Antonio Albacete took his first pole since last year’s season-ending weekend at Jarama in a thrilling qualifying session at the Nürburgring this afternoon.
Antonio Albacete took his first pole since last year’s season-ending weekend at Jarama in a thrilling qualifying session at the Nürburgring this afternoon.
Truck Sport Lutz Bernau’s Albacete initially topped the timing screens, setting 1:54.832, eclipsing Jochen Hahn in his Team Hahn Racing IVECO by just 0.136s.
Hahn then re-took the provisional pole, by the narrowest of margins, being only 0.003s quicker than the Spaniard.
Albacete then retaliated in the dying moments of the Super Pole session, setting a 1:54.805 lap which was just 0.024 quicker than Hahn’s best.
Another local ace, Rene Reinert, qualified strongly in third, himself just 0.305s off Albacete’s time. Reinert will have Norbert Kiss in his Mercedes-Benz truck for company on the second row of the grid after his Tankpool24 Racing team repaired a leak which stopped the Hungarian on the track in the earlier free practice running.
The third row of the grid will be shared by two more German drivers, Sascha Lenz of SL Trucksport and Steffi Halm in her Team Schwabentruck run IVECO.
Reigning champion, Adam Lacko, who won all three races here last year, qualified only eighth in his Buggyra International Racing System Freightliner truck.
Ryan Smith, who is on double duty this weekend, as he is also competing in the supporting ADAC Mittlerehin Cup, joins Lacko on the fourth row of the grid in his Team OXXO Hungary Truck Racing Team MAN.
André Kursim and José Rordrigues complete the top ten for Don’t Touch Racing IVECO and Reboconort respectively.
Hahn Heads Timed Practice
Jochen Hahn was a dominant force in the timed practice session held directly before Super Pole.
The four-times champion set a 1:54.847 to set down an impressive marker. His compatriot, Rene Reinert was best of the rest, 0.382 off the current championship leader’s time.
Kiss was third-fastest, eclipsing Halm by just 0.013s. Places from fifth to ten went to: Smith, Lenz, Albacete, J. Rodrigues, Lacko and Kursim.
Just missing out on Super Pole was Gerd Korber in his Team Schwabentruck IVECO. The German veteran found himself ahead Luis Recuenco (Truck Sport Lutz Bernau MAN), Thomas Robineau (Team Robineau MAN), Shane Brereton (TOR Truck Racing MAN), Frankie Vojtisek (Czech Truck Racing Team MAN), Steffen Faas (Team Tankpool24 Mercedes-Benz), Teo Calvet (Lion Truck Racing MAN), Eduardo Rodrigues (Reboconorte MAN) and Erwin Kleinnagelvoort (EK Truck Race Scania).
Anthony Janiec in his Lion Truck Racing MAN had all his times cancelled due to overspeeding and will start down in 20th, instead of 12th
Brits Oly Janes of Buggyra International Racing System/Freightliner and Terry Gibbon of T-Sport/MAN both failed to set times and will start 21st and 22nd.
Full results available here.