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Gianni Morbidelli storms to pole, leading Volkswagen 1-2 at Oschersleben

WestCoast Racing’s Gianni Morbidelli was dominant in qualifying for the TCR International Series at Motorsport Arena Oschersleben for the seventh race of the season, taking pole position in emphatic fashion with a blistering lap time of a 1:31.426 in glorious sunshine. 

The Italian’s closest competitor in both sessions was the Leopard Racing Golf GTi TCR of the returning Jaap van Lagen, with the Dutchman just 0.243 seconds off the top time in the Q2 top-twelve shoot out.

Daniel Lloyd led the Caft-Bamboo Lukoil contingent in third, ahead of Leopard Racing’s Rob Huff, making it three Volkswagens in the top five.

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Craft-Bamboo Racing’s Pepe Oriola called time on his efforts in Q2 with two minutes remaining, 0.408 seconds off the pace in fourth.

Giacomo Altoè ensured it was an all-round strong session for the WestCoast team, putting his Golf in sixth and within half a second of his vastly more experienced team-mate.

James Nash was the third of the Craft-Bamboo SEATs in seventh, ahead of M1RA’s lead car of Roberto Colciago in eighth, who failed to add any points to his tally after missing out on the top five.

The third Leopard Volkswagen of Jean-Karl Vernay and the Opel of DG Sport Compétition’s Mat’o Homola completed the top ten, and the latter will thus line up on pole position for Sunday’s reverse-grid second race.

Defending champion Stefano Comini’s Audi RS3 LMS appeared very unsettled, as the Swiss driver could only go 18th fastest in Q1, whilst current points leader Attila Tassi was another high profile casualty after the first session, as the young Hungarian was 13th in his M1RA Honda Civic.

Initial practice pace setter Luca Engstler was running in the top ten for the majority of Q2, before he went straight off track on the run into turn one, with the left rear of his Golf GTi TCR suffering damage, after glancing the barrier.

Q1 was not without dramas, as Jens Reno Møller caused a red flag stoppage with 12 minutes and 10 seconds remaining, going off at the inside of turn 7, showering the track with gravel.

Møller also had another off-track excursion earlier in the session, having almost beached his Honda on the inside of turn three, along with having a left front puncture that curtailed his running in the 20-minute session.

Race one gets underway at 1230 local time tomorrow (Sunday, July 9th)

Q2 results

POS NO DRIVER NAT ENTRANT CAR LAPS TIME GAP
1 10 Gianni MORBIDELLI West Coast Racing Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR 5 1:31.426 0.000
2 14 Jaap VAN LAGEN Leopard Racing Team WRT Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR 5 1:31.669 0.243
3 17 Daniel LLOYD Lukoil Craft-Bamboo Racing SEAT León TCR 5 1:31.714 0.288
4 3 Rob HUFF Leopard Racing Team WRT Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR 5 1:31.821 0.395
5 74 Pepe ORIOLA Lukoil Craft-Bamboo Racing SEAT León TCR 4 1:31.834 0.408
6 21 Giacomo ALTOÈ West Coast Racing Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR 5 1:31.883 0.457
7 54 James NASH Lukoil Craft-Bamboo Racing SEAT León TCR 5 1:31.954 0.528
8 5 Roberto COLCIAGO M1RA Honda Civic Type-R TCR 5 1:32.130 0.704
9 2 Jean-Karl VERNAY Leopard Racing Team WRT Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR 5 1:32.146 0.720
10 70 Mat’o HOMOLA DG Sport Compétition Opel Astra TCR 5 1:32.191 0.765
11 8 Luca ENGSTLER Junior Team Engstler Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR 5 1:32.195 0.769
12 34 Stian PAULSEN Stian Paulsen Racing SEAT León TCR 5 1:32.773 1.347

Q1 results

POS NO DRIVER NAT ENTRANT CAR LAPS TIME GAP
1 10 Gianni MORBIDELLI West Coast Racing Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR 9 1:31.421 0.000
2 14 Jaap VAN LAGEN Leopard Racing Team WRT Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR 8 1:31.553 0.132
3 8 Luca ENGSTLER Junior Team Engstler Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR 5 1:32.024 0.603
4 74 Pepe ORIOLA Lukoil Craft-Bamboo Racing SEAT León TCR 8 1:32.069 0.648
5 17 Daniel LLOYD Lukoil Craft-Bamboo Racing SEAT León TCR 6 1:32.228 0.807
6 2 Jean-Karl VERNAY Leopard Racing Team WRT Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR 9 1:32.252 0.831
7 21 Giacomo ALTOÈ West Coast Racing Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR 10 1:32.304 0.883
8 54 James NASH Lukoil Craft-Bamboo Racing SEAT León TCR 10 1:32.307 0.886
9 70 Mat’o HOMOLA DG Sport Compétition Opel Astra TCR 10 1:32.322 0.901
10 5 Roberto COLCIAGO M1RA Honda Civic Type-R TCR 11 1:32.468 1.047
11 3 Rob HUFF Leopard Racing Team WRT Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR 10 1:32.561 1.140
12 34 Stian PAULSEN Stian Paulsen Racing SEAT León TCR 10 1:32.651 1.230
13 9 Attila TASSI M1RA Honda Civic Type-R TCR 11 1:32.722 1.301
14 62 Dušan BORKOVIĆ GE-Force Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR 9 1:32.834 1.413
15 16 Davit KAJAIA GE-Force Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR 8 1:33.104 1.683
16 6 Frédéric VERVISCH Comtoyou Racing Audi RS3 LMS TCR 9 1:33.207 1.786
17 28 Aurélien PANIS Boutsen Ginion Racing Honda Civic Type-R TCR 10 1:33.328 1.907
18 1 Stefano COMINI Comtoyou Racing Audi RS3 LMS TCR 9 1:33.397 1.976
19 55 Ferenc FICZA Zengő Motorsport KIA Cee’d TCR 11 1:33.584 2.163
20 38 Danny KROES Ferry Monster Autosport SEAT León TCR 9 1:33.704 2.283
21 11 Jens Reno MØLLER Reno Racing Honda Civic Type-R TCR 8 1:34.114 2.693
22 66 Grégoire DEMOUSTIER DG Sport Compétition Opel Astra TCR 11 1:34.164 2.743
23 18 Duncan ENDE Icarus Motorsports SEAT León TCR 9 1:34.605 3.184
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