Qualifying: Alzen storms to pole

The ex-Mercedes ace, who will share his car with brother Jurgen, Arno Klasen and ex-F1 racer Michael Bartels, lapped in 9m00.266s in his 700bhp Porsche 996 Turbo, 2.6secs clear of the similar machine of Lucas Lohr/Emmanuel Collard/Timo Bernhard.

Opel was the best of the rest with its Peter Dumbreck-led car heading the way. That lapped in 9m04.444s, and also features Volker Strycek, Jeroen Bleekemolen and Christian Menzel in the driving line up.

The Zakspeed Dodge Viper, which has won this event for three out of the last four years, was fourth fastest, ahead of the first works BMW M3, led by Austrian ace Hans Stuck. The first of the Audi TT-Rs was eighth, behind the second Opel and BMW entries.

The race, which features over 200 entries, starts at 15:00 local time (14:00 BST).


U Alzen/J Alzen/Klasen/Bartels Porsche 996 Turbo, 9m00.266s
Luhr/Collard/Bernhard Porsche 996, 9m02.905s
Dumbreck/Bleekemolen/Menzel/Strycek Opel Astra Coupe, 9m04.444s
Zakowski/Lamy/Lechner Dodge Viper, 9m04.525s
Stuck/Said/Nielsen/Duez BMW M3, 9m08.771s
Reuter/Scheider/Tiemann/Strycek Opel Astra Coupe, 9m09.130s