UPDATE: Dennis Marschall has had his pole position lap deleted for exceeding track limits at Turn 1.
Given that Marschall recorded no other valid lap times in Qualifying, this has demoted him to 40th on the grid. Luca Engstler has therefore inherited pole position for Race 1.
Original report:
Kessel Racing’s Dennis Marschall stormed to pole position for the first GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup race at Magny-Cours this evening.
Marschall, piloting the #74 Ferrari 296 GT3, was the only driver to set a valid lap time beneath the 1:36 mark, in a session dominated by track limit issues. The German driver did a 1:35.856 on his first flying lap to claim both his and Kessel’s maiden outright Sprint Cup pole.
“The lap was good; however, I collected a track limit on the out lap,” admitted a delighted Marschall, who would also go on to exceed track limits on every lap but his pole position run.
“There was a lot of communication going on on the fastest lap, and usually I just want silence, I don’t want anyone to talk to me. There was too much talking, also from my side, from the team’s side during the fastest lap, which didn’t help, but I’m very happy it was enough for pole.”
Marschall will be joined on the front row of the grid by Luca Engstler in the #63 GRT – Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo2, who led Group A. Marschall, as a Bronze Cup runner, contested Group B.
Engstler set a 1:35.911 on his opening lap to claim provisional pole position, only for this time to be deleted in the final minute of the session. The German driver, however, had enough grip left in his Pirelli tyres to set a 1:36.094 on his final flying lap and return to the top of the Group A timesheets.
With Marschall and Dustin Blattner subject to a minimum pit stop time as a Bronze Cup entrant, the #63 Lamborghini is well-placed to fight for overall victory this evening.
Patric Niederhauser was third in the #96 Rutronik Racing Porsche 911 GT3.R (992), ahead of Alessio Rovera in the #51 AF Corse – Francorchamps Motors Ferrari. Rovera initially had all of his times deleted for track limit offences, but a 1:36.230 was restored post-session.
Jim Pla qualified fifth in the #111 CSA Racing McLaren GT3 Evo, with Marcos Siebert claiming his first Silver Cup pole position of the year in sixth overall aboard the #52 AF Corse – Francorchamps Motors Ferrari. Siebert set a 1:36.276, as the only Group B runner to get within half a second of Marschall.
Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evos locked out the fourth row of the grid, with the #48 Winward Racing entry of Lucas Auer qualifying ahead of Luca Stolz in the #9 Boutsen VDS AMG. Kobe Pauwels, in the Silver Cup-entered #21 Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo, was ninth.
In the Gold Cup, Chris Lulham scored his fourth pole position in as many attempts aboard the #69 Emil Frey Racing Ferrari. The Briton will start 10th overall, following a 1:36.488.
The championship-leading #32 Team WRT BMW M4 GT3 Evo qualified 11th in the hands of Charles Weerts, whilst Benjamin Goethe was 19th in the #59 Garage 59 McLaren, which won the previous race at Misano.
Weerts will be joined on the sixth row of the 40-car grid by Rafael Suzuki in the #270 Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin, with the Brazilian second in the Bronze Cup.
Race 1 at Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours takes place later today at 20:30 CEST.
Image courtesy of SRO/JEP
