All three Audi R8 sports cars at the front

After the first qualifying session for the Nürburgring 1000-kilometre race, all three Audi R8 sports cars are placed at the front of the field. Jamie Davies, starting for Audi Sport UK Team Veloqx together with former Formula 1 driver Johnny Herbert, recorded the fastest time on Friday in 1m 47.009s. Seiji Ara and Rinaldo Capello (Audi Sport Japan Team Goh), driving the winning car of this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours, are provisional second on the grid. Local hero Pierre Kaffer, sharing the other Audi Sport UK Team Veloqx R8 with Allan McNish, set the third fastest time.

Rain starting shortly after the beginning of the session caused difficult conditions and restricted the hunt for pole position to the first few minutes. “The track was very ‘tricky’ but I managed to achieve a good lap,” enthused Jamie Davies after setting the fastest time of the day. Rinaldo Capello was also content: “I wanted to abort my lap when the rain started, but luckily I continued the lap.” Pierre Kaffer, living at Burgbrohl close to the Nürburgring, qualifying in provisional third position, got stuck in traffic: “I was held up by a slower car,” explained the Sebring winner. “However, it is more important that our Audi R8 feels really good also on this track.”

“Today we’ve seen that our teams are coping well with difficult conditions,“ said Head of Audi Motorsport Dr Wolfgang Ullrich. “Also thanks to the FSI engine, the Audi R8 is good to drive also in wet conditions. Despite that, I hope especially for the spectators, that the weather will be better tomorrow.”

Final qualifying at the Nürburgring takes places Saturday from 11:35 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. local time. The start of the 1000-kilometre race, which is held for the first time since 1988, is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.

Results of 1st qualifying

1 Davies/Herbert

2 Ara/Capello

3 Kaffer/McNish

4 Erdos/Ramos/Newton

5 Gounon/Frei/Hancock

6 Minassian/Campbell-Walter

7 Stack/Hignett/Collini

8 Short/Barbosa/Pearce

9 Belmondo/Gosselin/Saviozzi

10 Nielsen/Keen

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