The sun shone at times during the opening qualifying session in the Prototype Cup Germany at the Red Bull Ring, but the track was still damp in places. Riccardo Leone Cirelli (17/ITA, BWT Mücke Motorsport) managed to pick out the best line in these conditions, and secured pole position for the first race of the final weekend. Danny Soufi (22/USA, Konrad Motorsport) and Sven Barth (44/Eberbach, Aust Motorsport) had to settle for second and third place.
“That was not an easy qualifying, as the track was dry in places and damp in others,” said Cirelli. “I was not able to get in a flying lap without any problems until just before the end of the session, as I was always stuck in traffic. As a result, the final attempt had to be spot on – and it was. I trusted the car and did a good job of adapting my driving style to suit the conditions. That lap was on the limit and I am happy it worked out so well.”
The Italian clinched pole position at the last minute, denying second-placed Soufi, who, together with his team-mate Pavel Lefterov (27/BUL, Konrad Motorsport), wrapped up the title last time out at the Nürburgring. In third place in qualifying was Barth, who is hoping to end the season as runner-up in the Drivers’ Championship and help his team-mate Maxim Dirickx (21/BEL, Aust Motorsport) to win the Junior title. “I am satisfied, even though qualifying was not ideal. We had set the tyre pressure so that the tyres would reach their peak early in the session, which was obviously a disadvantage towards the end. Plus, I had oversteer. I am happy that, despite all that, I still managed to climb from fourth to third place in the closing stages. However, I have to admit that Riccardo’s lap time was damned good and Danny as also really fast.”
Maksymilian Angelard (18/POL, BWT Mücke Motorsport) slotted into fourth place. The Pole shares his Duqueine with Mattis Pluschkell (21/Elmenhorst, BWT Mücke Motorsport) and has his sights set on defending the lead in the Junior competition. “I was hoping for a bit more,” Angelard admitted. “However, we knew that qualifying is our weakness, plus I was held up on my fastest lap. Without traffic, I think I could perhaps have been half a second faster. But it is what it is, and we will obviously still give it everything in the race.”
Fifth place went to Michael Herich (48/Brühl, Gebhardt Intralogistics Motorsport), who was the top Trophy driver in the first qualifying session. He starts the race ahead of Zino-Ferret Fahlke (18/Hergiswil, Konrad Motorsport), Miro Konopka (63/SVK, ARC Bratislava) and Marcel Kopp (30/UAE, Mühlner Motorsport) in positions six to eight. Thomas Ambiel (45/Eppingen, Rinaldi Racing), who has already been crowned Trophy champion, was unable to take part in qualifying, due to a clutch issue.
