Australian driver Nick Foster will start from pole for today’s Suzuka round of the Blancpain Asia GT Series. Driving the HubAuto Ferrari, Foster led team-mate and fellow Aussie Tim Slade for an all Ferrari front row.
Slade and Foster traded fastest laps separated by just 0.007s. Slade was first up and duly delivered the weekend’s first sub-2m02s lap, just as everyone headed for the pits, Foster picked his moment to head out for one final attempt. Purple first and final sectors, as well as a PB in the middle, duly settled it in the Australian’s favour, his 2m01.584s proving an incredible 0.322s quicker than Slade’s time.
Niederhauser and Marciello formed an all-GruppeM row two ahead of FFF Racing’s Marco Mapelli, whose late effort bumped team-mate Martin Kodric down to sixth.
Absolute Racing’s Adderly Fong was the leading Audi driver in seventh, and Alex Imperatori rounded out the top-eight aboard KCMG’s Nissan.
GT4 also enjoyed a dramatic finish when BMW Team Studie’s Sunako Jukuchou pipped long-time leader Reinhold Renger to pole after the chequered flag had flown.
The Japanese team and driver’s 2m15.259s was 0.140s faster than GruppeM’s Mercedes-AMG, which finished two tenths ahead of Gilles Vannelet’s similar Team iRace.Win model.
Jean Marc Merlin’s Craft-Bamboo Mercedes-AMG also claimed a place on row two at the expense of Max Chen (Team Studie BMW) and Keo Chang (Tawan Top Speed Porsche).
