Rossi Captures Misano Sprint Cup Pole

Valentino Rossi took a popular pole position for the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Sprint Cup Race 1 at Misano after a dramatic qualifying session interrupted by a red flag.

Rossi’s No. 46 WRT BMW M4 GT3 EVO lapped in 1:32.154, putting him 0.141 seconds clear of Sprint Cup points leader Ricardo Feller’s No. 80 Lionspeed Porsche 911 GT3 R EVO in the A session for Pro and Gold Cup entrants.

His hopes of clinging on to the top spot were aided by an early red flag in the B session for Silver and Bronze runners, when Dennis Marschall spun his Kessel Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO into the Turn 4 gravel after contact with Felix Hirsiger’s No. 71 AF Corse Ferrari on an outlap.

Andrea Frassineti came closest to dislodging Rossi with a best lap just 0.099 seconds shy in his No. 66 Tresor Attempto Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II, but the motorcycle racing legend wasn’t to be denied a milestone outright pole at the scene of his three previous Sprint Cup wins.

Although Rossi has twice started from pole in his Sprint Cup career, on both occasions the qualifying time was set by his former co-driver Maxime Martin.

Behind Silver class polesitter Frassineti and Feller, Charles Weerts will line up fourth in his No. 32 WRT BMW, with Lucas Auer fifth in the No. 48 Winward Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO.

Despite a track limits penalty that dropped him from fourth to sixth overall, FP1 pace setter Fabian Schiller claimed the Bronze Cup pole aboard his No. 12 GetSpeed Team Dubai Mercedes-AMG.

Verstappen Racing’s Daniel Juncadella will be joined on row four by fellow Mercedes-AMG driver Marvin Dienst in the No. 87 Winward Bronze Cup entry, while the two fastest drivers in the Gold Cup rounded out the top 10.

Class polesitter Dylan Pereira underlined the pace of Tresor Attempto’s Audis with ninth overall in his No. 99 machine, narrowly ahead of Tommaso Mosca’s No. 51 AF Corse Ferrari.

The one-hour Race 1 is due to begin at 8:30 p.m. local time (2:30 p.m. EST) on Saturday, with all the action free to stream on the GT World YouTube channel.

RESULTS: Qualifying