GT Open - Schiller (GetSpeed Mercedes) wins the battle for pole position at Ricard

Fabian Schiller (GetSpeed Mercedes) took pole ahead of Race 1 at the Paul Ricard after an intense and close battle with Vincent Abril, in the Spirit of Race Ferrari. The German eventually prevailed in the closing part of the session, securing his second pole of the season, by a narrow margin (+0s076) over the Frenchman.

Schiller commented: “It’s a great result, because Paul Ricard looks easy but it’s actually a very tough track, with a lot of bottoming, and not easy for the Mercedes in terms of set-up. It is very hot today and that will play a role in the race too.”

In second row will be the Oregon Lamborghini of Jordan Pepper (+0s280) and the AF Corse Ferrari of allam Khodair (+0s491), the fastest in Pro-Am. The next two rows have been trusted by Mercedes cars, with Aaron Walker (SPS), Diego Menchaca (Motopark), Lorenzo Fluxá (Motopark) and Yannick Mettler (SPS).

In Am, the fastest car was the AF Corse Ferrari of Roberto Lacorte, who is making an excellent debut in the GT Open this weekend, and clinched 13th overall.

The session was briefly red-flagged in its initial part, as the Mercedes #96 got blocked right at the exit of the pit lane.