BMW Teams Clinch Front Row at Nürburgring Endurance Cup Qualifying
In a competitive qualifying session at the Nürburgring for the fourth round of the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup, BMW teams dominated the front row, with Team WRT securing pole position. The #32 BMW M4 GT3 Evo, driven by Kelvin van der Linde, Charles Weerts, and Ugo de Wilde, clocked an average lap time of 1:54.426, narrowly edging out Rowe Racing’s #98 entry by just 0.020 seconds.
Despite not achieving the fastest times in individual sessions, WRT’s consistency across all three qualifying parts was critical. They were the only team to finish in the top 10 during each segment, illustrating their strategic acumen under changing weather conditions. “It was a typical Nürburgring kind of session,” de Wilde remarked, acknowledging the challenges posed by the rain.
This pole position marks WRT’s first since their transition to BMW in 2023, bringing them level on points with the #48 Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-FILTER in the championship standings. However, an investigation looms over the #32 BMW following a collision during Q2 involving Weerts and Jules Gounon’s #17 Mercedes-AMG, which eliminated the latter from qualifying.
AF Corse – Francorchamps Motors initially looked poised for pole, with Alessio Rovera and Vincent Abril leading the first two sessions. However, Alessandro Pier Guidi’s struggles in Q3, compounded by unfavorable conditions, saw the #51 Ferrari 296 GT3 slip to third overall.
Garage 59’s #58 McLaren GT3 Evo secured fourth, leading the Gold Cup category with an average time of 1:54.547. Thomas Preining from Pure Racing recorded the fastest individual lap of the session at 1:53.612, propelling the #911 Porsche 911 GT3 R from 34th to 15th on the grid.
The #7 Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin qualified fifth, with notable performances from the #48 Mercedes-AMG and the #96 Rutronik Racing Porsche, which completed the top 10. Consistency remains key for championship leaders, who underperformed yet managed to stay competitive.
In class-specific results, Garage 59 took pole in the Silver Cup, while Kessel Racing captured pole in the Bronze Cup, marking their first of the season.
The GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup race begins at 15:00 CEST today.
Key Highlights:
- Pole Position: #32 BMW M4 GT3 Evo (WRT) – 1:54.426
- Second Place: #98 BMW M4 GT3 Evo (Rowe Racing) – 1:54.446
- Third Place: #51 Ferrari 296 GT3 (AF Corse) – 1:54.513
- Fastest Individual Lap: Thomas Preining (#911 Porsche 911 GT3 R) – 1:53.612
Results Summary & Additional Insights:
- Top qualifiers showed strategic prowess amid wet conditions.
- Ongoing investigations may influence post-qualifying classifications.
- The championship remains tight ahead of the race.
For complete timings and updates, refer to official GT World Challenge channels.
