qualifying 1
Pos Class Drivers Car Time Gap
1 GT1 Wendlinger/Sharp Aston Martin DBR9 01:12.1
2 GT1 Ramos/Montanari Maserati MC12 GT1 01:12.3 0.242
3 GT1 Deletraz/Hezemans Corvette C6R 01:12.4 0.374
4 GT1 Babini/Davies Aston Martin DBR9 01:12.5 0.404
5 GT1 Menten/Kox Lamborghini Murcielago 01:12.6 0.511
6 GT1 Kumpen/Longin Corvette C5R 01:12.6 0.529
7 GT1 Toccacelo/Monfardini Aston Martin DBR9 01:12.6 0.534
8 GT1 Bertolini/Piccini Maserati MC12 GT1 01:12.7 0.65
9 GT1 Giannoccaro/Pier Guidi Maserati MC12 GT1 01:12.9 0.802
10 GT1 Bartels/Biagi Maserati MC12 GT1 01:13.0 0.99
11 GT1 Lichtner-Hoyer/Lechner Aston Martin DBR9 01:13.8 1.765
12 GT1 Ferte/Aucott Maserati MC12 GT1 01:14.8 2.761
13 GT2 Pasini/Ruberti Ferrari 430 GT2 01:14.9 2.894
14 GT2 Cressoni/Mediani Ferrari 430 GT2 01:15.4 3.334
15 GT2 Bruni/Ortelli Ferrari 430 GT2 01:15.5 3.463
16 GT1 Cloet/Amaduzzi Corvette C5R 01:15.6 3.555
17 GT2 Mullen/Turner Ferrari 430 GT2 01:15.7 3.605
18 GT2 Collard/Malucelli Porsche 997 GT3 RSR 01:15.8 3.759
19 GT2 Bell/Sugden Ferrari 430 GT2 01:16.0 3.995
20 GT2 MacHitski/Edwards Porsche 997 GT3 RSR 01:16.4 4.375
21 G2 Leinders/Kuppens Gillet Vertigo 01:16.8 4.777
22 GT1 Kutemann/Moser Maserati MC12 GT1 01:17.3 5.219
Not Classified
23 GT2 Zani/Pompidou Porsche 997 GT3 RSR 15:24.6 14:12.5