Report: Qualifying Report, Brno 2007

THE LAMBORGHINI MORNING!

 

So far this season, Lamborghini had not set pole position. That has now changed since, in Brno, in both qualifying sessions, a Lamborghini set the fastest time. In the first session, the Czech driver Erik Janis got his first pole position in the FIA GT3 European Championship. In the second session, British driver Andrew Thompson also set his first pole position in this series.

 

ERIK JANIS LOVES THE HOME TRACK

 

Recently chosen to represent the Czech Republic in the A1 GP, Erik Janis is really motivated to do well in Brno, his home track. The Czech driver immediately set the fastest time, in the nr 15 S-Berg Racing Lamborghini Gallardo. He then improved, and went back to the pits: “We decided before the session that we would only do two fast laps, as we wanted to save our tyres for the race. So we know that we have good tyres for the race. We are confident. I hope we will be lucky, and that we might get a good result. It is important for us”. So while both local heroes, Erik Janis and Jaromir Jirik, will do their best to win this first race, the opposition between the Championship leaders will be as great, as Luca Pirri (nr 18 Martini Callaway Racing Corvette Z06R GT3), second in the Championship, set the second time, just in front of nr 38 Kessel Racing Ferrari 430, driven by Gilles Vannelet, the Championship Leader. “Luca Pirri and Jurgen von Gartzen are very close. We have to keep an eye on them, and score points. We don’t absolutely have to win, whereas the Corvette guys really have to win!” explained Vannelet.

Romain Bera, in the nr 44 Matech Racing Ford GT was 4th, and Alex Frassinetti in nr 23 BMS Scuderia Italia Aston Martin DBRS9 set the 5th time, so five different makes were in the top 5.

 

 

FIRST TIME IN A LAMBORGHINI, AND FIRST POLE FOR THOMPSON

 

Andrew Thompson and Martin Rich had been driving an Ascari since the beginning of the season, but they changed their mind this time, and for Brno they are racing a First Racing Lamborghini Gallardo GT3. So for his first ever qualifying session with this car, British driver Andrew Thompson did extremely well, as he set his first pole position in the FIA GT3 European Championship. Obviously Thompson was happy with his result, but he knows that the race may be more difficult as they don’t yet know the car perfectly: “It is interesting to start from the front. We were fast over one lap, but we do not know how that will translate in a one hour race. It is our first race with this car, so we do not know it very well, but the team does.”

Henri Moser, in the nr 38 Kessel Racing Ferrari, does what he wants to do, in second position on the grid, just in front of Jurgen von Gartzen, which is the most important for him. “Being in the first row is important. We have to keep an eye on the others, but we do not have to take any risks, our main goal is to score points”.

With the other championship competitors far behind in this qualifying session (Diego Alessi 16th, and Stephane Daoudi 17th), the fight between the nr 38 Kessel Racing Ferrari and the nr 18 Martini Callaway Racing Corvette will be even more important. But with twelve cars in two seconds, the outcome of the race is still undecided.

2007-09-22
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