Ferrari 296 GT3 team CCC Kessel Racing will start the weekend’s Michelin 12H MUGELLO from pole position, largely thanks to an outstanding performance in the decisive third and final GT3 qualifying session by Italy’s David Fumanelli – which put the team 0.6 seconds clear on average times.
During the early running at the overcast Tuscany track, three of the Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO squads, HOFOR Racing, Red Ant Racing and Heart of Racing by SPS, were the pace-setters, but CCC Kessel Racing came to the fore in sessions two and three with Fumanelli, in particular, impressing.
Marking an excellent start to the opening event of the new Michelin 24H SERIES European Series season for the Swiss team, Fumanelli and team-mates Marco Frezza, Alessandro Cutrera and L.M.D.V were understandably delighted.
“It was great, we got our first overall pole position with our PRO-AM line-up”, said Fumanelli, “We had a very difficult day, so it’s great to give this gift to the team as they work so hard. It was an amazing qualifying, we are close to the sunset [at the end] and I like those conditions. The car was great, at the beginning I was on the limit and had a few mistakes, but then put the lap together.”
Heart of Racing by SPS produced three very consistent qualifying sessions with the #27 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO to secure a superb front-row start as well as the AM class pole with Hannah Grisham, Ian James and Gray Newell.
The best outright GT3 squad was Red Ant Racing with its #93 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO shared by Ayrton Redant, Yannick Redant and Kobe de Breucker. The trio will be joined in the race by Kenneth Heyer.
Sharing row two will be the #81 Ferrari 296 GT3 of Era Motorsport, Ryan Dalziel and Jake Hill, in particular, rapid in qualifying. They are partnered by Dwight Merriman and Kyle Tilley.
Just as exciting was the 992 qualifying for Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992) cars, only a tenth of a second the difference after the three sessions. Red Camel-Jordans.nl with Rik Breukers, Luc Breukers and Fabian Danz will begin the Michelin 12H MUGELLO from pole position in their #909 entry.
Starting alongside will be Muhlner Motorsport’s #921 driven by Martin Rump, Valters Zviedris and Julian Hanses. In the AM class for 992, SebLajoux Racing took pole and a strong third overall with team principal Sebastien Lajoux, Stephane Perrin and Paul Meijer.
In GTX the #702 Vortex 2.0 was unchallenged, with brothers and Vortex Racing owners Olivier and Arnaud Gomez sealing a dominant pole position. Father and son Jim and Nikolas Gebhardt made it another familial pole in GT4, with their CCS Racing #718 Porsche Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport.
GTX & GT4 & TCE QUALIFYING TIMES >>
Pics: Racigpixels
