GT2 Europe

Total 24 Hours of Spa: Qualifying 2 Report

© Planetlemans – Marcel ten Caat

The first night qualifying session for the Total 24 Hours of Spa took place this evening at a still rather damp Spa circuit. Just after 9.45 pm the light at the end of pit lane went to green and the cars set out for session two.

The nr 2 Ferrari F430 was the first to set a fast lap time, but was soon passed by the IMSA Performance Matmut nr 16. As the track dried rapidly the lap times also improved and just fifteen minutes into the second qualifying the two Phoenix Racing Audi R8 LMS moved into first and second.

Gianmaria Bruni then decided it was time for AF Corse and he really went for it. At first the Italian posted the second fastest time. Moments after Fässler had passed him and had taken first Bruni went even quicker and posted a 2:22.403.

Soon after he had set his time the red flag came out when the nr 100 First Motorsport Porsche came to a halt on the track. The car had lost oil and almost immediately a slippery track was reported between turns 12 and 15.

As the red flag came out it was AF Corse ALD Team Vitaphone nr 2 that was on provisional pole. The Ferrari F430 GT2 had lapped the 7.004m long circuit in 2:22.403.
Second fastest was the BMW Motorsport BMW M3 nr 79 at .146 and the Phoenix Racing nr 50 was third quickest at .404 seconds.

After the session had restarted at 10.26 pm all cars went out again. The BMS Scuderia Italia Porsche 997 GT3 RSR nr 23 it spun on its outlap, but rejoined quickly. All teams were warned that the track was slippery between turn 2 and turn 15, but despite the warning it was Maxime Martin who went off at the Raidillon and stopped his nr 99 Marc VDS Racing Team Ford GT after brushing the tyres.

In the remaining minutes there were no improvements in the top six and as a result AF Corse ALD Team Vitaphone ended the session on top, taking provisional pole after two out of three qualifying sessions.

Forty cars took part in the second qualifying; the only car not taking part was the nr 52 Mühlner Motorsport Porsche 997 GT3 R.