FIA WORLD TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFYING
Spa-Francorchamps
ROUNDS 11 & 12 PRACTICE AND QUALIFYING
Weather: changeable; for the whole day a cloudy sky alternated
with sunny breaks; the track was still damp during the morning’s
first practice, but dried up for the other sessions.
PRACTICE 1 – FASTEST LAP FOR THOMPSON
James Thompson topped the timesheet in the first practice
session that took place on a damp Spa track. The Alfa Romeo
man was among the top three for most of the session but secured
the fastest lap of 2:42.451 which was his last. After occupying
the top spot on and off, Giovanardi claimed the third fastest
lap, 0.418 seconds off his team-mates’ pace. Dirk Müller
was the fastest of the BMW drivers and split Thompson and
Giovanardi for second by completing a lap in 2:42.594. The
4th best time was Andy Priaulx’s, 0.545 seconds slower
than Thompson. Tarquini, García and Farfus completed
the Alfa Romeo/BMW top seven.
Peter Terting who was 8th quickest overall headed the SEAT
Sport team with a time of 2:44.290. For Chevrolet, Menu and
Huff occupied 10th and 11th spots respectively with just 0.005
of a second difference between them. Ford teammates Klenke
and Funke had an encouraging session and completed the 14th
and 15th quickest times.
Marc Hennerici of Wiechers-Sport was the fastest of the Independent
drivers with a time of 2:45.662 which made him 9th quickest
overall. Fellow Independent Trophy contender, Tom Coronel
did not manage to complete a lap after stopping on the track
at Raidillon due to an electrical failure.
Alessandro Zanardi’s car was deemed unrepairable after
his accident during testing yesterday and therefore withdrawn
from the event.
PRACTICE 2 – JÖRG MÜLLER BACK ON
TOP Jörg Müller, who had
set the fastest time in yesterday’s testing, was again
the fastest of the field for the whole of a disrupted second
practice session. After 18 minutes, red flags were issued
so a kerb could be fixed, but the session resumed for a further
10 minutes. Jörg posted a lap of 2:34.257 in the opening
stages of the session and improved his time by 0.169 seconds
to remain at the top. Farfus lead the Alfa Romeo team to claim
second position with a lap 0.263 seconds slower than Jörg.
SEAT Sport’s Plato jumped into the
top three as the session was ending by completing a lap in
2:34.705. His team-mate Gené was fifth fastest while
Dirk Müller slotted in at fourth – 0.921 slower
than his BMW Team Deutschland compatriot. Colciago of JAS
Motorsport was 1.321 seconds behind Jörg meaning he claimed
7th position. In tenth position was Rob Huff for Chevrolet
and his teammate Larini was right behind as 11th quickest.
Rosenblad was the fastest independent in
his Crawford Racing BMW, placed 15th overall. Newcomer Ayari
went off at Pouhon skidding on his own oil when his Peugeot’s
engine blew.
QUALIFYING – FIRST POLE FOR FARFUS
Augusto Farfus claimed his first pole position of the season
with just 50 seconds of the qualifying session remaining.
The Brazilian ousted Jörg Müller - who had been
at the top of the time sheet for most of the session –
by setting a lap of 2:33.158. The Alfa Romeo man will be joined
by Andy Priaulx’s BMW on the front row of the grid.
The reigning FIA European champion too completed his best
lap as the final seconds were counted down; his time was 0.278
off Farfus’.
Jörg Müller’s best time of 2:33.689 was set
within the opening minutes meaning he and team-mate Dirk –
who was just 0.112 seconds slower – waited in the pits
for the rest of the session. They were demoted from 1st and
2nd to 3rd and 4th after the late surge from the front row
occupiers.
Jordi Gené was the quickest of the SEAT Sport Team
and 5th overall with a time 0.665 of second behind the pole
setter. Roberto Colciago repeated the performance he had in
the second practice session by achieving the 7th fastest lap
in his JAS Motorsport Honda Accord Euro R.
Alain Menu had the best time of the Chevrolet cars with a
lap in 2:35.216 which placed him 17th on the grid. Michael
Funke and Thomas Klenke struggled to find a competitive pace
in their Ford Focus cars and will begin the Race 1 from the
back of the grid. As well as Soheil Ayari and his brand new
Peugeot 407. Tom Coronel, who was 14th overall will start
ahead of his Independent competitors although Stefano D’Aste
will be placed directly behind him in 15th spot.
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