Rob Severs and Simon Knap will start round four of the Competition102 GT4 European Series at Spa-Francorchamps from pole position. The combined average lap time of the two Racing Team Holland by Ekris Motorsport drivers put the Ekris M4 GT4 ahead of the RYS Team Hohenberg KTM X-Bow GT4 of Mads Siljehaug and Maciej Dreszer. Both Q1 and Q2 were declared wet sessions.
Mads Siljehaug was the fastest driver in the first part of qualifying in his KTM X-Bow GT4. The Reiter Young Stars driver beat Racing Team Holland by Ekris Motorsport driver Rob Severs by eight tenths of a second, while PROsport Performance driver Jörg Viebahn set the third fastest lap. The top three drivers in the Competition102 GT4 European Series were faster than their British counterparts.
The PRO drivers were out in the second 12-minute session and once more it was one of the Reiter Young Stars that set the fastest time. The first couple of lap times were deleted as drivers abused track limits, but eventually it was Chris Vlok in the RYS Team InterNetX who set the fastest time. RYS Team WP driver Thomas Krebs set the second fastest time, Luca Anselmi and his Maserati GranTurismo MC GT4 was third fastest.
After the lap times from both Q1 and Q2 were combined, it was the #108 Racing Team Holland by Ekris Motorsport Ekris M4 GT4 that had set the fastest average lap time. Severs and Knap will therefore start from pole position tomorrow afternoon, in front of the #184 RYS Team Hohenberg KTM X-Bow GT4 of Mads Siljehaug and Maciej Dreszer. Racing Team Holland by Ekris Motorsport’s Bernhard van Oranje and Ricardo van der Ende will line up third on the grid, with PROsport Performance drivers Jörg Viebahn and Peter Terting taking up fourth.
“It was a quite a surprise this qualifying. We were ready with slicks, but then it started to rain. We quickly changed to rain tyres, then waited a bit and went out. I encountered some traffic around the track, but drove very safe and relaxed myself,” Severs commented. “The car is well-balanced and as a result I posted the second fastest time, while Simon was fourth fastest. Combined it was enough for pole, so we’re really happy.”
“It was difficult to make a decision regarding the tyres. In the end I opted for rain tyres, just like Rob. Despite losing a time my fastest time was enough to get us on pole, so in the end I am pretty happy,” Knap added. GT4series Spa Francorchamps 08-09.07.2016 Photographer Chris Schotanus Autorlando Sport’s Giuseppe Ghezzi and Alessandro Giovanelli were combined fastest in the AM class with their Porsche 911 (997) GT4. AM class championship leaders Jan Kasperlik and Dietmar Lackinger qualified the Allied Racing BMW M3 GT4 second in class, ahead of the Street Art Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT4 of Damien Dupont and Jérôme Demay. 26 of the 29 Competition102 GT4 European Series cars entered this weekend took part in qualifying. The #111 Sofia Car Motorsport Sin Cars Sin R1 GT4 of Pieter-Christiaan van Oranje and Tim Coronel changed the engine after practice, while the #104 V8 Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT4 of Jelle Beelen and Marcel Nooren crashed in the second practice session. The #121 PROsport Performance Porsche Cayman PRO4 GT4 did not go out on track either. The two-hour race at Spa-Francorchamps starts Saturday at 12:35 local time. Live timing and live text will be available at www.gt4series.com/live Competition102 GT4 European Series – Spa-Francorchamps – 8-9 July 2016
Qualifying, GT4E division, top 10 teams’ average time: 1. Rob Severs / Simon Knap, Ekris M4 GT4, 2:48.546 2. Mads Siljehaug / Maciej Dreszer, KTM X-Bow GT4, 2:48.891 3. Ricardo van der Ende / Bernhard van Oranje, Ekris M4 GT4, 2:48.946 4. Jörg Viebahn / Peter Terting, Porsche Cayman PRO4 GT4, 2:49.570 5. Tim Stupple / Lennart Marioneck, KTM X-Bow GT4, 2:49.872 6. Immanuel Vinke / Chris Vlok, KTM X-Bow GT4, 2:50.500 7. Anna Rathe / Cédric Freiburghaus, KTM X-Bow GT4, 2:50.706 8. Nicolaj Møller Madsen / Andreas Patzelt, Porsche Cayman PRO4 GT4, 2:51.030 9. Laura Kraihamer / Jamie Vandenbalck, KTM X-Bow GT4, 2:51.036 10. Doreen Seidel / Marko Helistekangas, KTM X-Bow GT4, 2:51.583