GetSpeed Team PCX Grabs Pole for 12H Nürburgring

Photo: Racingpixels/Creventic

GetSpeed Team PCX Racing snatched pole position for the Michelin 12H Nürburgring thanks to a rapid lap for Benjamin Paque.

The Michelin 24H European Series points leaders set a fastest combined time of 1:53.324, just 0.575 seconds faster than the No. 18 Sainteloc Junior Team Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II.

Semi-Pro driver Paque produced the fastest lap of qualifying in the No. 28 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo. The Belgian laid down a remarkable 1:52.729 lap which just a fraction faster than his teammate, Mercedes-AMG factory driver Mikhael Grenier.

It appeared as though the PCX crew would lose its advantage after an off-track moment for Paque in the final moments of Qualifying 3, but the 21-year-old maintained his blistering pace to set the fastest time and see out the rest of the session.

Reigning teams’ champions Proton Competition claimed third place on the grid with its Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo.

It was just ahead of the No. 88 Up2Race Porsche, which secured fourth on its debut in the series.

AjithRedAnt Racing grabbed fifth place with the No. 93 Mercedes-AMG. The GetSpeed Team JR286 car completed an all-Mercedes AMG third row, finishing the session in sixth position overall and on pole in the GT3-Am class.

The No. 81 Era Motorsport car finished in seventh in only the second race with its Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo.

Continental Racing by Simpson Motorsport narrowly pinched eighth on the grid ahead of the No. 21 HAAS RT BMW M4 GT3 EVO.

The HAAS RT squad announced earlier this week that it would switch to the BMW after several seasons in Audi machinery.

GT3-Am points leaders Hofor Racing rounded out the top ten in qualifying. The Swiss team took overall victory last time out at Circuit Paul Ricard, propelling it up the championship order.

Mühlner Motorsport’s No. 921 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup took a hotly contested 992 class pole, with a combined time that was just 0.014 seconds faster than the 992-Am class HRT Performance Porsche.

Mühlner’s title rivals – the Red Camel-Jordans.nl No. 909 machine – finished the session in third place.

Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport’s BMW M4 GT4 EVO will start the race just behind the 992 competitors as the only GT4 class entry in this weekend’s event.

The No. 114 Not Only Motorsport Ligier JS2 R took the TCE-TCX class pole ahead of the trio of asBest racing cars.

Series debutants KEO Racing will start Saturday’s race from the back of the grid. Despite showing strong pace early on in qualifying, the sole GTX class competitor failed to set a lap time in the third qualifying session, meaning it dropped down the order.

The opening six hours of the Michelin 12H Nürburgring is set to begin at 12 a.m. local time (6 a.m. EST) with live coverage on Creventic Motorsports TV YouTube channel featuring Radio Show Limited commentary.

Results: GT3/992, GTX, GT4, TCE-TCX

Finlay Ringer

Finlay Ringer is a freelance motorsport journalist covering the 24H Series for Sportscar365. He is also a journalism student at City St George's, University of London, and has contributed to publications such as The Race and Autocar.