Zakspeed take pole at Adria

With Andrea Bertolini coming third for Vitaphone Racing, the top three positions were all claimed by teams fighting for the drivers' title and tomorrow's event is the penultimate race of the season.

The circuit is just 1.67 miles long and all nine GT1 runners were separated by under one second.

"It was a tough qualifying, the gaps are very small," said Janis. "We are running 70 kilos [of success ballast], which is not easy here, especially with the braking. I think tomorrow the wearing of the brakes is going to be key."

Having done limited running in the day's three hours of free practice due to a brake issue, Phoenix Racing's Piccini was satisfied having claimed a front row grid slot for his Aston Martin DBR9.

"When you have such a short time it's very difficult to find the problem and find a good set-up," he said. "We were also lucky to find a quiet lap."

Bertolini's third place was impressive considering his fastest time was set on the lap that he had a collision with a GT2 Ferrari 430. Shortly after the session ended his Maserati MC12 slowed to a halt with an electrical problem, but the Italian was confident that it would be solved by tomorrow.

In the GT2 class, Andrew Kirkaldy scored his eighth pole position of the year in his Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari 430. He will line up immediately ahead of AF Corse's Jaime Melo and Matteo Bobbi who are close to claiming the GT2 drivers' title.

Qualifying times:

Pos  Drivers                 Make                        Time
 1.  Janis/Montermini/Bert   Saleen S7R              1:11.304
 2.  Deletraz/Piccini        Aston Martin DBR9       1:11.392
 3.  Bartels/Bertolini       Maserati MC12 GT1       1:11.437
 4.  Bouchut/Kox             Lamborghini Murcielago  1:11.529
 5.  Gollin/Ramos            Aston Martin DBR9       1:11.556
 6.  Pescatori/Babini        Aston Martin DBR9       1:11.599
 7.  Davies/Biagi            Maserati MC12 GT1       1:11.739
 8.  Longin/Kumpen/Hezemans  Corvette C6R            1:12.073
 9.  Wendlinger/Peter        Aston Martin DBR9       1:12.160
10.  Kinch/Kirkaldy          Ferrari 430 GT2         1:14.622
11.  Bobbi/Melo              Ferrari 430 GT2         1:14.999
12.  Ruberti/Giammaria       Ferrari 430 GT2         1:15.013
13.  Sugden/Alexander        Ferrari 430 GT2         1:15.069
14.  Franchitti/Mullen       Ferrari 430 GT2         1:15.257
15.  Salo/Aguas              Ferrari 430 GT2         1:15.261
16.  Moccia/Busnelli         Porsche 996 GT3 RSR     1:15.662
17.  Collard/Riccitelli      Porsche 996 GT3 RSR     1:15.674
18.  Leinders/Kuppens        Gillet Vertigo          1:16.381
19.  Ried/Felbermayr Jr      Porsche 996 GT3 RSR     1:16.513
20.  Felbermayr/Ried         Porsche 996 GT3 RS      1:19.494