Ingo Gerstl (Toro Rosso STR1) starts the races in Monza ahead of Rinus van Kalmthout (GP2 Dallara Judd) and Phil Stratford (Benetton B197). Best Italian: Marco Ghiotto (GP2 Dallara) in 4th place.

With 1:26.6 min the Austrian Ingo Gerstl (Top Speed) was over three seconds faster than the quickest time in qualifying 2016. The average speed in the fastest lap was over 240 kilometers per hour. The measured top speed was over 340 kph at the end of the start-finish straight. Gerstl in his Toro Rosso STR1 is by far the favourite for the race victory in the afternoon race (start: 4:40 pm).

Phil Stratford (Penn Elcom Racing), who started in qualifying session 1, only set one lap, and this at the end of the session, which was only eight minutes long. Rinus van Kalmthout, who did not start until Q2, snatched the American just before the end of the session from the front row. The 17-year-old Dutchman in the GP2-Dallara with Judd engine was faster than Stratford, especially in the first sector. The time gap of only two tenths of a second means that Mansell Motorsport’s team-mates can expect a hot race.

f.l. Ingo Gerstl, Marco Ghiotto

With an outside temperature of almost 30 degrees centigrade already in the morning hours, the Italian Marco Ghiotto felt very comfortable. In front of many friends and guests he qualified as the best FORMULA pilot. With rank 4 he is also one place ahead of Wolfgang Jaksch (F Xtreme Racing). The Super Aguri of the German was repaired yesterday after the practice accident (damage to the front suspension and front wing). With 1:36.3 min he set his personal best time this weekend.

Florian Schnitzenbaumer (Top Speed) provided the only Full Course Yellow. The German stopped beside the track after a driving mistake. He was fourth fastest FORMULA driver behind Ghiotto, Armando Mangini and David Moretti. He was closely followed by Andreas Fiedler (Fiedler Racing), who lost only three tenths to the points leader in his green Dallara. Walter Steding did well at his fourth appearance in Monza. He finished 10th, ahead of BOSS GP returner Wolfgang Jordan, Karl-Heinz Becker and Veronica Cicha. Christian Eicke (Speed Center) complained about the interruptions in practice yesterday, in qualifying he could complete at least 11 (and thus most) laps. With 1:42.7 min he is close to the midfield. The Frenchman “Piter” (Ray-Ban), who also had his best time of the weekend in qualifying, showed a significant improvement.

 
f.l. Veronica Cicha, David Moretti

Hans Laub‘s Forti stayed in the pits today, the German from Speed Center assists Christian Eicke as a mechanic for the rest of the weekend. We will see the popular Formula 1 racing car again in Hockenheim. Thomas Jakoubek is also thinking about Hockenheim. The Top Speed driver had injured his ribs during an race kart event just before the weekend and is resting for the highlight of the season.

Photos: Michael Kavena/BOSS GP

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