Martin Andersen and Marcel Fugel took one pole apiece

Martin Andersen and Marcel Fugel won the pole positions at the Nürburgring in the two Qualifying sessions for the last pair of races of the 2021 ADAC TCR Germany championship.
The battle for the second position in the standings has become even closer; Dominik Fugel who is currently second was stopped by a technical issue in the first Qualifying and was fourth fastest in the second. His advantage has been reduced to one point over the third-placed Eric Scalvini – who qualified fourth and second – while the fourth-placed Andersen is eight further points adrift.
Andersen topped the field in the first 20-minute session that was disrupted by the red flag at mid-point, for recovering Jonas Karklys’ Hyundai from a gravel trap.
The Dane posted a provisional fastest lap of 1:34.684 before the suspension, but as action resumed, Marcel Fugel went faster, clocking a 1:34.317 that put him on top of the timesheet. However, Andersen answered and claimed pole position with a lap of 1:34.198. Veteran Roland Hertner created a surprise ranking third ahead of Eric Scalvini and Nico Gruber.
After setting a first lap of 1:36.152, Dominik Fugel could not rejoin after the red flag, as his Honda was nailed in the pits by a technical issue, which will relegate him to P9 on the grid for Race 1.
Marcel Fugel took a last-gasp pole for Race 2, as he clocked the fastest lap just before the chequered flag was waved, demoting Andersen to second. It was a very close call, with the four fastest drivers covered by two tenths.
Andersen’s first attempt was worth a 1:34.443 that was soon beaten by Dominik Fugel’s 1:33.887; Fugel completed a second consecutive fastest lap of 1:33.872, but Andersen was even faster and posted a 1:33.820 that seemed good enough to give him the second pole position of the day. However, Marcel Fugel had the last word and jumped to the top with a last lap of 1:33.624, while Scalvini improved as well, moving up to third with a lap of 1:33.825 that was five thousandths slower than Andersen’s, but eight thousandths faster than Dominik Fugel’s.  
The first race will start Saturday at 10:15 CET and the second one Sunday at 10:45; both will be streamed live at www.tcr-series.com.

Nürburgring – Qualifying 1
1:34.198 Martin Andersen (Hyundai Team Engstler, Hyundai i30 N)
1:34.317 Marcel Fugel (Team ADAC Sachsen, Honda Civic Type R Fk7)
1:35.103 Martin Andersen (Hyundai Team Engstler, Hyundai i30 N)

Nürburgring – Qualifying 2
1:33.624 Marcel Fugel (Team ADAC Sachsen, Honda Civic Type R Fk7)
1:33.820 Martin Andersen (Hyundai Team Engstler, Hyundai i30 N)
1:33.825 Eric Scalvini (Wimmer Werk Motorsport, CUPRA Leon Competición)

Championship points
1. L. Engstler 337; 2. D. Fugel 259; 3. E. Scalvini 258

Picture: ADAC Motorsport/Gruppe C Photography