Engstler Beats Feller to Hockenheim Race 2 Pole

Luca Engstler secured a last-gasp pole position in qualifying for Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Sprint Cup Race 2 at Hockenheim.

The German, piloting the No. 6 Liqui-Moly Team Engstler Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2, reeled off a 1:37.415 in the closing seconds of Sunday morning’s qualifying session to go fastest.

In the process, he surpassed the No. 99 Tresor Attempto Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II of Ricardo Feller, which appeared on course for pole after the reigning Sprint Cup champion set a 1:37.448.

However, Engstler’s late flyer dropped Feller down to second by a margin of 0.033 seconds, resulting in Lamborghini’s first overall Sprint Cup pole since the series visited Hockenheim last September, which came courtesy of Jordan Pepper.

Engstler also took Gold Cup pole, repeating what co-driver Max Hofer did on Saturday.

The Lamborghini driver was not the only one to improve upon his time late in the session, with improvements also coming from Dries Vanthoor, Konsta Lappalainen and Mattia Drudi, although none were quick enough to break onto the front row.

Vanthoor’s No. 32 Team WRT BMW M4 GT3 ended the session in third, with Lappalainen fourth in the No. 14 Emil Frey Racing Ferrari 296 GT3.

Thomas Fleming rounded out the top five and took Silver Cup pole aboard the No. 71 AF Corse Ferrari, while Mattia Drudi qualified sixth in the No. 7 Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo.

Tom Gamble slotted into seventh for Garage 59, ahead of Sainteloc Racing’s Ivan Klymenko and the No. 96 Rutronik Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R piloted by Patric Niederhauser.

Sunday race winner Maro Engel completed the overall top ten aboard the No. 48 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo, leading the two other Pro-entered entries from the Stuttgart brand driven by Ezequiel Perez Companc and Maximilian Goetz.

Miguel Ramos, 14th overall aboard the No. 188 Garage 59 McLaren 720S GT3 Evo, will start from pole in Bronze Cup.

The second and final Sprint Cup race of the weekend is set for 2:15 p.m. CEST (8:15 p.m. EDT).