FIA GT qualifying: Bouchut on top

The Larbre Competition driver's Chrysler Viper GTS-R ended the one-shot showdown Super Pole session, which provided the first dry running of the weekend, fully 0.770s ahead of the similar car of Paul Belmondo Racing's Vincent Vosse.

The result gave Bouchut, who with co-driver Jean-Phillipe Belloc wrapped up the driver's title at the Spa 24 Hours last month, his first pole position since the Magny-Cours race back in May, despite a lurid slide that lost him time halfway around the lap.

"For sure it was not quite a perfect lap," smiled Bouchut afterwards, "but the car has tremendous balance this weekend. We have really struggled in the last two races at the A1-Ring and the Nurburgring [where he finished fifth and seventh], but here the car is a lot better."

The Larbre team has dropped 20kg off its maximum 100kg success ballast this weekend for the first time since Magny-Cours, but Bouchut said this was only partly responsible for his strong pace.

"For sure 20kg is something, but it's only worth about 0.3s a lap," he said. "But the car is also very good, and I think tomorrow we will be strong."

The Frenchman's task was made easier by both of the factory Lister Storms being unable to set a time. First the lead car of Jamie Campbell-Walter, shared this weekend with former British GT star Bobby Verdon-Roe, had an engine problem after the morning qualifying session, and the team had not completed the engine change in time for the Superpole. Then Julian Bailey in the second car discovered a small oil leak on his out lap of the Superpole, and peeled into the pits before he had set a time, meaning that both of the Jaguar V12-engined British cars would start back on the sixth row of the grid - behind the fastest of the N-GT class Porsche 911 GT3-Rs.

"I was going round and there was a bit of smoke in the cockpit, so we decided not to risk doing serious damage," said Bailey. "It's not good to be starting this far back on such a twisty circuit. It means we both risk getting caught up in other people's accidents, and just adds an unnecessary element of risk to the weekend."

The Belmondo team's improved form was underlined as Emmanuel Clerico grabbed third place on the grid behind team-mate Vosse, while the Prodrive Ferrari 550 Maranello of Alain Menu set the fourth fastest time.

Both Carsport Holland Vipers struggled in the first qualifying session and failed to make the Super Pole session, and will start down on the seventh row of the grid.

In N-GT, points leader Luca Riccitelli grabbed an important pole position in the RWS Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3-RS, ahead of the similar ART and Larbre cars. His title rivals, the JMB Competition Ferrari 360 Modena of Christian Pescatori and David Terrien was only able to qualify 10th overall, but should still be strong come the two and a half hour race.

"We need to win this race, so pole is a good start," said Riccitelli. "But it will still be difficult, because with the Ferrari's excellent fuel consumption I expect them to only do one fuel stop, so we will have to work hard.

British star Tim Sugden was a disappointed fifth in class after his efforts in the EMKA Porsche were scuppered when he lost time behind the slow car of Fabio Babini as it circulated waiting for its quick lap to start.

Christophe Bouchut/Jean-Phillipe Belloc, Larbre Chrysler Viper (GT), 1m32.630s
Vincent Vosse/Boris Derichebourg, Belmondo Chrysler Viper (GT), 1m33.400s
Emmanuel Clerico/Anthony Kumpen, Belmondo Chrysler Viper (GT), 1m33.859s
Alain Menu/Rickard Rydell, Prodrive Ferrari 550M (GT), 1m34.153s
Luca Riccitelli/Dieter Quester, RWS Porsche 911 GT3-RS (N-GT), 1m36.077s
Fabio Babini/Luigi Moccia, Art Porsche 911 GT3-RS (N-GT), 1m36.152s
Sebastien Dumez/Patrice Goueslard, Larbre Porsche 911 GT3-RS (N-GT), 1m36.532s
Wolfgang Kaufmann/Paco Orti, Orti Porsche 911 GT3-R (N-GT), 1m36.850s
Tim Sugden/Steve O'Rourke, EMKA Porsche 911 GT3-RS (N-GT), 1m36.886s
Christian Pescatori/David Terrien, JMB Ferrari 360M (N-GT), 1m37.626s
Julian Bailey/Nicolaus Springer, Lister Storm GT (GT), no time
Jamie Campbell-Walter/Bobby Verdon-Roe, Lister Storm GT
(GT), no time