GT2 Europe

Total 24 Hours of Spa: Qualifying 1 Report

© Planetlemans – Marcel ten Caat

The two Phoenix Racing Audi R8 LMS were first and second in the first qualifying session for the Total 24 Hours of Spa this evening. The German squad’s nr 51 Audi R8 LMS was quickest in a 2:23.964. The nr 50 was .644 seconds slower and then there was a huge gap to the rest of the field.

As the session got underway at 7.30 pm the skies were cloudy and the track was still wet. During the first thirty minutes the times slowly improved and just before eight o’clock it was Marcel Fässler who went fastest posting a 2:29.746. Bergmeister in the BMS Scuderia Italia Porsche was second quickest and Piccini in the Phoenix Racing Audi nr 51 was third.

But just as the clock showed it was eight o’clock the rain returned to the Spa-Francorchamps circuit and most teams returned to the pits. Fortunately the rain only lasted some ten minutes and soon all cars were back out on track.

In the remaining twenty minutes the track dried a bit again and the lap times improved once more. Most drivers were able to go quicker and positions kept changing.

Just before the chequered flag came out it was the nr 51 that went fastest posting a 2:23.964. The Gravity International mosler MT900 nr 81 finished the session in third place, 2.069 seconds behind the nr 51 Phoenix Racing Audi R8 LMS. Best GT2 was the IMSA Racing Matmut Porsche 997 GT3 RSR in fourth place overall, 2.374 seconds behind the Audi. The Jota Sport Aston Martin V8 Vantage was quickest in GT4.