Marciello, Abril Score Double Pole at Hungaroring

Photo: Patrick Hecq/SRO

Raffaele Marciello and Vincent Abril put their AKKA ASP Mercedes-AMG GT3 on pole for both Blancpain GT World Challenge Europe races at the Hungaroring.

It marked a double pole for the No. 88 Mercedes, which will start from pole in both of this weekend’s races, with Marciello starting in Race 1 and Abril starting in Race 2.

The pair aren’t in the GT World Challenge Europe title battle but the four pairs that could be crowned champion this weekend had mixed fortunes in Saturday morning’s sessions.

Marciello posted a best time of 1:43.049 in the first session, held on a drying track after overnight rain, before his teammate went around 0.05 seconds quicker in Qualifying 2.

Second place on the grid will be occupied in both races by championship contenders: Luca Stolz in Race 1 and Christian Engelhart in Race 2.

This gives the advantage to Black Falcon and and Grasser Racing Team, while both cars will start from the second row in the race for which they’re not on pole.

Orange 1 FFF Racing Team had less luck, with Andrea Caldarelli’s Q2 lap time canceled for track limits, pushing him down to 13th, while his teammate Marco Mapelli starts Race 1 from eighth.

Dark-horse title contenders Christopher Haase and Simon Gachet will start from seventh and eighth, meanwhile.

AKKA ASP scored Silver Cup class pole in both races, courtesy of Thomas Neubauer and Felipe Fraga in separate cars.

Jim Pla also secured the Pro-Am pole in Race 2 for AKKA ASP, while Rinat Salikhov will start from Pro-Am pole in Race 1 for Rinaldi Racing. 

Race 1 will get underway at 3:10 p.m. local time (9:10 a.m. EDT).

RESULTS: Qualifying 1
RESULTS: Qualifying 2

Jake Kilshaw

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