Qi Draws First Blood, Takes Interlagos Pole Position

Li Qi started the 2019 GT Super Series campaign on the right foot by securing pole position for the season opener at Autódromo José Carlos Pace.

In a race against time with a rain storm cell looming, the former Formula 1 driver put in the quickest time  on his second flying lap of the session before the entire field made it out on track. While the time would stand for the session, it would end up being a tighter than was expected by the Carson Speedworks driver compared to the running in the preceding practice sessions. Andrea Constantini and Qi’s teammate Joey Alliot ended up within half of a tenth of a second behind Qi, with Nathan McKane being a tenth off in his own right to complete the second row of the grid for the race on Sunday.

Starting on the third row of the grid for Sunday’s race is the first of the factory Paganis, with Canadian Anton Robishaud putting in a time a quarter of a second off of Li Qi’s pace. Alongside Robishaud is Matteo Rossi in the second of the factory Aston Martins, a further eighth tenths off of Robidhaud and two and a half tenths behind series debutante in the other factory Aston in McKane.

Starting directly behind those two for the race on Sunday is the first of the Independent Class competitors in James Douglas. The son of former GTSS driver Tom Douglas has continued to show blinding one lap pace within the class in his second year in the championship, his fastest time being three tenths clear of second in class, being Harrison Wilkinson in the LKM Lamborghini. Wilkinson’s time was twelfth quickest in the session, putting him between the debuting CWG Team MacMillan Ford GTs.

Reigning World Driver’s Champion Chris Winter put in the ninth fastest time in the session, but was three quarters of a second off of the pace. His new teammate, Emma Pescatore, lining up alongside on the fifth row of the grid, with the Racing Team Solvalou team electing to focus on a wet-weather setup with more rain expected on Sunday for the race.

Qualifying Results – Round of Brazil