QUALIFYING 1: Marschall bags pole as title contenders struggle

The Pro and Gold Cup crews ran in the first of two 10-minute sessions, with the #51 AF Corse Francorchamps Motors Ferrari of Alessio Rovera emerging quickest thanks to a 1m31.268s. Thomas Fleming was second in the #58 Garage 59 McLaren, banking Gold Cup pole in the process.

But there were two more classes to run in the second session: the Bronze Cup and Silver Cup. They would benefit from a cleaner track, and with a host of pro drivers in the Bronze cars, overall pole was clearly up for grabs.

The favourite to take it was Marschall, who topped both Free Practice and Pre-Qualifying aboard the #74 Ferrari. The German more than delivered, producing the only sub-1m30 lap – a 1m30.883s, to be precise – to capture P1 overall and in class. He will share the front tow with his Bronze title rival Bastian Buus (#89 Lionspeed GP Porsche), who broke Ferrari's dominance at the front.

Eddie Cheever will start P3 in the #93 Ziggo Sport Tempesta Ferrari, meaning the top three will be entirely composed of Bronze cars. Rovera was fourth in the combined classification but is set to receive a five-place penalty; this means the #58 McLaren will start fourth, followed by the #48 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG of Lucas Auer. The latter is the best of the overall title contenders.

The others experienced mixed fortunes. The #63 Grasser Racing Lamborghini will start sixth, while the #51 Ferrari will be ninth after its penalty. But these are both outsiders: the points-leading #32 Team WRT BMW will start 25th overall, while the #59 Garage 59 McLaren qualified 15th and the #96 Rutronik Racing Porsche was 20th.

There were no such problems for the Silver Cup leader. The #21 Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin of Kobe Pauwels qualified 14th overall to bank class pole and edge a little closer to clinching the title. A win this afternoon could be enough to secure the crown with a round to spare. 

Results are HERE