Estre powers Manthey EMA's Grello Porsche to pole

Manthey EMA and Porsche will start the 53rd ADAC Ravenol 24h Nürburgring from pole position after Kevin Estre beat fellow Frenchman Thomas Neubauer by just over a second in a postponed Top Qualifying session at the Nordschleife.

The ‘Grello’ 911 GT3 R was fastest in four of the first five sectors before relieving Kondo Racing’s Ferrari of provisional pole with a 8m12.741s. Maro Engel then slotted GetSpeed’s Mercedes-AMG into third, just over three tenths further back.

It shares row two with Nico Menzel and the first of Falken Motorsport’s Porsches. The same car benefitted most from the original Top Qualifying session’s delay after a seized brake caliper forced Menzel to pit before heading on to the Nordschleife.

His and Falken’s luck changed dramatically moments later. No times had been set when Stuttgart’s other most likely pole candidates, Scherer Sport PHX and Laurens Vanthoor, crashed heavily at Aremberg. Vanthoor walked away from his wrecked 911, which was subsequently withdrawn from the event.

Barrier repairs delayed the restart until 16:00 when the 16 remaining drivers were given just one flying lap to set the grid.

Lamborghini was quickest of the non-Intercontinental GT Challenge manufacturers in fifth after Red Bull Team Abt’s Mirko Bortolotti beat Markus Winkelhock’s Scherer Sport PHX Audi. Abt’s second Huracan and Walkenhorst’s #35 Aston Martin completed the provisional top eight.

Bortolotti was subsequently stripped of his time for a red flag infringement, which moves the Lamborghini to the tail of Group 1’s starters tomorrow.

Results are HERE