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Bleekemolen Flies to Qualifying Race Pole

Jeroen Bleekemolen stormed to pole for today’s BSS Qualifying Race…

Photo: Vincent Wouters

Photo: Vincent Wouters

Jeroen Bleekemolen stormed to pole postion for today’s Blancpain Sprint Series Qualifying Race, pulverizing the fastest times thus far this weekend.

After clocking the second time in Q2, behind René Rast’s No. 2 WRT Audi, Bleekemolen immediately went on to push for a fast time in the No. 28 Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini FL2 GT3, as the clouds looked ominous with a threat of rain.

Despite on and off light drizzle throughout the session, it didn’t have any influence on the grip levels, meaning that Bleekemolen could put in a very fast 1:36.612 on his second f

lying lap. It was1.3 seconds faster than last year’s pole set by Alvaro Parente in a Sebastien Loeb Racing McLaren.

“Unbelievable, if you look at the past we’ve never been this quick with GT3 cars.” said Bleekemolen afterwards. “The conditions are great, but also the car was just perfect, we had a great balance.”

While the No. 88 Reiter Engineering Lamborghini of Peter Kox was initially the only car to keep up with Bleekemolen’s pace, Laurens Vanthoor moved up to second halfway through the session, with Kox making a mistake on his second attempt.

The No. 1 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT Audi of the Belgian was 0.281s shy of the No. 28 Lamborghini, with big gaps to the rest of the top 10 in Q3.

“Honestly I was very surprised by the lap time as well, I couldn’t believe he was that far in front,” said Vanthoor. “The car was very good and we can be happy with the result, I’m between two local legends in Zandvoort here.”

René Rast’s No. 2 WRT Audi will start today’s Qualifying Race from P4 (+0.835s), sharing the second row with the Kox’s No. 88 Reiter Lamborghini (+0.696s).

The No. 84 HTP Motorsport Mercedes of championship leaders Maxi Buhk and Maxi Götz was the only SLS to make it into the top 10 shootout, ending up in fifth (+1.131s).

There was one notable incident, with Roman Rusinov beaching his No. 3 G-Drive Racing Audi in the gravel trap on his out lap in Q1, meaning the Russian will start on the back of the grid.

RESULTS: Qualifying

Vincent Wouters (@VinceWouters) is a Belgium-based sports car racing reporter, providing coverage primarily of the Blancpain GT Series.

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