Thiim, Sorensen Lead Aston Martin GTE Pole Sweep in Shanghai

Photo: Vision Sport Agency

Aston Martin Racing will start Sunday’s Six Hours of Shanghai from the GTE-Pro class pole, with Nicki Thiim and Marco Sorensen storming to the top spot in qualifying for the penultimate FIA World Endurance Championship round of the season.

Teammates Pedro Lamy and Paul Dalla Lana, meanwhile put the No. 98 Aston on top in GTE-Am, in a qualifying sweep for the British manufacturer.

Thiim and Sorensen combined for a best two-lap average of 1:59.697, edging out the No. 92 Porsche 911 RSR of Kevin Estre and Michael Christensen by 0.219 seconds.

It marked the first class pole of the year for the No. 95 Aston Martin Vantage GTE.

Class championship leaders James Calado and Alessandro Pier Gudi will start third, thanks to a 2:00.247 average in their No. 51 AF Corse Ferrari 488 GTE, with the pair of Ford GTs completing the top-five, led by the No. 67 entry.

The No. 92 Porsche is set to roll off from seventh, after Fred Makowiecki’s best lap time deleted due to exceeding track limits in Turn 13, which struck numerous drivers in the 20-minute session.

It included Thomas Flohr, who lost GTE-Am class pole in the closing moments and handed the top qualifying position to the No. 98 Aston Martin of Lamy, Dalla Lala and Mathias Lauda.

Lamy and Dalla Lana’s 2:02.357 average was nearly a half-second quicker than the No. 77 Dempsey Proton Racing Porsche 911 RSR in second, with Flohr and Miguel Molina demoted to third in class due to the track limits violation.

The Six Hours of Shanghai is set for Sunday at 11 a.m. local time (Saturday 11 p.m. ET).

RESULTS: Qualifying

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