Vanthoor keeps Team WRT Audi on top after dark at Magny-Cours

Vanthoor keeps Team WRT Audi on top after dark at Magny-Cours

Dries Vanthoor kept Team WRT on top in pre-qualifying at Magny-Cours to complete a Friday sweep for the Audi squad. 

Vanthoor set the leading time – a 1m35.969s – during the early stages of the 80-minute session. His closest challenge came from fellow Audi factory driver Christopher Haase, who was 0.280s off the pace in the #25 Saintéloc Racing machine. 

Jim Pla was third overall and once again quickest of the Silver Cup runners. The #87 AKKA ASP Mercedes-AMG driver was made to work hard for his position, however, with class rival Chris Froggatt just 0.027s shy in the #93 Sky Tempesta Racing Ferrari. Garage 59 emerged as the quickest Pro-Am squad thanks to Aston Martin expert Jonny Adam, who posted a 1m37.353s in the car he shares with Alex West. Full session times can be viewed here.

The Magny-Cours event marks the opening round of the 2021 Sprint Cup campaign and will see 27 cars tackle a pair of 60-minute races at the French track. Pre-qualifying gave drivers the opportunity to adapt to the 4.4km circuit in darkness ahead of tomorrow's night race. It ran largely without incident until the final 10 minutes when the #163 Emil Frey Racing Lamborghini hit the barriers at turn 6, ending the session early. 

The serious action begins tomorrow with qualifying at 17:05 and the opening race at 22:25. Saturday also signals the start of live coverage on the GT World Challenge Europe website and social media channels. There's more to come on Sunday, with qualifying 2 at 10:00 and the weekend's second race at 14:40.