ELMS – Qualifying: R-ace GP Claim Fourth Pole of 2024 in Mugello
BLACKTHORN / James SWIFT (GBR) - Michelin Le Mans Cup - Mugello Round - Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello - Italy -
Fabien Michal claimed his fourth pole of the 2024 Michelin Le Mans Cup in dramatic style. The session had been interrupted by two red flags and the no85 Duqueine had not set a time. With just 5-minutes left on the clock when the session resumed, Michal had to get his one flying lap spot on, which he did, posting a 1m42.826, nearly half a second ahead of the rest of the field.
The no26 Bretton Racing Ligier set the early pace with Jamie Falvey posting a 1m46.328.However, a collision between the no67 Haegeli by T2 Racing Duqueine and the no77 Team Thor Ligier saw the no77 Ligier beached in the gravel and the session was stopped to recover the car.
Qualifying resumed with 10 minutes on the clock, with Jens Moller going into Provisional Pole Position briefing before Falvey went quicker with a 1m43.962 lap for Bretton Racing, with the no2 CD Sport Ligier of Shahan Sarkissian in third.
A second red flag came out after the no28 MV2S Racing Ligier driven by Terence Woodward went off into the barrier at T9 and had to be recovered.This meant there was just over five minutes left when the session resumed for the final time.
Sarkissian put the no2 CD Sport Ligier on provisional pole with a 1m43.280, with the no67 Haegeli by T2 Racing Duqueine moving up to second 0.682s behind. However, Fabien Michal was flying around the Mugello circuit and on his only fast lap of the session the French driver posted a 1m42.826, 0.454s ahead of Shahan Sarkissian as the chequered flag was shown.
The no26 Bretton Racing Ligier will head the second row of the grid for this afternoon’s race after Jamie Falvey improved his time to 1m43.708 at the chequered flag, with the sister car driven by Ben Stone finishing fourth ahead of the no67 Haegeli by T2 Racing Duqueine of Pieder De Curtins.
GT3: Blackthorn Claim Debut MLMC Pole
The no90 Blackthorn Aston Martin Vantage GT3 became the fourth different car this year to take pole.James Swift took the top spot on the GT3 grid for this afternoon’s race in Mugello with a 1m48.288 lap after dominating the proceeding for most of the 15-minute session.
The no51 AF Corse Ferrari of championship leader Matt Kurzejewski finished second after the American came so close to taking his second pole of the season.The Ferrari has set the fastest times in sector one and sector two only to run wide in sector three and have the time deleted for exceeding track limits.On the last lap Kurzejewski improved to 1m48.313, just 0.025s behind the Aston Martin at the chequered flag.
The no88 AF Corse Ferrari finished third with Custodio Toledo finishing with a 1m48.737, with the no83 Iron Dames Lamborghini of Celia Martin moving up to 4thwith a 1m49.147 at the chequered flag.
