World Challenge Europe – Mercedes on pole for races at Brands Hatch

Already fast during free practice for the Blancpain GT World Challenge Europe at Brands Hatch (Great Britain) on Saturday May 4, Luca Stolz and Maro Engel carried Mercedes in first place in the first qualifying session. 

The German duo will thus start at the head of Race 1 (start Sunday at 13:10 p.m. French time). The French team Akka-ASP also had a great session with its crew made up of Nico Bastian and Thomas neubauer, who set the third and fifth fastest times.

The appearance of the second part of qualifying was different, but Mercedes again took pole position for Race 2. This time, it was the unexpected Silver pair Fabian Schiller-Timur Boguslavskiy who took pole position. The reason: it was one of the first cars to record a time in Q2, just before a downpour flooded the track. 

If Mercedes drivers laugh, Lamborghini and Audi representatives look grim. For the Italian brand, everything went wrong in Q1. First, Diego Menchaca went out at the Paddock Hill corner at the end of the pit straight. The FFF Racing Huracan hit the rear tires and went on the roof! 

A few minutes later, it was the much more experienced Mirko Bortolotti who left the track entering Stirlings Bend too quickly. The Blancpain champion Endurance Series 2017 broke his left rear axle, while he was in the process of improving his time. The Italian from GRT Grasser Racing Team will certainly leave second in Race 1 on Sunday, but 25th in Race 2. 

As for the Rings, it was Q2 which was fatal. Surprised by the rain, Christopher Mies went into the gravel at the last turn, and was then hit by a losing Stéphane Ortelli. Both men were unhurt but did not set a time in Q2. 

Blancpain GT World Challenge Europe 2019 – Qualifying 1 results:

Results Qualifications 2: