Giovinazzi puts #51 Ferrari on Pole for Qatar 1812KM

Text: Rick Kiewiet

Images: WEC

Pole position for the WEC season opener in Qatar Friday was seized by Antonio Giovinazzi in the #51 AF Corse Ferrari 499p. In the LMGT3 class, Sean Gelael led a United Autosports McLaren 1-2 .

Giovinazzi grabbed pole in the absolute dying seconds of qualifying, just ahead of the #15 BMW. The sister car, #50, was put on p3 by Antonio Fuoco, followed by Alex Lynn and Sebastien Bourdais in the two JOTA Cadillacs.

The second BMW in the hands of Robin Frijns claimed p6, behind him another Dutchman as Nyck de Vries put the first of the Toyota's, the #7 on p7. The #83 privateer Ferrari 499p, #35 Alpine and #94 Peugeot completed the top-10.

The LMGT3 qualifying was the first in a slightly new format, in which the Bronze rated driver had to qualify for Hyperpole, after which the Silver-rated co-driver had to set a time during that Hyperpole.

Sean Gelael proved fasted in the #95, followed by teammate Baud in the #59. In p3, Finn Gehrsitz put in Lexus' best qualifying result since its return. Ferrari came in 4th and 5th, with Castelacci in the #54 ahead of Mann in the #21.