Kelvin van der Linde, Team WRT storm to pole for GTWC EU Magny-Cours race two, massive disappointment for Rossi

Credit: SRO/JEP

On a hot and sunny Magny-Cours, Kelvin van der Linde and Team WRT proved the combination to beat, with the South African pulling off a spectacular pole lap time, while Valentino Rossi ended up far down the order.

As it happened

In contrast to the complete Mercedes domination of the first qualifying, where four AMG GT3s occupied spots in the top five, it was a more balanced affair, with five different manufacturers in the top five spots.

Kelvin van der Linde made the session his, in what was a complete 180 to his teammate's efforts in yesterday's qualifying. The South African managed a spectacular pole lap of 1:35.927 in the No.32 Team WRT BMW, the only driver to drop below the 1:36 mark.

Following him in second place was the No.7 Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin of Nicki Thiim, two tenths off the BMW and only just ahead of third place Christopher Haase in the No.84 Eastalent Audi, a remarkable effort given race one ended in a retirement for the German.

The top five was rounded out by the No.59 Garage 59 McLaren of Marvin Kirchöfer and the No.80 Lionspeed GP Porsche of Ricardo Feller, with Gold cup poleman Arthur Rougier's No.111 CSA Racing McLaren in sixth, three tenths faster than any other Gold entrant.

It was a more subdued day than Saturday for race one polesitters and winners Verstappen Racing, as the No.3 Mercedes driven by Dani Juncadella ended up only eighth, one spot ahead of race one runner-up Arthur Leclerc in the No.50 AF Corse Ferrari.

The session was an utter dissapointment for Valentino Rossi in the No.46 Team WRT BMW, with the Italian never really managing to find a good lap, ending up all the way down in 22nd and last of the Pro cup cars.

Ignacio Montenegro in the No.30 Team WRT BMW proved the absolute benchmark for the Silver cup, the Argentine TCR convert setting the pole time with a 1:36.769, good enough for 16th overall and two tenths faster than the next Silver car, the No.21 Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin of Arthur Dorison.

As for the Bronze cup, pole went to the No.93 Ziggo Sport Tempesta Racing Porsche, with Peter Dempsey setting a time of 1:37.387, after a superior effort by Charles Dawson in the No.222 2seas Mercedes was deleted due to track limits violation.

Race two starts at 15:30 local time (13:30 GMT)

Qualifying Results - Overall

1st No.32 Team WRT, BMW

2nd No.7 Comtoyou Racing, Aston Martin

3rd No.84 Eastalent Racing, Audi

4th No.59 Garage 59, McLaren

5th No.80 Lionspeed GP, Porsche