Qualifying: Aiello leads Audi one-two

The diminutive Frenchman, who won the on the Grand Prix circuit layout here in May, lapped the short circuit in 1m05.088s - a full three-tenths clear of Abt, who admitted to making a mistake on his quickest lap.

The temperature, which had climbed to over 30-degrees in the morning, receded to 27 for the session as cloud cover took the edge off the heat, allowing times to tumble and Aiello to set the quickest lap of the weekend so far.

"Since we won at the Nurburgring the car has been quick, but we just haven't been able to show it in qualifying," said Aiello. "I think I did the right job today and I'm going to push hard for victory from pole tomorrow."

Best of the rest, unsurprisingly, was championship leader Bernd Schneider in his AMG Mercedes.

"I can live with that," said Schneider. "We knew the Nurburgring would be difficult for us, so I'm quite satisfied with third. The difference between us could have been bigger."

Norisring winner Uwe Alzen will start fourth, ahead of the third Audi of Mattias Ekstrom, although both their times are under review as they were set close to the yellow flag period for Yves Olivier's stricken Opel at the hairpin.

One man who did have his time disallowed was Lausitz winner Peter Dumbreck, which would have put him fourth. Dumbreck will instead start eighth, behind the fourth Audi of Martin Tomczyk.

Shaking up the form book, however, was Bernd Maylander in his Eschmann-Manthey Mercedes. He will start sixth tomorrow for the team based just a stone's throw from the track.

The top Opel pilot was Timo Scheider, who qualified 10th in his Holzer-run Astra Coupe. Alain Menu recovered from a gravelly spin to qualify 15th, while Manuel Reuter will start 20th after hitting a tyre barrier. His best time was also disallowed as it was set while yellow flags were out.








Laurent Aiello, 2001 Abt Sportsline Audi TT-R, 1m05.088s
Christian Abt, 2001 Abt Sportsline Audi TT-R, 1m05.422s
Bernd Schneider, 2001 D2 Mercedes CLK, 1m05.440s
Uwe Alzen, 2001 Warsteiner Mercedes CLK, 1m05.545s
Mattias Ekstrom, 2001 Abt Sportsline Audi TT-R, 1m05.573s
Bernd Maylander, 2001 Eschmann-Manthey Mercedes CLK, 1m05.578s
Martin Tomczyk, 2001 Abt Sportsline Audi TT-R, 1m05.811s
Peter Dumbreck, 2001 D2 Mercedes CLK, 1m05.884s
Marcel Fassler, 2001 Warsteiner Mercedes CLK, 1m05.887s
Timo Scheider, 2001 Holzer Opel Astra Coupe, 1m05.973s
Christijan Albers, 2000 Persson Mercedes CLK, 1m05.976s
Patrick Huisman, 2001 Eschmann-Manthey Mercedes CLK, 1m06.011s
Thomas Jager, 2000 Persson Mercedes CLK, 1m06.015s
Joachim Winkelhock, 2001 Holzer Opel Astra Coupe, 1m06.175s
Alain Menu, 2001 Euroteam Opel Astra Coupe, 1m06.201s
Michael Bartels, 2001 Holzer Opel Astra Coupe, 1m06.316s
Darren Turner, 2000 Rosberg Mercedes CLK, 1m06.378s
Yves Olivier, 2000 Phoenix Opel Astra Coupe, 1m06.464s
David Saelens, 2000 Rosberg Mercedes CLK, 1m06.619s
Manuel Reuter, 2001 Phoenix Opel Astra Coupe, 1m06.751s
Hubert Haupt, 2000 Euroteam Opel Astra Coupe, 1m07.163s
Peter Mamerow, 2000 Mamerow Opel Astra Coupe, 1m35.434s