WTCR Nurburgring: Bennani snatches pole for Audi on the Nordschleife

Moroccan Bennani, who has returned to the series this year for the first time since 2019, jumped to the top with his final effort around the 15.77-mile circuit, logging a time of 8m50.527s. Magnus, the only other driver to manage three laps in the 30-minute session, ended up just 0.015s slower.

Their efforts left Urrutia and Ehrlacher disappointed, the Cyan Lynk & Cos duo completing just one lap each of the Nordschleife during the session because of concerns over tyre safety following problems with the Goodyear rubber, both in free practice on Thursday and during qualifying. 

Reigning double champion Ehrlacher in particular reacted in a fury, remaining in his car while shouting and remonstrating with his engineer as the final minutes of the session unfolded.

Ehrlacher’s uncle Yvan Muller, the slowest of the four Lynk & Cos but the only one to log two laps, ended up 10th fastest, after picking up a puncture on his first run. He will start the partially reversed-grid second race on Saturday morning from pole position.

“That was a tricky one again,” said the four-time World Touring Car Champion. “I had a tyre failure on run one again, so we decided to go for the second run. But I had a vibration all the way through. It’s a shame for Santi and Yann because I think they were capable of taking the pole position, but because of the risk they decided to not let them out. 

“We have to survive tomorrow, but right now I have to tell you I am not sure if I will race. I don’t want to die.”

Néstor Girolami, ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport, Honda Civic Type R TCR

Photo by: WTCR

The session was reduced  to 30 minutes in the wake of the tyre problems during the two free practice sessions on Thursday. Goodyear blamed “the nature of the circuit” and requested the stewards allow an increase in the number of new tyres supplied per car on safety grounds. 

Goodyear provided two extra tyres for each of the 17 entries from “an additional batch from a different build period”, while teams were given an extra 15-minute test session, which took place directly before qualifying.

WTCR points leader Nestor Girolami was only eighth fastest and the quickest of the Honda Civic TCRs.

The Munnich Motorsport driver lost bodywork from his right front wheel arch on Dottinger Hohe during his first run, then was prevented from improving on his second when Rob Huff spun and crashed his Zengo Motorsport Cupra ahead of him. Huff qualified in 12th.

The two WTCR races take place on Saturday morning ahead of the start of the Nurburgring 24 Hours.

WTCR Nurburgring - Qualifying results

Cla	Driver		Chassis	Laps	Time	Gap	Interval
1	Mehdi Bennani		Audi	3	8'50.527
2	Gilles Magnus		Audi	3	8'50.542	0.015	0.015
3	Santiago Urrutia		Lynk & Co	1	8'51.637	1.110	1.095
4	Yann Ehrlacher		Lynk & Co	1	8'51.716	1.189	0.079
5	Mikel Azcona		Hyundai	2	8'52.512	1.985	0.796
6	Thed Björk		Lynk & Co	1	8'52.568	2.041	0.056
7	Nathanael Berthon		Audi	2	8'52.602	2.075	0.034
8	Nestor Girolami		Honda	2	8'52.650	2.123	0.048
9	Norbert Michelisz		Hyundai	2	8'52.923	2.396	0.273
10	Yvan Muller		Lynk & Co	2	8'53.060	2.533	0.137
11	Ma Qing Hua		Lynk & Co	2	8'53.069	2.542	0.009
12	Rob Huff		CUPRA	1	8'53.813	3.286	0.744
13	Esteban Guerrieri		Honda	2	8'53.958	3.431	0.145
14	Attila Tassi		Honda	2	8'54.318	3.791	0.360
15	Tom Coronel		Audi	2	8'54.647	4.120	0.329
16	Tiago Monteiro		Honda	2	8'55.425	4.898	0.778
17	Daniel Nagy		CUPRA	2	9'01.188	10.661	5.763
View full results