WRT Audi Quickest in Qualifying; Pole Shootout Set

Photo: Audi

The grid for the Pole Shootout has been set, with the No. 25 Team WRT Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo leading the way in combined qualifying for Sunday’s Suzuka 10 Hours.

Dries Vanthoor, Kelvin van der Linde and Frederic Vervisch led the way with a best combined time of 6:06.522 in their Audi, edging out last year’s pole-sitting No. 27 HubAuto Ferrari 488 GT3 by 0.811 seconds.

Van der Linde laid down the quickest overall time of qualifying, having topped Q2 with a 2:01.494.

The No. 77 Craft-Bamboo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 was third, followed by the No. 777 Car Guy Racing Ferrari in fourth and the No. 35 KCMG Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 completing the top-five.

JLOC’s all-factory crewed Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo was sixth, while the No. 107 M-Sport Bentley Continental GT3 made it six different manufacturers in the top-seven.

The No. 125 Absolute Racing Audi was eighth, with the No. 018 KCMG Nissan and No. 34 Walkenhorst Motorsport BMW M6 GT3 rounded out the top-ten.

The 20 quickest cars advance to the pole-deciding session, which includes the No. 999 GruppeM Racing Mercedes, which topped all of Friday’s sessions, No. 912 Absolute Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R and the No. 30 Team Motul Honda NSX GT3 Evo, as the only cars from both manufacturers to make the cut.

Among the notable entries not to make the shootout include the No. 911 EBM Racing Porsche, which suffered a left-rear puncture in Q1 in the hands of Dennis Olsen. It will start 24th.

The McLaren 720S GT3 featuring Mika Hakkinen also failed to make the top-20 and will start 25th.

Pole Shootout gets underway at 5:30 p.m. local time. 

RESULTS: Qualifying (Combined)

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John