Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Tonio Liuzzi snatches Hungary Superstars pole

Tonio Liuzzi took a stunning last-minute pole position for the latest International Superstars Series round at the Hungaroring in Budapest

The CAAL Racing Mercedes driver rocketed to the top of the times early in the session, with a banker that matched his practice two-topping time down to the hundredth. He then spent the best part of 20 minutes sitting in the pits and falling down the order, emerging with just seconds remaining to scorch his way to a 1m52.513s - more than four tenths of a second clear of the rest of the field.

In doing so, Liuzzi denied Norbert Michelisz a popular hometown pole position. On his debut in the Superstars Series, the Hungarian did a fantastic job in the Scuderia Guidici BMW to wind up second fastest, having led the last four minutes of the session.

Gianni Morbidelli spent more time than anyone sitting in provisional pole position. The Audi Sport Italia driver set his best time on his first flying lap, and that mark stood until Michelisz and Liuzzi joined the party late in the session. Morbidelli tried to improve with one last run late in the piece, but was forced to settle for third, alongside his team-mate Thomas Schoffler.

Thomas Biagi was the best of the Dinamic BMWs with fifth fastest, ahead of Christian Klien, the ex-Formula 1 driver qualifying an impressive sixth on his debut in the Swiss Team Maserati.

Surprisingly, points leader Johan Kristoffersson could manage just seventh in the KMS Audi, ahead of Biagi's team-mate Stefano Gabellini. Even more surprising was that the second best Mercedes in the field (behind Liuzzi) was Romeo Ferraris' Camilo Zurcher, who will start way down in ninth.

Pos  Driver                Team/Car           Time       Gap
 1.  Tonio Liuzzi          CAAL Mercedes      1m52.513s
 2.  Norbert Michelisz     Giudici BMW        1m52.941s  + 0.428s
 3.  Gianni Morbidelli     Audi Italia        1m53.174s  + 0.661s
 4.  Thomas Schoffler      MTM Audi           1m53.285s  + 0.772s
 5.  Thomas Biagi          Dinamic BMW        1m53.301s  + 0.788s
 6.  Christian Klien       Swiss Maserati     1m53.413s  + 0.900s
 7.  Johan Kristoffersson  KMS Audi           1m53.528s  + 1.015s
 8.  Stefano Gabellini     Dinamic BMW        1m53.933s  + 1.420s
 9.  Camilo Zurcher        Romeo Mercedes     1m54.227s  + 1.714s
10.  Max Pigoli            Ferlito Jaguar     1m54.498s  + 1.985s
11.  Francesco Sini        Solaris Chevrolet  1m54.500s  + 1.987s
12.  Andrea Larini         Romeo Mercedes     1m54.747s  + 2.234s
13.  Paolo Meloni          W&D BMW            1m54.890s  + 2.377s
14.  Franco Fumi           Dinamic BMW        1m55.268s  + 2.755s
15.  Domenico Ferlito      Ferlito Jaguar     1m55.272s  + 2.759s

Be part of the Autosport community

Join the conversation
Previous article Tonio Liuzzi leads Christian Klien in Superstars practice two in Hungary
Next article Tonio Liuzzi fends off Thomas Biagi for race one win

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe