Muller gives Vitaphone another pole
Vitaphone Maserati's Alex Muller claimed pole position for the third consecutive FIA GT Championship event in today's qualifying session at the Hungaroring
The German came out on top of a close battle with Karl Wendlinger in the K plus K Saleen and Enrique Bernoldi in the Sangari Team Brazil Corvette, eventually securing pole by 0.114 seconds.
Muller's championship chasing team-mates Michael Bartels and Andrea Bertolini will start only sixth, but Muller explained that Vitaphone's strategy had been to get the less success ballast laden #2 car to the front of the field.
"We worked very hard for a qualifying set-up because qualifying is nearly everything here because there aren't many chances to overtake," he said.
"We worked for the qualifying and the other cars in our team worked for the race set-up, so we're very confident for tomorrow because I think we have a strong and consistent car.
"It's a big difference driving without the weight. You can tell in the lap times; Bertolini's lap time was about a second off, and that's due to the weight."
Behind the K plus K Saleen and the Brazil Corvette, the #33 Vitaphone Maserati and the Alphand Corvette completed the top five. Points leaders Mike Hezemans and Anthony Kumpen (PK Carsport Corvette) will start just behind their title rivals Bartels and Bertolini in seventh.
Richard Westbrook earned GT2 pole for Prospeed Porsche, with the championship leading #50 AF Corse Ferrari of Gianmaria Bruni and Toni Vilander back in fourth, behind the sister #51 car and the #55 CRS Ferrari.
Pos Cl Qual driver Car Time Gap 1. GT1 Alex Muller Maserati MC 12 1m41.815s 2. GT1 Karl Wendlinger Saleen S7 1m41.929s + 0.114s 3. GT1 Enrique Bernoldi Corvette Z06 1m42.166s + 0.351s 4. GT1 Alex Pier Guidi Maserati MC 12 1m42.375s + 0.560s 5. GT1 Xavier Maassen Corvette Z06 1m42.563s + 0.748s 6. GT1 Andrea Bertolini Maserati MC 12 1m42.870s + 1.055s 7. GT1 Mike Hezemans Corvette Z06 1m43.255s + 1.440s 8. GT1 Bert Longin Corvette Z06 1m43.520s + 1.705s 9. GT1 Adam Lacko Saleen S7 1m44.092s + 2.277s 10. GT1 Stephane Lemeret Saleen S7 1m44.551s + 2.736s 11. G2 Andrej Studenic Saleen S7 1m45.399s + 3.584s 12. GT1 Thomas Mutsch Ford GT 1m45.580s + 3.765s 13. GT1 Renaud Kuppens Ford GT 1m46.545s + 4.730s 14. GT2 Richard Westbrook Porsche 911 GT3 1m47.043s + 5.228s 15. GT2 Alvaro Barba Lopez Ferrari F430 1m47.262s + 5.447s 16. GT2 Tim Mullen Ferrari F430 1m47.347s + 5.532s 17. GT2 Gianmaria Bruni Ferrari F430 1m47.405s + 5.590s 18. GT2 Martin Ragginger Porsche 911 GT3 1m47.683s + 5.868s 19. GT2 Paolo Ruberti Ferrari F430 1m47.797s + 5.982s 20. GT2 Matias Russo Ferrari F430 1m47.866s + 6.051s 21. GT2 Tim Sugden Porsche 911 GT3 1m47.884s + 6.069s 22. GT2 Andrew Kirkaldy Ferrari F430 1m47.890s + 6.075s 23. GT2 Darryl O'Young Porsche 911 GT3 1m48.067s + 6.252s 24. GT2 Diego Romanini Ferrari F430 1m50.599s + 8.784s
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