FIA GT Super Pole: It’s a Ferrari ‘redwash’!
Emanuele Naspetti gave the Ferrari 550 Maranello its first-ever overall pole position in the FIA GT Championship at Zolder in Belgium today (Saturday), while Christian Pescatori set the pace in the N-GT class in his 360 Modena
The stunning Rafanelli-run 550 Maranello has been steadily improving this season, but the leap to the front of the grid was certainly unexpected. Fourth fastest in this morning's qualifying session, Naspetti produced a demon time that the opposition simply couldn't beat.
"We did a good enough job this morning in qualifying to save four tyres for the Super Pole," explained Naspetti. "It was a clear lap, no mistakes. We've had so many problems from the beginning of the season, but at every race we have solved one. I don't want to say we can win the race tomorrow, but I think we can challenge for the podium."
Mike Hezemans was second fastest in the first of the Carsport Holland Chrysler Vipers. The car has proved its speed on numerous occasions this season, but reliability continues to be its bugbear. Fellow Dutchman Tom Coronel was third quickest at the wheel of Lister's lead Storm, just a hundredth slower than his fellow countryman.
"I beat Tom, that was good!" said Hezemans. "It's one-zero to me!"
Coronel replied: "I feel very bad because of that hundredth of a second. I hate it!"
Vincent Vosse was fourth quickest, ahead of the sister Belmondo Racing car of Didier Defourny, who had been quickest in practice. Sebastiaan Bleekemolen rounded out the top six in the second Carsport Holland Viper.
In the N-GT class, Christian Pescatori kept the Ferrari theme going by recording the fastest time in the JMB Competition 360 Modena. He finished ahead of Luca Riccitelli's RWS Porsche 996 GT3 and the Labre Porsche of Sebastien Dumez.
1 Emanuele Naspetti (Ferrari 550 Maranello) 1m30.994s
2 Mike Hezemans (Chrysler Viper) 1m31.105s
3 Tom Coronel (Lister Storm) 1m31.117s
4 Vincent Vosse (Chrysler Viper) 1m32.270s
5 Didier Defourny (Chrysler Viper) 1m32.479s
6 Sebastiaan Bleekemolen (Chrysler Viper) 1m33.420s
1 Christian Pescatori (Ferrari 360 Modena) 1m35.037s
2 Luca Riccitelli (Porsche 996 GT3-R) 1m35.314s
3 Sebastien Dumez (Porsche 996 GT3-R) 1m35.745s
4 Tim Sugden (Porsche 996 GT3-R) 1m35.850s
5 Fabio Babini (Porsche 996 GT3-R) 1m36.450s
6 Philipp Peter (Porsche 996 GT3-R) 1m36.660s
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