20.09.2014 - 01h27

6 Hrs COTA LMGTE Qualifying: Ferrari and Porsche reign at COTA

LMGTE PRO

The No.51 AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italia driven by Gimmi Bruni and Toni Vilander will start from pole position for the fourth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship, which is the feature event for the Lone Star Le Mans weekend in Austin, Texas.

Bruni left it until the last lap to secure a thrilling third pole position of the season for the Italian/Finnish duo, who set an average lap time of 2m06.456 and who lead the class points table by 27-points going into tomorrow’s race.

The session had been officially declared wet by FIA WEC Race Director Eduardo Freitas as rain gently coated the Circuit of the Americas. The drivers faced extremely challenging conditions with some parts of the track much damper than others but, as the session wore on and the track dried, the times started to tumble and first Vilander and then Bruni maximised the extra grip to secure a hard-won pole position.

Sharing the front row of the LMGTE Pro grid will be the No.97 Aston Martin Vantage V8 of Darren Turner andStefan Mückewhich missed out on pole by six tenths of a second over the best average of four laps (two from each driver).

Porsche Team Manthey locked out the second row of the Pro grid with the No.92 Porsche 911 RSR heading the sister No.91 machine.

LMGTE AM

Securing the first LMGTE Am pole for Porsche this season, Emmanuel Collard, Matthieu Vaxivièreand Francois Perrodo will start tomorrow’s race from class pole position after registering an average lap time of 2m08.271.

The Prospeed Porsche 911 RSR fought off stern competition from the No.95 Aston Martin and a trio of Ferrari 458 Italias throughout the 25-minute session.

Richie Stanaway’s pacy laps in the Aston Martin Vantage V8 he shares with David Heinemeier Hansson and Kristian Poulsen looked to have secured pole but late, fast laps from Collard ensured they were beaten by just under one tenth of a second. Heinemeier Hansson and Poulsen currently head the points’ standings by 18-points.

Late laps from Mirko Venturi in the No.61 AF Corse Ferrari made it three marques in the top three starting positions in the LMGTE Am class. The Italian shares the F458 Italia with Luis Perez-Companc and Marco Cioci.

Full results can be found HERE

18:36:10 : In GTE Am #75 Porsche on pole from #95 Aston and #61 Ferrari

18:35:17 : In GTE Pro #51 Ferrari on pole from #97 Aston and #92 Porsche

18:32:55 : Collard in #75 Porsche sets pole in Am

18:32:13 : Bruni sets pole time in #51 Ferrari

18:31:34 : Chequered Flag

18:31:07 : Aston #95 now fastest in Am

18:30:38 : Track now almost dry

18:30:15 : Porsche #75 fastest in Am

18:29:43 : Porsche #91 now second in Pro

18:29:12 : #92 Porsche now fastest in Pro

18:28:11 : Corvette #65 now second In Pro