Double Top for Ferrari in GTE Qualifying at Spa

In damp conditions and under an overcast sky about the Ardennes, Gianmaria Bruni and Toni Vilander put their LMGTE Pro class AF Corse Ferrari on pole position for tomorrow’s WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps.  

The Finn went out first, setting a best lap of 2:32.842 before handing over to his world champion teammate.  Bruni then set a best time of 2:30.556, making the four lap average between the two drivers a 2:32.338s, 0.167s faster than the no97 Aston Martin Vantage of Stefan Mucke and Darren Turner, the British driver moving up the order as he took the chequered flag.

The two Porsche Team Manthey Porsche 911s will line up side by side on row two tomorrow, with the no92 car finishing 0.25 seconds ahead of the no91 Porsche.  The no99 Aston Martin Vantage will head row 3, with the no71 AF Corse Ferrari alongside.

The no 75 Prospeed Competition Porsche of Emmanuel Collard and Matthieu Vaxiviere looked set to claim the pole position in the LMGTE Am class on home soil for the Belgian team only for the no61 AF Corse Ferrari of Marco Cioci and Mirko Venturi to steal their glory at the chequered flag by just 0.018 seconds and give AF Corse and Ferrari a double pole for tomorrow’s race.

The nr81 AF Corse Ferrari will head row two on the LMGTE Am grid, 0.7 seconds ahead of the no88 Proton Competition Porsche.  The nr90 8 Star Motorsports Ferrari had been at the top of the timing sheets in the early part of the session but an off track excursion into the barriers left the 458 with some front damage and the car slipped down the order to 5th at the chequered flag.

The no60 AF Corse Ferrari and the no95 and no98 Aston Martins will bring up the rear of the grid for the 2014 WEC 6 Hours of Spa Francorchamps which will get underway at 14:30 (local time) tomorrow.

CLICK HERE for the results from qualifying

QUALIFYING FACTS

19:57:11 GTE Am cars have to use one non-pro driver in qualifying and consequently finished behind all the GTE Pro cars

19:55:24 In GTE Am #61 AF Corse Ferrari on pole from #75 Prospeed Porsche 997 and #81 AF Corse Ferrari in 3rd

19:54:03 In GTE Pro #51 AF Corse Ferrari on pole from #97 AMR Aston Martin and #92 Manthey Porsche

19:52:18 2:33.952 fastest for #61 fastest in Am

19:50:27 Chequered Flag

19:50:10 All cars have set a 4 lap average

19:49:04 2:32.338 average for #51 fastest in Pro

19:46:56 2:32.645 for #51 fastest average in Pro

19:46:19 2:33.981 for #75 4 lap average in Am

19:45:50 2:32.755 4 lap average for #92 in Pro

19:44:35 2:34.085 4 lap average for #75 Porsche in Am

19:43:47 2:32.817 4 lap average for #91 Porsche

19:42:39 #95 first 4 lap average in Am with 2:40.052

19:41:13 Ferrari #71 sets first 4 lap average of 2:34.060 in Pro

19:40:15 2:39.730 3 lap average for #95 in Am

19:39:13 Fastest 2 lap average in Am for #88 Porsche in Am

19:38:24 3 lap average of 2:33 989 for #71 Ferrari in Pro

19:36:20 2nd drivers now in most cars

19:34:44 Ruberti in #90 into pit lane

19:34:08 Ruberti in #90 contact with barrier but continues

19:33:11 2:33.871 average for Ruberti fastest in Am

19:31:40 2:33.355 2 lap average for #91 Porsche

19:30:56 All GTE cars out on the circuit

19:30:21 2:34.815 2 lap average for Ruberti in #90 fastest in Am

19:29:17 2 lap average for Calado of 2:34.186 in #71 in Pro

19:28:05 2:33.666 for Mucke in #97

19:27:29 2:35.494 for Ruberti in #90 fastest in GTE Am

19:26:19 2:34.111 for Calado in #71

19:20:06 Green Flag

19:17:21 30 minutes of qualifying, rather than 25 minutes at Silverstone - reflecting the longer lap here

19:11:02 Wet track declared