Lopez on pole for World GT1 debut

Lopez, who was placed with the Young Driver AMR Aston Martin team by the series organiser in the week leading up to the event, headed the timesheets on a 2m14.406s in the final segment of qualifying. The 27-year-old set the time, which was three tenths clear of his nearest rival, after spinning on his first flying lap.

"I had the feeling I was on a good lap and then I lost the rear of the car," said Lopez, whose team-mate Stefan Mucke will start the qualifying race from pole. "The second lap was tough, because I knew I had to deliver. It was a good feeling when I saw I was P1."

Hexis driver Frederic Makowiecki enjoyed his best qualifying session of the season to make it an Aston Martin one-two. His team-mate Yann Clairay will line up alongside Mucke on the front row for tomorrow morning's qualifying race.

Points leaders Bertolini and Bartels ended up third in the times aboard the lead Vitaphone Maserati. Bertolini just edged out Frank Kechele in the best of the Reiter Lamborghinis at the end of the session.

The championship hopes of Young Driver Aston's Turner and Enge, who lie second in the points, took a blow when Turner was eliminated in the first round of qualifying, citing the success ballast from their win in Brazil last week. The result means Enge will start the qualifying race from 17th place on the grid.

Pos  Drivers                 Car           Time       Session
 1.  Lopez/Mucke             Aston Martin  2m14.406s  Q3
 2.  Makowiecki/Clairay      Aston Martin  2m14.764s  Q3
 3.  Bertolini/Bartels       Maserati      2m15.200s  Q3
 4.  Kechele/Jimenez         Lamborghini   2m15.378s  Q3
 5.  Piccione/Hirschi        Aston Martin  2m15.767s  Q3
 6.  Kox/Haase               Lamborghini   2m15.835s  Q3
 7.  Pastorelli/Schwager     Lamborghini   2m16.407s  Q3
 8.  Dumbreck/Krumm          Nissan        2m16.448s  Q3
 9.  Jani/Armindo            Ford          2m17.109s  Q2
10.  Westbrook/Mutsch        Ford          2m17.213s  Q2
11.  Pier Guidi/Verdonck     Maserati      2m17.415s  Q2
12.  Martin/Leinders         Ford          2m17.510s  Q2
13.  Bernoldi/Ramos          Maserati      2m17.836s  Q2
14.  Hennerici/Margaritis    Corvette      2m17.866s  Q2
15.  Risatti/Basseng         Lamborghini   2m17.884s  Q2
16.  Muller/Heger            Maserati      2m18.516s  Q2
17.  Turner/Enge             Aston Martin  2m17.183s  Q1
18.  Campbell-Walter/Hughes  Nissan        2m17.256s  Q1
19.  Palttala/Bobbi          Ford          2m17.293s  Q1
20.  Ara/Nilsson             Nissan        2m17.609s  Q1
21.  Wendlinger/Moser        Nissan        2m17.809s  Q1