Pfaff Lamborghini Flies to Watkins Glen GTD PRO Motul Pole Award

Andrea Caldarelli unleashed a blazing string of laps to firmly plant the No. 9 Pfaff Motorsports Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 on the Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) pole for tomorrow’s Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen.

After touring the 11 turn, 3.4-mile Watkins Glen International circuit in 1:44.718 in the middle of the 15-minute qualifying session, the Italian went on to post laps of 1:44.629 and 1:44.595 for good measure. Very good measure. Caldarelli was thus credited with the three fastest laps of the session as second fastest qualifier Dan Harper could not better his time of 1:44.737 despite fitting a fresh set of Michelin tires on the No. 48 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO in the closing minutes of the session.

“It’s never a perfect lap, but it was good,” Caldarelli said. “I did two clear laps without any mistakes; very happy with my second flying lap, which was quite good.

“It came from great practice, really,” he continued. “We think we were in a good spot since free practice one and we just made little adjustments here and there, like tiny bits and pieces. But the car felt pretty good since yesterday and I think, again, this is like a result that’s not come as a surprise. But the last couple of days have been very good.”

The Motul Pole Award is the latest evidence that the Pfaff team is coming to grips with its third different car in the past three seasons, having moved from the Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) to the McLaren 720S GT3 Evo last year and now to the Lamborghini this season. Having secured their first podium of the campaign in the previous event, the Chevrolet Detroit Sports Car Classic, today’s pole position is the next step in the team’s progress.

“I think more than missing pace or anything massively wrong,” Caldarelli said, “it was more . . . we were involved in a multiple-car crash at Daytona; but it was the first time out with the Huracán and I think we showed good pace from the beginning. I was really positively impressed by the guys because it’s not an easy car to set up, so I was really impressed. The team had experience with different cars and there are steep (learning curves) but I think the way that they learn . . . it’s been quite impressive."

GTD: Robichon Motors to Motul Pole Award in Aston Martin

In Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) qualifying, Zacharie Robichon turned a lap of 1:44.788 on his second flying lap in the early stages of qualifying that proved impossible to beat, thus the No. 27 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo will start on the GTD pole for tomorrow’s six-hour enduro.

Alec Udell was the only other driver to crack the 1:45 barrier - just, as he hustled the No. 36 DXDT Racing Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R around in 1:44.999 to slot into the second spot ahead of Daniel Morad in the No. 32 Korthoff Competition Motors Mercedes-AMG GT3.

“That was kind of our plan on the tire pressures,” Robichon explained of the timing of his quick lap. “Honestly, we did a semi-mock qualy in practice and the car is very ‘higher temperature dependent.’ It’s just one of the characteristics of the Aston; we definitely over-pressurized on the tires (later) because I tried another (lap) after and it had definitely fallen off a cliff.

“So, I think in an ideal situation you probably wanted (the best lap) to come a bit later, but given the way the car’s been handling we sort of targeted that second top lap. So actually, for once things went according to plan.

“These endurance races, qualifying doesn’t mean that much. But the car was fantastic, easy to drive,” continued Robichon, who is making a habit out starting from pole position with the Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin also on the LMGT3 class pole at last weekend’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. “Second time I’m on pole in two weeks. Last week we didn’t get a podium, so hopefully we turn that around." 

Although Robichon, Udell and the rest of the GTD field will start tomorrow’s race behind the GTD PRO cars, the categories are unlikely to remain separated for long given that Robichon, Udell, Morad and the fourth fastest GTD qualifier – Russell Ward in the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 – all posted faster qualifying times than the third-fastest GTD PRO car of Nicky Catsburg in the No. 4 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette.

What’s more, some of the usual frontrunners in GTD PRO endured disappointing qualifying sessions such as Klaus Bachler and the No. 77 Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) (a.k.a. “Rexy” the dinosaur) of defending champions and current class points leaders AO Racing who finished next to last (ninth) in class right behind the No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW of three-time GTD champion Madison Snow.

All in all, it portends for a dynamic afternoon of GT racing tomorrow, particularly given a weather forecast of afternoon temperatures topping 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

“It’s a long race,” said Robichon. “I think we still have, for us at least, to decide double (driving) stint, single stint. . . there are plenty of options, at least from our side. We will try to stay as cool as possible until the last couple of hours.”

Robichon will be teamed with co-drivers Casper Stevenson and Tom Gable in the six-hour event, a major bonus in his mind.

“In the GTD class we have three drivers which is going to be kind of nice,” he said. “I think you are going to see maybe more mistakes than you would in a normal six-hour race, because I think fatigue will play a larger role than in a normal race like this. Like Andrea said, keep cool heads and if everybody stays calm, that’s going to be even more important tomorrow.”

Results are HERE