Auto GP

Pommer Grabs Pole for Race One at Imola

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The two main Auto GP World Series championship contenders locked out the front row at Imola, but it was second placed Markus Pommer who took his third consecutive series pole position ahead of point’s leader Kimiya Sato.

Super Nova International driver Pommer set a best lap time of 1:31.401s to defeat Euronova Racing’s Sato by 0.470s around the former Formula 1 venue. Series returnee Pal Varhaug, who finished second in the 2012 championship behind Adrian Quaife-Hobbs, will line-up on the grid for this afternoons opening race of the weekend in third for Virtuosi UK.

Kevin Giovesi was the leading Italian driver in fourth for Eurotech Engineering, with a second Italian fifth in the form of Andrea Roda of Virtuosi UK. Tamas Pal Kiss was sixth in the leading Zele Racing entry, ahead of Michela Cerruti of Super Nova International.

Swiss driver Christof von Grunigen was eighth fastest for Zele Racing, while 2013 series champion Vittorio Ghirelli ended up ninth for Eurotech Engineering. The top ten was rounded out by the third Super Nova International entry of Francesco Dracone.

Three drivers were eliminated after the first part of the two-part qualifying session, with Gentleman drivers Michele La Rosa (MLR71 by Euronova), Giuseppe Cipriani (Ibiza Racing Team) and Salvatore de Plano (Euronova Racing) being the unlucky drivers.

Imola Race 1 Qualifying Result

POS DRIVER NAT TEAM TIME
1 Markus Pommer GER Super Nova International 1:31.401
2 Kimiya Sato JAP Euronova Racing 1:31.871
3 Pal Varhaug NOR Virtuosi UK 1:31.897
4 Kevin Giovesi ITA Eurotech Engineering 1:32.013
5 Andrea Roda ITA Virtuosi UK 1:32.139
6 Tamas Pal Kiss HUN Zele Racing 1:32.220
7 Michela Cerruti ITA Super Nova International 1:32.748
8 Christof von Grunigen SWI Zele Racing 1:33.201
9 Vittorio Ghirelli ITA Eurotech Engineering 1:33.344
10 Francesco Dracone ITA Super Nova International 1:34.125

Eliminated in Session One

11 Michele La Rosa ITA MLR71 by Euronova 1:34.490
12 Giuseppe Cipriani ITA Ibiza Racing Team 1:34.946
13 Salvatore de Plano ITA Euronova Racing 1:39.718

 

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