Report: Qualifying Assen
Assen trembles: BOSS GP on lap record chase in qualifying.
The pole position was secured for the third time in 2019 by Ingo Gerstl (AUT, Top Speed). A further improvement of his personal lap record from yesterday (1:18.246) was just not possible. The record champion will try to improve in race one with his Toro Rosso STR1 again.
The best-in-class FORMULA driver will also start from the front row of the grid: Alessandro Bracalente (ITA, Speed Center) grabbed pole with an advantage of over a second. It was also the Italian’s third FORMULA best time in the 2019 BOSS GP anniversary season.
Championship leader Marco Ghiotto (ITA, Scuderia Palladio) didn’t miss a beat and follows in row 2, along with ever more consistent Luca Martucci (ITA, MM International). Gianluca Ripoli (ITA, MM International) completed the Italian quartet with 5th place, his best BOSS GP qualifying result so far.
Philippe Haezebrouck (FRA, Speed Center) confirmed the improving pace of the last races – he starts from 6th place. Salvatore de Plano (ITA, Top Speed) had technical problems yesterday and only managed three laps in the two practice sessions. Today he did 12 laps and qualified as overall seventh.
Andreas Fiedler (DEU, Fiedler Racing) stayed focused even with a TV onboard camera hanging away and finished eighth. In row 5 are Armando Mangini and Walter Steding. Christian Eicke starts behind from 11, “Piter” from 12.
The qualifying session was disappointing for Peter Göllner (SUI, Speed Center), who is well known for his strong performance in Assen. He had to park his GP2 Dallara at the side after only three laps. Together with rookie Ulf Ehninger (DEU, ESBA Racing) in the F1 Benetton B197, he will start the 20-minute race from row 7 this afternoon.
Hans Laub (DEU, Speed Center) in the 1996 Forti skipped the timed practice. The first race of the BOSS GP within the DTM in Assen starts today Saturday at 17:10 o’clock. According to the current weather forecast rain showers are to be expected. For sure the Pirelli Cinturato rain tyres are standing by in the pits.