Points Leader Buus Grabs Pole For Barcelona Race 1

GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Sprint Cup points leader Bastian Buus has the early advantage at the Barcelona season finale by qualifying on pole for the opening race of the weekend, while his nearest key title rival was only 11th quickest.

The Lionspeed GP Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo driver was the class of the field in qualifying as he clocked a 1:39.542 to end up over half a second ahead of the opposition in the opening Pro and Gold Cup session.

However, Buus was not confident of a third pole of the campaign for the No. 80 machine because the subsequent Silver and Bronze session featured a track that was more rubbered in.

But Buus was just about to cling on to the fastest time with Kiern Jewiss in the Bronze Cup No. 222 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo falling just under a tenth of a second short in his 2 Seas-run machine.

Another Bronze Cup Mercedes-AMG, the No. 12 GetSpeed entry of Fabian Schiller will start third, while the No. 74 AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo of Felix Hirsiger will start fourth and has the Silver Cup pole.

Marvin Dienst was another rapid Bronze class Mercedes-AMG with the No. 87 Winward machine fifth quickest, while the next of the Pro class cars is only sixth courtesy of Sven Mueller, making his first Sprint Cup appearance of the season, in the No. 2 Boutsen VDS Porsche on a 1:40.117.

The best of the other overall title contenders was the No. 50 AF Corse Ferrari of Thomas Neubauer that is second in the standings and will start only 11th.

But it was an even more challenging session for the other leading cars in the title race with the No. 48 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG of Lucas Auer down in 20th, while Dani Juncadella’s 2 Seas Mercedes-AMG will start 21st.

The No. 32 WRT BMW M4 GT3 EVO that had led the standings earlier this year was again well down the order, with Charles Weerts only 28th.

The Gold Cup polesitter was the No. 99 Tresor Attempto Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II of Dylan Pereira on a 1:40.366 in 14th overall, while the class points leader Tommaso Mosca was next up in the No. 51 AF Corse Ferrari.

Attention now turns to the first race of the weekend, which is due to get under way at 2 p.m. CEST (8 a.m. EST) but could feature wet conditions rather than the dry track of qualifying.

RESULTS: Qualifying 1