FIA GT MAGNY-COURS
MAGNY-COURS
April 29 - May 1
Weather:
It was still raining when the 45-minute qualifying session started, but stopped shortly afterwards, meaning that the track gradually dried as the cars attempted to qualify for the afternoon's Superpole session.
The Session:
Due to the gradually improving track conditions, the times fell continuously throughout the session. At the very start of the session, a collision at the Adelaide hairpin between Raffaele Sanguiolo in the n° 67 Mac Racing Porsche 996 GT3-R, and Marco Spinelli in the n° 14 Redolfi Orlando Porsche 911 GT2, damaged both cars. The Redolfi Orlando Porsche is unlikely to be repaired in time for the race.
The two Carsport Holland Chrysler Viper GTS-R cars were fast in the early part of the session, and were soon joined by the n°7 Larbre Competition Chrysler Viper GTS-R.
While the track was still very wet, the N-GT cars were very fast, with both RWS Red Bull Racing Porsches leading the class.
Half way through the session, the two Lister Storms began to show some improvement, and were soon in the top six, while Sebastien Dumez, in the n°50 Larbre Competition Porsche 996 GT3-R moved into the lead of the N-GT class. Towards the end of the allotted time, Bouchut claimed provisional pole three minutes before the end of the session, while the n°65 Coca Cola Racing Porsche 996 GT3-R, driven by Tomas Enge, improved on the final lap to take the provisional N-GT pole.
Bouchut on provisional pole:
Christophe Bouchut set the fastest time in the qualifying, with a lap of 1:52.770. "The session went well, and the track was faster at the end," the Frenchman said. "But we weren't looking to get provisional pole, just to make sure of our place in the top six for the Superpole. I must say I'm quite satisfied with the set-up of the car. We've analysed and understood the problems that beset us at the start of the Brno race, and they should not reoccur. Actually, the situation turned to our advantage, as we saved fuel and had a winning strategy, but it was not our aim to be overtaken by N-GT cars at the start !"
Improvements at Carsport Holland:
Mike Hezemans, driving the n°3 Chrysler Viper, set the second best time in the first qualifying session, while the n°4 car finished in seventh place, just outside the Superpole. "It was OK," Hezemans said, "But it was a pity, as I could have done a lap in the 1:51 bracket, easily. On my best lap I was seven tenths faster, but then I met traffic at the final corner. There were cars, cars, cars" I think everyone had traffic problems, because everyone was trying to make the best of the drying track."
Both Listers make the cut:
Despite a late start, both the n°1 and n°2 Lister Storms qualified for this afternoon's single-lap session. "We had prepared a plan A and a plan B for qualifying," team manager Laurence Pearce explained. "But as it was, we didn't have time to put plan B into action. It's very frustrating." Jamie Campbell-Walter set the third time with a lap of 1:52.900, while Julian Bailey was seven tenths slower in fourth place. "Jamie was suffering from an understeer problem," Pearce continued. "But we think we can sort it out for the Superpole."
Rafanelli Ferrari in the Superpole:
The n°5 Rafanelli Ferrari 550 Maranello climbed into the top six in the final moments of the qualifying session, with Emanuele Naspetti at the wheel. "It has been difficult, but we are all happy," Naspetti said. "For sure, the conditions do not suit our car, and it is not easy to drive. But we are improving at every race, and the level of confidence is very high. It was very difficult out there - really, really wet at the beginning, and just wet at the end."
The n°6 Ferrari was eighth, after the team put intermediate tyres on Marc Duez's car too late in the session to get the most advantage from them. "It's difficult to drive the Ferrari in these conditions," his team-mate Günther Blieninger explained. "It's very nervous in the wet, and oversteering a bit, but we'll find a solution."
Problems for Paul Belmondo Racing:
So far this season, Paul Belmondo Racing has managed to place all three Chrysler Viper GTS-Rs into the Superpole session. However, their perfect record could not survive the wet conditions at Magny Cours, and only the n°12 Vosse/Derichebourg car made the top six. "We had all three cars in the gravel at the end of the session," Vincent Vosse explained. "I was second overall twenty minutes into the session, and then I passed the car over to Boris Derichebourg, who did not run yesterday. He went off on his second lap, and so we dropped down to sixth. But we start this afternoon with a clean slate, so it should be OK. We have a real problem with the damp conditions. We're OK in the dry and the wet, but when it is humid, it's a big problem." Belmondo, Defourny and Clerico were fifteenth in the n°11 Chrysler Viper GTS-R, while Kumpen and Gosselin were 24th in the n°10 car.
Provisional N-GT pole for Enge:
Coca Cola Racing's F3000 championship leader, Tomas Enge, continued to progress in the n°65 Porsche 996 GT3-R, setting the best time in the N-GT class in the first qualifying session. Enge, who took pole position in the class at Brno in his first time in the car, set a lap of 1:55.549 in the final moments of the session, to assure his place in the Superpole session. "I'm very happy," Enge said. "It's a lot easier than F3000, because I'm not under so much pressure, and there seems to be more. Before a F3000 qualifying session, my blood pressure is really high, but here, you can take it easy."
Both Larbre-Chéreau Porsches in the Superpole:
"I was on pole until a couple of laps before the end of the session," Larbre Competition Chéreau's Sebastien Dumez said, having set the second N-GT time with a lap of 1:55.672. "Then I had a slight excursion into the gravel, and I had to come back into the pits, so I wasn't able to defend my position on the continuously drying track. But this is the first time I've been to a familiar track this season, and I can really tell the difference." With the n°50 car in second place, the n°51 car, driven by Jürgen von Gartzen and Bruno Eichmann, set the fourth time.
RWS Motorsport in third place in N-GT :
Both RWS Red Bull Racing Porsche 996 GT3-R cars qualified for the Superpole, with the n°77 car in third place and the n°76 in sixth place. "We're happy both cars are in the Superpole, but we're not very happy with our own car, " Dieter Quester explained. "We have no grip at all under these conditions, when there is not so much water. We're working on it, but we're a bit confused. And Luca is not at all happy - he hates being third."
Fifth in N-GT for JMB Competition:
Christian Pescatori, driving JMB Competition's n°62 Ferrari 360 Modena, set the fifth time in the N-GT class to qualify for the Superpole. "We just worked normally, without thinking specifically about the Superpole," team manager Benjamin Durand explained. "But we qualified, so now we will see this afternoon. We've found a good set-up for the car, which uses the tyres well, and is well balanced. The second car is slightly behind, as the car took part in the French GT Championship, and had to be changed to the FIA GT settings and tyres, so the drivers are taking it step by step."
Improvement for Cazenave and Noel:
Laurent Cazenave and Sylvain Noel were quite pleased with their performance in the first qualifying session. Driving the #60 Haberthur Racing Porsche 996 GT3-R, they set the 10th time in the N-GT class. This is the first track this season of which they have prior experience, and the difference has been clear. " I was fourth in the class after a quarter of an hour, but then I landed in a gravel trap. By the time we came out, I'd dropped down, and then I had to hand over to Cazenave. Although we're only tenth, we're not that far from the Superpole, and I think it's very encouraging," Sylvain explained.
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