Bertolini puts Maserati on pole

The Italian, who shares his Maserati MC12 with team boss Michael Bartels, followed up on his Brno pole with a stunning lap that put him more than half a second clear of his nearest rival in final qualifying.

Bertolini's pole lap of 2m03.511s compared with the 2m04.028s set by Peter Kox in the second-placed Reiter Lamborghini Murcielago.

"The balance of the car was good from the beginning of free practice," said Bertolini. "The car was good, my lap was good, everything was good."

Kox, who shares his Murcielago R-SV with Christophe Haase, edged out Sumo Power Nissan driver Michael Krumm to take the other front row spot for the qualification race.

Both the second and third-placed drivers paid tribute to Bertolini's time, Krumm describing it as "absolutely mind-blowing".

Mike Hezemans was fourth fastest in the best of the Chevrolet Corvette C6.Rs, the DKR-run Mad-Croc Racing entry he shares with Xavier Maassen. Warren Hughes was fifth in the second Sumo Nissan.

Pos Driver                  Car            Q1        Q2        Q3
 1. Bertolini/Bartels       Maserati       2:04.189  2:04.469  2:03.511
 2. Haase/Kox               Lamborghini    2:04.729  2:05.098  2:04.028
 3. Krumm/Dumbreck          Nissan         2:03.785  2:04.659  2:04.392
 4. Maassen/Hezemans        Corvette       2:04.716  2:04.139  2:04.438
 5. Campbell-Walter/Hughes  Nissan         2:04.541  2:05.035  2:04.701
 6. Basseng/Bouchut         Lamborghini    2:04.543  2:05.053  2:04.993
 7. Pastorelli/Schwager     Lamborghini    2:05.097  2:05.065  2:05.058
 8. Mucke/Nygaard           Aston Martin   2:05.124  2:05.139  no time
 9. Margaritis/Heger        Maserati       2:05.139  2:05.202
10. Ramos/Bernoldi          Maserati       2:04.339  2:05.206
11. Hennerici/Piccini       Chevrolet      2:03.924  2:05.360
12. Bobbi/Longin            Maserati       2:04.383  2:05.664
13. Zonta/Daniel            Lamborghini    2:04.187  2:06.058
14. Gachnang/Panis          Ford           2:04.624  2:06.110
15. Grosjean/Mutsch         Ford           2:05.102  2:06.414
16. Ara/Nilsson             Nissan         2:04.945  2:07.320
17. Turner/Enge             Aston Martin   2:05.189
18. Leinders/Martin         Ford           2:05.262
19. Makowiecki/Accary       Aston Martin   2:05.330
20. Gavin/Kuismanen         Chevrolet      2:05.334
21. Wendlinger/Moser        Nissan         2:05.387
22. Piccione/Hirschi        Aston Martin   2:05.637
23. Palttala/Kuppens        Ford           2:05.703