Azcona pips Tassi and Files in Qualifying
After being the last driver to make the cut for Q2, current points leader Mikel Azcona secured his first pole position in TCR Europe with a last gasp lap on the drying track.
The PCR Sport Spaniard demoted Hell Energy Racing teammates Attila Tassi and Josh Files to second and third, while Target Competition colleagues Dušan Borković and Reece Barr qualified fourth and fifth respectively.
Zengő Motorsport’s TCR returnee Ferenc Ficza put in a brilliant effort to place his Cupra DSG in sixth position, ahead of his fellow countryman Dániel Nagy who had been fastest in Q1. Francisco Abreu qualified eighth despite having his fastest lap disallowed for a track limit infringement, while Julien Briché and Francisco Mora rounded off the top ten and secured the front row on the reverse grid for tomorrow’s Race 2; Mora will be on pole.
It was a disappointing session for Kris Richard, Jean-Karl Vernay and Stefano Comini who were not able to advance to Q2.
The first race will start at 13:40 (live streaming at www.tcr-series.com and www.tcr-series.tv).
Q1 – Nagy is fastest on a drying track
On a wet track that began to dry towards the end of the 20-minute stint, M1RA’s teammates Nagy and Mora posted the fastest laps; they were the only drivers who broke the 2:08 wall and were clocked at 2:07.368 and 2:07.979 respectively.
Quite surprisingly, Abreu (2:08.131), Barr (2:08.295) and Loris Cencetti (2:08.300) were classified from third to fifth.
Tassi (2:08.331) and Files (2:08.357) had set the provisional fastest laps in the early stages and eventually settled in sixth and seventh, they were followed by Briché (2:08.626) and Ficza (2:09:001). Borković (2:09.117), Stian Paulsen (2:09.147) and Azcona (2:09.234) rounded off the top-twelve who advanced to Q2.
Richard was the first to miss the cut by 48 thousandths of a second only; other prominent victims were Vernay (21st) and Comini (22nd).
Q2 – Azcona claims last gasp pole position
A perfect strategy from PCR Sport helped Azcona to claim pole position. The young Spaniard waited until the final moments, when the racing line were dryer, to mount two slick tyres at the front of his Cupra and set the fastest lap of 2:05.652. Thus, he pipped Tassi (2:06.105) and Files (2:06.393) who seemed to have locked the front row of the grid for Race 1.
Borković (2:06.393) qualified fourth ahead of Barr (2:06.893) who made up from a disappointing day of Practice and claimed his best Qualifying result so far.
