Rigon, SMP Top Pre-Qualifying at Monza

Photo: Olivier Beroud Images

Davide Rigon took SMP Racing to the top of the timesheets in pre-qualifying at Monza with Ferrari 488 GT3s fastest in both sessions on Saturday.

A best lap time of 1:48.961 from Rigon kept the No. 72 AF Corse-run Ferrari at the top of the times for most of the 90-minute session after Alessandro Pier Guidi had gone quickest for Kessel Racing in Free Practice earlier in the day.

Rigon shares his SMP car with Mikhail Aleshin and Miguel Molina. 

Michele Beretta was second quickest in the No. 78 Barwell Motorsport Lamborghini Huracan GT3, also topping the Silver Cup while the Emil Frey G3 Jaguar classified third.

Matthieu Vaxiviere went fourth fastest in his R-Motorsport Aston Martin Vantage GT3 although Alex Brundle had a problem in the team’s other car.

The session was put under a brief full course yellow period to collect the Brit from the gravel at the entry to the Parabolica. 

Pierre Ehret lost a wheel at the start of the session but the track remained under a green flag while it was collected from the main straight.

Pier Guidi and Michael Broniszewski topped the Pro-Am Cup again while Barwell’s Leo Matchiski, Adrian Amstutz and Francisco Guedes were fasted in the Am Cup.

Of note, the Reiter Young Stars Lamborghini Gallardo R-EX ran well all day, finishing Pre-Qualifying in sixth and ahead of all of Grasser Racing Team’s Huracans. 

New tire restrictions this season meant most teams chose not to set representative lap times in either Free Practice or Pre-Qualifying, instead electing to save their tires for Sunday.

Qualifying will take place at 9:45 a.m. local time tomorrow ahead of the race at 3 p.m. Both will be streamed live on the series’ website and GT World YouTube channel.

RESULTS: Pre-Qualifying

Jake Kilshaw

Jake Kilshaw is a UK-based journalist. He is a graduate of Politics and International Relations.