Tom Kristensen on pole position at Le Mans
Le Mans. For the seventh time in his career, Tom Kristensen (Audi) is on pole position for a DTM race. In qualifying for the tenth season round of the most popular international touring car series, the Dane was fastest with a lap time of 1:30.149 minutes and thus secured the best grid position for the race on Sunday. Lining up next to Kristensen, who has already won the Le Mans 24 Hours at the legendary circuit eight times, will be Jamie Green (Mercedes-Benz), who is second on the grid. The two title candidates Paul di Resta (Mercedes-Benz) and Timo Scheider (Audi) will be starting behind Mattias Ekstr?m (Audi) from fourth and fifth place into the 43 lap race at the Sarthe. Bernd Schneider (Mercedes-Benz) completes the third grid row in sixth place. The DTM record champion is followed by Bruno Spengler (Mercedes-Benz) and Martin Tomczyk (Audi) in seventh and eighth place. An extensive press release with quotes from the drivers and motorsport directors will follow shortly.
Qualifying in Detail
Weather: overcast, dry
Air temperature: 14.4 ?C
Asphalt temperature: 17.5 ?C
13:28 hrs Start of the session. Susie Stoddart is the first driver to go out.
13:31 hrs Stoddart sets a fastest lap time of 1.32.518, but is then outpaced by Engel: 1.32.364.
13:32 hrs Winkelhock is now fastest with 1.31.441.
13:34 hrs Timo Scheider is second-fastest with 1.31.686.
13:35 hrs Paul di Resta is the first to crack the 1.31 mark: 1.30.674.
13:35 hrs Four Mercedes-Benz drivers on top: Di Resta is fastest from Spengler, Green, Schneider.
13:36 hrs Martin Tomczyk is now second with 1.31.011.
13:37 hrs Paul di Resta improved his own time to 1.30.646.
13:38 hrs Ekstr?m is the only driver who has yet to set a time.
13:38 hrs Kristensen is now second with 1.30.986.
13:39 hrs On his first flying lap, Ekstr?m moves up into second place: 1.30.787.
13:42 hrs Pr?mat from 15th to 10th, pushes Albers out of the top 14, but the Dutchman immediately improves to 12th.
13:44 hrs End of the session. The following drivers haven't made it into the second heat: Stoddart, Paffett, Legge, Lauda and Schumacher.
13:44 hrs Di Resta remains fastest from Ekstr?m, Kristensen, Tomczyk, Spengler, Green, Scheider, Schneider, Winkelhock, Pr?mat.
13:49 hrs Start of the secons heat, Jarvis is the first driver out.
13:53 hrs Schneider tops the time sheet with 1.30.668 from Green, Jarvcis, Rockenfeller, Pr?mat and Albers.
13:53 hrs Martin Tomczyk is now first with 1.30.224 while Ekstr?m moves up into second with 1.30.562.
13:54 hrs Timo Scheider takes second place: 1.30.550.
13:56 hrs Three Audis on top with Tomczyk, Scheider and Ekstr?m. Bernd Schneider is best-placed Mercedes driver in fourth place from Green and di Resta.
13:58 hrs Schneider moves up into second with 1.30.483.
14:00 hrs Kristensen moves up into third place with 1.30.494.
14:00 hrs End of the session. Tomczyk remains fastest from Schneider, Kristensen, Scheider, Ekstr?m, Green, di Resta and Spengler.
14:01 hrs The following drivers didn't make the cut: Rockenfeller, Jarvis, Pr?mat, Winkelhock, Engel, Albers.
14:07 hrs Start of the final session. Bernd Schneider is the first driver out.
14:09 hrs Bernd Schneider is the first driver to post a lap time: 1.30.572.
14:10 hrs Jamie Green is now fastest: 1.30.572.
14:10 hrs Timo Scheider is first with 1.30.545, then Ekstr?m takes over with 1.30.284.
14:11 hrs Kristensen is fastest with 1.30.149.
14:15 hrs Green moves up from fifth to second: 1.30.229.
14:15 hrs End of the session. Kristensen remains fastest from Green, Ekstr?m, di Resta, Scheider, Schneider, Spengler, Tomczyk.
