+ Result: Pre-Qualifying, Nürburgring
The Elite Motorsport McLaren Artura shared by McKenzie Cresswell and Josh Rattican was the star of a fast-paced Pre-Qualifying session at the Nürburgring, with both drivers setting times good enough to put the #78 car out front.
Cresswell got the better of a busy opening half to first help the #78 to the top of the timesheets, dipping underneath the existing series lap record before handing to Rattican.
As he did in Free Practice, Hendrik Still was fastest out of the blocks in the #32 W&S Motorsport Porsche, but then the top time rotated between Gregory Guilvert (Team Speedcar Audi), Pedro Ebrahim and Berkay Besler (Borusan Otomotiv BMWs) and Sergiu Nicolai (Willi Motorsport BMW) before Edvin Hellsten ran clear in the Nova Racing Porsche.
That time stood until the halfway point when Gabriela Jilkova took a turn out front in the Matmut Évolution Toyota. Guilvert then fought back before Cresswell’s best effort – a 2:04.4s – set a benchmark that nobody would beat.
Guilvert and Paul Petit were second for Team Speedcar, ahead of Jilkova/Cindy Gudet’s Toyota. Clement Seyler/Baudouin Detout were fourth in their Racing Spirit of Léman Aston Martin, ahead of Stanislav Safronov/Aleksandr Vaintrub’s Mirage Racing Vantage. Hadrien David/Jan Duran were sixth in their Matmut Évolution Toyota, ahead of Silver title chasers Robert Consani and Benjamin Lariche's Team Speedcar Audi.
The #30 W&S Porsche of Max Kronberg and Daniel Blickle led Am throughout but ended up only just ahead of its class rivals. Kronberg’s best had the car comfortably clear, but a series of late improvements narrowed the margin. Hans Holmlund got within 0.1s of Kronberg, with the sister Toyota Gazoo Racing Supra of Mikael and Christoffer Brunnhagen just fractions further back in third.
Qualifying for the GT4 European Series powered by RAFA Racing Club is scheduled for 12:10 on Saturday.
