Porsche Junior Thomas Preining led the way in qualifying ahead of the seventh round of the 2018 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium.
A time of 2:21.848 in damp conditions secured pole position for the 20-year-old ahead of fellow Junior driver Julian Andlauer.
Jaap van Lagen set the early pace in the first eight minutes of the session before Andlauer went to the top of the times with the fastest lap. Preining wouldn’t leave it long before staking his claim for pole position, setting the fastest time in the eighteenth minute of the session.
The final ten minutes saw drivers try to improve their times on a fresh set of tyres, but it was only Preining who managed to improve, doubling down on his pole position bid.
“That was a difficult qualifying because at the beginning the racetrack was a little damp.” said Preining. “This is my first time driving at Spa and now I’m starting from pole position. I’m looking forward to the race,”
Andlauer set a time of 2:22.254 to secure the second place position on the grid, “Second on the grid is a good starting position and I already know this racetrack from the Porsche Carrera Cup France. The field is close together, which promises some gripping race action,” said Andlauer.
Credit: Porsche AG / hoch zwei
Dutch youngster Larry ten Voorde was third fastest in the session as he secured his best grid spot so far, “I’m over the moon. This is my best qualifying result so far in the Supercup. It’ll be important to get off the line well on Sunday so that I can immediately put pressure on the leaders,” said ten Voorde.
Zaid Ashkanani will start from fourth place while British driver Nick Yelloly took fifth place and will start alongside Dylan Pereira in sixth.
Championship leader Michael Ammermüller set the seventh fastest time of the season ahead of Jaap van Lagen, Mattia Drudi and guest driver and two-time Macau GP winner Felix Rosenqvist.
“That was an exciting session and great fun. My goal was to qualify in the top ten and that’s what I did. During my flying lap I made a minor braking mistake in the last corner, otherwise I could possibly have done even better,” said Rosenqvist.
Nicolas Misslin will lead the Pro-Am class away from the grid having set the fastest time of the category.
Top ten qualifying times for Spa-Francorchamps
- Thomas Preining (A/BWT Lechner Racing), 2:21.848
- Julien Andlauer (F/martinet by ALMERAS), 2:22.254
- Larry ten Voorde (NL/Team Project 1), 2:22.472
- Zaid Ashkanani (KWT/MRS GT-Racing), 2:22.513
- Nick Yelloly (GB/Fach Auto Tech), 2:22.559
- Dylan Pereira (L/Momo Megatron Lechner Racing), 2:22.579
- Michael Ammermüller (D/BWT Lechner Racing), 2:22.630
- Jaap van Lagen (NL/ Fach Auto Tech), 2:22.700
- Mattia Drudi (I/Dinamic Motorsport), 2:22.765
- Felix Rosenqvist (S/Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG), 2:22.940
