– The qualifying for the eighth round of the Nürburgring Endurance Series turned into a test of patience on Saturday morning. In perfect weather and 14 degrees outside temperature, 22 GT3 cars fought for the best starting positions.
Read more Kart race against 100 drivers: Max Verstappen is not preparing
In the end, Gamota Racing caused the surprise. David Jahn put the BMW M4 GT3 Evo with the starting number 23 on pole position in 7:53.343 minutes. Together with Moritz Kranz and Antal Zsigo, he thus starts the race from the front row.
Here is the result.
Code 60 slows down the favorites
Already after about half an hour, the time attack was first significantly disturbed. After a collision, Moritz Oberheim crashed the Porsche Cayman GT4 CS from W&S Motorsport into the barriers. The result was a Code-60 phase. Shortly afterwards, the car with starting number 821 also stopped on the track in the Pflanzgarten area, causing the next yellow zone.
In the further course, the neutralizations alternated practically. This made it impossible for many drivers at that time to complete a full fast lap on the Nordschleife.
Gamota Racing benefited from this above all. The 7:53.343 minutes from the early phase of qualifying remained untouched for a long time. Only about half an hour before the end were all Code-60 areas lifted and the track free again.
Pepper with perfect timing
Thus began the second time attack. Some of the favored pro cars had not yet managed a truly representative lap at this point and now had to try to use the small time window.
Jordan Pepper succeeded best. The South African pushed the Schubert BMW with starting number 77 up to second place. Together with Jens Klingmann and Ugo de Wilde, Pepper thus completes the BMW double pole.
But the last time window did not remain open for long either. About ten minutes before the end, Nico Hantke spun the Car-Collection Audi with starting number 22 at the entrance to the Nordschleife.
Apparently, operating fluids got onto the track. The initially local yellow phase therefore became a Code-60 zone. It was thus practically clear that no further improvement would be possible on a decisive fast lap.
For Gamota Racing, this meant pole position. Jahn was very satisfied with his lap, even though he did not call it perfect. Especially the conditions after the rain the day before had not made things easier.
“The second lap was very good,” said Jahn. However, even for the pole man, it was not without traffic. “You always have one or two cars you overtake, but generally it was still relatively free. That felt pretty good.”
Jahn had subsequently quite expected that his time could still fall. “If everything had cleared up ten minutes before the end and a few guys had gone out again, it would have been gone. I am pretty sure about that.”
Read more DTM Qualifying Sachsenring 1: BMW Pole, Auer Crash causes chaos!
All the greater was the joy over the second pole position of the year. For the still young Gamota team, the first starting position is also another exclamation mark against the established Nordschleife teams.
Behind Gamota and Schubert, the Ford Mustang GT3 of the Haupt Racing Team took third place. The best time of the car was set by Vincent Kolb, who shares starting number 64 with Nordschleife veteran Frank Stippler.
Car Collection and Max Kruse Racing took the opportunity
Car Collection Motorsport delivered a strong performance. Florian Spengler, Nico Hantke and Christer Jöns brought the Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II with starting number 22 to fourth overall.
Even more unusual is fifth place. The Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II from Max Kruse Racing competes in the AT1 class with alternative fuels. Marcel and Dominik Fugel as well as Benjamin Leuchter came in at 7:57.775 minutes, leaving a large part of the regular SP9-GT3 field behind.
Leuchter had also set his fast lap early in qualifying. This secured Max Kruse Racing the class best time in AT1 at the same time.
In sixth place follows the Falken Porsche with starting number 44 driven by Tim Heinemann and Morris Schuring. Behind it is the Walkenhorst Aston Martin number 35 of Christian Krognes, Dennis Fetzer and Mateo Villagomez in seventh position.
Favorites have to fight through the field
Eighth place went to the Dunlop Porsche with starting number 17. Nico Menzel and Flynt Schuring did not get beyond 8:00.358 minutes. This car in particular is one of those that will likely gain several positions in the race. However, the #17 is still under observation due to some incidents.
The same applies to the winners of the previous NLS round. Fabian Schiller and Jay Mo Härtling only reached ninth place in the Mercedes-AMG GT3 from Winward Racing with starting number 80. Their fastest lap was stopped at 8:01.290 minutes.
The top 10 is completed by the Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo with starting number 48 from LOSCH Motorsport by BLACK FALCON. Patrick Assenheimer, Tobias Müller and Dylan Pereira achieved a best time of 8:01.690 minutes.
Thus, the starting grid is significantly more mixed up than the balance of power under normal conditions would probably have resulted in. Here you can follow the race in the livestream.
While Gamota Racing took its chance early, several of the favorites have to work their way forward again in the race. Especially the Dunlop Porsche and the Winward Mercedes are significantly further back than their potential suggests.
Read more Arvid Lindblad: Just went overboard in the accident
