Max Hesse has become the eighth different poleman of the season. The German, at the wheel of the Pro-Am car #500, the BMW M4 of Racing Trevor shared with Atila Szigo, dominated the session, posting a time of 1.27.611 on a sunny Saturday morning at the Red Bull Ring.
“It’s nice to be in this position”, said the German, “this is a track that actually suits quite well the BMW. This afternoon, I’ll try to give Atila the car in the best position possible, and let’s see what happens. It is only his second race at this level, but he is progressing very well”.
Sharing first row will be the Elite Motorsport Ferrari of Tom Lebbon, who led the session in the central part. He fell short from the pole by only 0s119, with 14 cars covered by one second.
In second row will be Olimp Racing’s Karol Basz, now at the wheel of a Ferrari (+0s531) and the Get Speed Mercedes of Fabian Schiller (+0s609). In its GT Open debut, the second Greystone GT McLaren secured third row with Josh Rattican (+0s626), alongside local hero Dominik Baumann in the SPS Mercedes (+0s640).
In fourth row the debuting Poulsen Motorsport of BMW of Jens Klingmann (+0s801) and the standings leading Motopark Mercedes of Max Götz (+0s817). Its main challenger, the local hero Eastalent Racing Audi was 14th with Simon Reicher (+0s910).
Fastest in Am was the class leading AF Corse Ferrari of Michele Rugolo, 12th overall.
33 cars will take start and there are more last-minute changes, as Luis Michael Dörrbecker will race alone in the BDR Grupo Prom Mercedes #28 and another Austrian driver joins the party as Philipp Baron will be at the wheel of the #92 Ferrari of his own team, alongside Edoardo Bacci, as Massoud Jaberian had a travel issue and couldn’t make it to Spielberg.