Local hero Michelisz to start from pole in Race 3
Norbert Michelisz will start from the pole position in the WTCR Race 3 on his home racetrack. Mainly thanks to the best time in sector 1, the Hungarian set a fastest lap of 1:52.784 that beat by 8 thousadths of a second Esteban Guerrieri’s 1:52.792 and by 40 thousandths Yann Ehrlacher’s 1:52.824.
Gabriele Tarquini qualified in fourth position after he lost some times in the third sector due to a small brake issue.
Néstor Girolami was the fastest of them all, but his lap of 1:52.546 was disallowed for a track limit infringement at T4.
The Q1 proved incredibly close, with 23 cars covered by less than nine tenths, which left top seeds such as Yvan Muller, Frédéric Vervisch and Aurélien Panis out of Q2. Nicky Catsburg failed to make the cut as well after his fastest lap was disallowed for a track limit infringement and found himself in 13th place. Tarquini and Thed Björk scraped through to Q2 in 11th and 12th position.
Norbert Michelisz set the fastest lap of 1:52.801 ahead of Girolami, Priaulx, Ehrlacher, Azcona, Farfus, Haglöf, Huff, Guerrieri, Vernay, Tarquini and Björk, all covered by 0.245 seconds.
Ehrlacher topped Q2 (1:52.309) from Girolami (1:52.461), Tarquini (1:52.607), Michelisz (1:52.709) and Guerrieri (1:52.722). Mikel Azcona was the first who didn’t go through to Q3, as he was 11 thousandths of a second slower than Guerrieri.
Jean-Karl Vernay and Daniel Haglöf will share the front row of the top-ten reverse grid for Race 2 that will start at 15:30 on the distance of 12 laps. Race 3 will follow at 17:00 over 15 laps.
Qualifying 2
1. 1:52.784 – Norbert Michelisz (BRC Racing, Hyundai i30 N)
2. 1:52.792 – Esteban Guerrieri (Münnich Motorsport, Honda Civic FK7)
3. 1:52.824 – Yann Ehrlacher (Cyan Performance, Lynk&Co 03)
4. 1:52.907 – Gabriele tarquini (BRC Racing, Hyundai i30 N)
5. No time – Néstor Girolami (Münnich Motorsport, Honda Civic FK7)
Championship points
1. Guerrieri 79 pts; 2. Björk 70; 3. Girolami 65
