Pole Positions for Corvette and Porsche at Paul Ricard
Qualifying
for Rounds 7
and 8 of the 2010 FIA GT3 European Championship saw pole positions for
Championship leader Daniel Keilwitz in the nr101 Callaway Competition
Corvette Z06R GT3 and for Marco Holzer in the nr61 Prospeed Competition
Porsche 911 GT3-R. In the first 20-minute session Gilles Vannelet
made the early running in the nr11 Muehlner Motorsport Porsche 911 but
was soon pushed down the order by the Corvettes of Keilwitz and double
race winner Joakim Lambotte in the nr16 Graff Racing Corvette.
The third place on the grid for this afternoons race was filled by the
nr77 Need for Speed by Schubert Motorsport BMW Z4 of Csaba Walter, the
Round 6 winner posting his fastest lap right at the end of the session.
In the second 20-minute session Dino Lunardi in the nr18 Toni Seiler Racing Corvette was quickest, fighting with Marco Holzer and Antoine Leclerc in the nr 11 Muehlner Porsche for Pole Position. As the session entered the final few minutes, Edward Sandstrom in the nr76 Schubert BMW Z4 went fastest but was soon pushed down to second by Holzer. Albert von Thurn und Taxis, in the nr 24 Lamborghini Gallardo LP560, then equalled the time set by Marco Holzer, with Mike Parisy putting the nr16 Graff Racing Corvette in 3rd just ahead of Christian Hohenadel in the nr101 Callaway Corvette.
Round 7 of the 2010 FIA GT3 European Championship is due to start at 14:30 (local time) .
Visit www.GT3Europe.com for the latest information and full results.
Pole
Position, nr 101 Callaway
Competition Corvette Z06R GT3Daniel Keilwitz: “I’m really happy about the pole position. In the last weekends, I’ve always been second and third in the qualifying, and I’m so happy that I’ve made it to pole position and I hope that we have no problems in the race and get points for the championship, our main goal for the weekend. We have a new tank in the car and now we don’t have problems like we did in Jarama. We lost points in Jarama, but it was also good for the championship, so we were lucky there. It’s a good track for our car. The only problem that we’ve had this weekend is that we’re not so fast on the straights, but that’s the only problem.”
2nd place, nr 16 Graff Racing Corvette Z06R GT3
Joakim Lambotte: “I had a good lap. I’m progressing every weekend, learning the car, I’m very happy with this result. It would be better to be P1, but we have to win some points, as we had a catastrophic weekend in Jarama; we have to come back on the other Corvette in the championship. We’ll have to push this afternoon.”
3rd place, nr77 Need for Speed by Schubert Motorsport BMW Z4
Csaba Walter: “I’m very happy because the car is quite competitive here. The last lap brought us to the third position, because the before that we had the yellow flag problems and also some issues with the tyres. But this lap was quite okay so I’m really happy with the place. I Jarama we were far back at the start, so I hope with this position we’ll have a good race.”
Round 8
Pole Position, nr61 Prospeed Competition Porsche 911 GT3 R
Marco Holzer: “I’m really happy for my second pole in a row. It was not easy. If you looked, I got exactly the same time as the second place car. I have never had a gap like this before. We’re looking to the first race this afternoon now, and I hope to do the same tomorrow as we did at the second race in Jarama. I think we have a few problems in the fast corners, but we’re good on the exit from the slow corners, like in Jarama. I have 2 strong cars next to me tomorrow, but I hope I can stay in the front.”
2nd place, nr24 Argo Racing Lamborghini Gallardo LP560
Albert von Thurn und Taxis: “I’m incredibly pleased with the car. I didn’t know I was so close to Marco until he just told me that that was the case. I’m incredibly pleased. We were a bit lucky because we were allocated some weight which had to be lifted out again for bureaucratic reasons, so obviously that was a great advantage for us here at this fast track. I’m very happy to be so far in front in this strong group. It’s a very nice thing for me. The car is really very well developed and it’s causing a lot of headaches to our fellow drivers. I’m very happy that that is the case and I hope we continue to do so.”
3rd place, nr16 Graff Racing Corvette Z06R GT3
Mike Parisy: “We did a good job. I didn’t have a good qualifying, because I didn’t have a peak of performance with my tyres. I think we can do better, but it was very difficult in the car. I think that my team is very good. We’re going to work hard with my driver, and find a good setup to fight with the two leaders. We are third in the championship at this moment, so we have to fight with them and try to have a big gap with them. We’re working hard, with Joakim and the team, and we’re going to try and be aggressive.”
