Altoe Secures Pole Position at VIR as GT Challenge Nears
Giacomo Altoe clinched pole position for Sunday’s Michelin GT Challenge at Virginia International Raceway (VIR), driving the No. 81 DragonSpeed Ferrari 296 GT3 to a time of 1m44.433s. This marks Altoe’s third pole of the season, solidifying the Ferrari’s status as the leading GTD PRO car with four pole positions in 2025. He and co-driver Albert Costa dominated the IMSA WeatherTech sessions leading up to the race.
During the intense 15-minute qualifying session, competition was fierce, particularly from Neil Verhagen in the No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO. Verhagen, who recently achieved his first IMSA win, initially secured provisional pole with a 1m44.620s, but Altoe’s final effort outpaced him by a narrow margin of just 0.045 seconds.
Dan Harper’s late lap improvement put the second Paul Miller BMW in P2, while Antonio Garcia and Nicky Catsburg rounded out the top five in the Pratt Miller Chevrolet Corvettes. The No. 64 Ford of Seb Priaulx and the No. 77 Porsche of Klaus Bachler were sixth and seventh, respectively.
Altoe expressed commitment to his team’s championship aspirations, stating, “This is our goal. I’m focusing on that.” He acknowledged the heightened pressure of close competition but expressed confidence in their race pace after learning from practice.
The session’s sole incident involved Aaron Telitz’s spin in the No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus. He will start from the back of the GTD PRO grid in tenth position.
In the GTD class, Jack Hawksworth achieved pole with a time of 1m44.860s, fending off challenges from championship rival Russell Ward and Onofrio Triarsi, who qualified third. The Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3, driven by Casper Stevenson, qualified fourth.
Hawksworth remarked on his position, emphasizing the team’s resilience despite facing competitive challenges: “We’re in the best position to start from, and this team gives us a great car.”
The 2-hour and 40-minute sprint race is set to begin at 2:10 p.m. ET on Sunday, broadcast on USA and Peacock, with global coverage on IMSA’s YouTube channel.
Results Summary:
GTD PRO:
- Giacomo Altoe (No. 81 DragonSpeed Ferrari 296 GT3) – 1m44.433s
- Dan Harper (No. 48 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO)
- Neil Verhagen (No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO)
- Antonio Garcia (No. 3 Pratt Miller Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R)
- Nicky Catsburg (No. 4 Pratt Miller Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R)
- Seb Priaulx (No. 64 Ford Multimatic Motorsports Mustang GT3)
- Klaus Bachler (No. 77 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R)
GTD:
- Jack Hawksworth (No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3) – 1m44.860s
- Russell Ward (No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3)
- Onofrio Triarsi (No. 021 Triarsi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3)
- Casper Stevenson (No. 27 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3)
- Manny Franco (No. 34 Conquest Racing Ferrari)
- Patrick Gallagher (No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW)
The stage is set for an exciting race at VIR, where strategy and skill will be pivotal in the battle for supremacy.
