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Silverstone

Eurosport Super Racing Weekends

13/05/2001

First Qualifying

Report

The battle for the top six positions for the Super-pole shoot-out wasn’t over until the last moment in first qualifying this morning.

In GT, the #11 Belmondo Competition Chrysler Viper of Emmanuel Clerico was consistently the quickest driver round a hot and sunny Silverstone GP circuit, finishing the session with a best of 1:48.616 - with the #3 Carsport Holland Viper of Mike Hezemans a whisper slower on 1:48.643.

The ‘home’ team Lister Storms could 'only' manage third and fifth, with Tom Coronel ending the session ahead of an injured Julian Bailey. Julian tripped over a toolbox on Friday, damaging his ribs; he will race but the #2 Lister’s driving squad has been bolstered by David Warnock. Tom Coronel was seen after the session cleaning up his tyres.

The Listers were separated by the #10 Belmondo Viper of Anthony Kumpen with the top six rounded out by the gorgeous #5 Rafanelli Ferrari 550 Maranello of Emanuele Naspetti. Anthony Kumpen was very relaxed about his fine fourth place. "We're on a race set-up, and I was very consistent. 48.9 / 49.2, it was no trouble." He was smiling wryly at the thought of the Larbre Viper not making the Superpole.

Naspetti’s Superpole spot wasn’t safe as the chequered flag came out. Christophe Bouchut in the #7 Larbre Viper was on a flying lap and was pushing hard, but not quite hard enough however - he failed to grab sixth by five hundreths of a second. He was very good to watch out of Club, particularly, but the ballast he's carrying (100kg?) was too much of a handicap. He and Belloc will start 13th tomorrow.

In N-GT there was more good news for Ferrari fans as the #62 JMB Giesse Ferrari 360 Modena finished top of the pile on 1:53.486. Second was the #77 RWS Red Bull Porsche, good news for series debutant Johnny Mowlem, who replaces Dieter Quester for the next two FIA GT rounds.

A return to the older 911 GT3 R did Perspective Racing no harm (their 911 GT3 RS is in need of some TLC after an ‘off’ at Magny Cours last week). The #55 car finished the session third in class.

The final three places were separated by only three hundreths of a second. Fourth was the #57 Freisinger Porsche - although this car’s session ended in the gravel. Fifth went to the #54 Art Engineering Porsche with the final N-GT Super Pole place going to the #51 Porsche, giving at least some cheer to the Larbre team.

Super Pole qualifying starts at 4pm this afternoon. Thus far, with the first eight GT cars separated by 1.8 seconds and the first eight N-GTs by two seconds, we're heading for a 'super racing weekend'. Has a (red) entry used up its tyres pre-Superpole, while some black ones have retained plenty of rubber and not yet fully stretched themselves?

The Lister rubber was sitting in the sun ready for the one lap shoot out, just warming nicely in the gorgeous sunshine.

David Warnock is on his way out off the track, alas. A starter problem for the #2 Lister meant that only the wounded Bailey went out this morning, so Nicolaus Springer will have to qualify himself this afternoon (in the 15 minute slot, the final session - three flying laps) leaving no time for Warnock to complete his qualification laps. So the question of how much the 'average professional' will be paid will not arise. Julian Bailey looks as though he'll have to do two hours in the race. But can he? Will Nicolaus Springer race for two hours? Will Warnock be called back and be allowed to qualify on race morning, as Schiattarella did at Magny-Cours?

Graham Goodwin.