Altoe Secures Pole Position for Michelin GT Challenge at VIR
Virginia International Raceway – Giacomo Altoe showcased a commanding performance in the GTD PRO qualifying session, earning pole position for the Michelin GT Challenge with a time of 1:44.433 in the #81 DragonSpeed Ferrari 296 GT3. The Italian driver edged out Neil Verhagen, who recorded a time of 1:44.478 in the #1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO by a narrow margin of just 0.045 seconds.
This marks Altoe’s third pole of the season, contributing to DragonSpeed’s total of four poles in 2023. Throughout the weekend, he and co-driver Albert Costa have demonstrated race-leading pace, having topped every session. “It feels amazing, three pole positions already,” Altoe said. “The gaps are always so tight, making it even more rewarding. Starting in front is a little easier, but it’s a long race, so we’ll see.”
Reinforcing the BMW’s competitive edge, Dan Harper secured a late improvement, placing the #48 Paul Miller BMW third on the grid, ahead of the two Pratt Miller Motorsports Chevrolet Corvettes. Antonio Garcia qualified fourth in the #3 Corvette Z06 GT3.R, and Nicky Catsburg followed in fifth in the #4 Corvette after an engine change during practice.
Seb Priaulx claimed sixth in the #64 Ford Multimatic Motorsports Mustang GT3, while Klaus Bachler rounded out the top seven in the #77 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R. Aaron Telitz, who spun at turn 14 earlier in the session, will start last in class, having managed to return to track without a red flag.
In GTD, Jack Hawksworth of the #12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus secured his second pole position of the year with a time of 1:44.860, narrowly outperforming championship rival Russell Ward. “I’m happy with the pole,” Hawksworth commented. “We know we’re a little bit up against it pace-wise, but starting on the front row puts us in the best position to fight.”
Ward’s best qualifying time was 1:44.861, while Onofrio Triarsi Jnr followed closely in third in the #021 Triarsi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3. Casper Stevenson in the #27 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 and Manny Franco in the #34 Conquest Racing Ferrari completed the top five.
The two-hour, 40-minute GT sprint race will take place on Sunday at 2:10 PM ET, and it will be broadcasted live across multiple platforms including IMSA’s official YouTube channel and USA Network.
