Vanthoor Claims Spa 24 Pole for WRT Audi

Laurens Vanthoor qualified the No. 1 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT Audi R8 LMS ultra on pole position for tomorrow’s Total 24 Hours of Spa.

The Audi driver was the 16th driver on track in the Super Pole shootout, having set the fifth fastest time in last night’s qualifying session. On his second flying lap the young Belgian lapped the 7.004km long Belgian circuit in 2:18.710.

“Honestly, I was a bit surprised. I did a lap and pushed like hell. It was a pretty perfect lap and I asked my engineer what is the situation,” said Vanthoor.

“I thought it would be okay, but not P1. It is a perfect result, although in a 24 hour race a pole position is not the most important, we know that.”

Alessandro Pier Guidi, who started his run 20 seconds after Vanthoor, qualified the No. 50 AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 in second place, first in Pro-Am, just 0.046s behind the Audi. Pier Guidi, like Vanthoor, set his fastest lap on his second timed lap.

“I did a good lap, not perfect in the second sector, but I am happy to be on the first row,” said Pier Guidi.

Dutchman Stef Dusseldorp, who had been the third car out onto the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, qualified in third, a massive boost for the HTP Motorsport driver after a number of mishaps in some of the previous Blancpain GT Series rounds.

“It was a bit wet and I didn’t want to go off. I just set a decent lap time and then went for it,” Dusseldorp said.

“In the first sector my lap time was already half a second faster and it was an almost perfect second lap. Third is a little bit above expectation, so it is great to be on the second row.”