FIA GT Championship

Müller on pole after five-position grid penalty for Bernoldi

© DPPI

Enrique Bernoldi took his second consecutive pole position in the FIA GT Championship, with a lap of 2:00.919 around the 5.842 km Paul Ricard HTTT circuit. Not only the best time of the weekend so far, the Brazilian’s lap was nearly a second faster than the second-placed car, Alex Müller in the nr 2 Vitaphone Racing Team Maserati MC 12. Third-fastest was the nr 33 Vitaphone Racing Team DHL Maserati driven by Alessandro Pier Guidi.

However, it is Müller who will start from the front of tomorrow’s grid, Bernoldi having been given a five-position grid penalty due to causing an avoidable accident in pre-qualifying yesterday.

In GT2, Gianmaria Bruni claimed his 8th FIA GT pole position, setting a time of 2:08.314 in the nr 50 AF Corse Ferrari 430 GT2. The nr 50 is in different configuration this weekend, having opted for a heavier car (by 100 kg), wider tyres and bigger restrictors; the choice appears to have paid off for AF Corse, who have a one-point lead in the GT2 points. Tim Mullen was second in the nr 55 CRS RAcing Ferrari 430 GT2, with Martin Ragginger the fastest Porsche driver in the nr 97 Brixia car. Returning Champion Sascha Maassen was fourth.