Sean Edwards takes off into round two of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup from pole position on Sunday in Monte Carlo. In an eventful qualifying session on the challenging street circuit in the Principality on the Cote d’Azur, the winner from last year planted his Allyouneed by Project 1-run 460 hp new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, which is based on the seventh generation of the 911, on pole 0.623 seconds faster than Poland’s Kuba Giermaziak (VERVA Racing Team). The Briton, who lives in Monaco, had already won the season-opening race of the attractive brand trophy series two weeks ago in Barcelona.
Behind the leading pair, both of whom shared the front grid row in Spain, Michael Ammermüller (Germany) from Lechner Racing Team posted the third quickest time ahead of his teammate Jeroen Bleekemolen. At the race in his adopted home, the two-time Supercup champion from the Netherlands returns to the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup and could become the first race driver with three Supercup victories in Monaco. The fifth spot on the grid went to Germany’s Christian Engelhart (FACH AUTO TECH) at his first Supercup appearance of the season. He scored the third fastest qualifying time but received a two grid place penalty because he failed to comply with flag signals. Lining up alongside him on the third grid row as best rookie is Richie Stanaway (DAMS) from New Zealand.
Britain’s Ben Barker (Team Bleekemolen) took the eighth quickest qualifying time ahead of Porsche Junior Klaus Bachler (FÖRCH Racing) from Austria. Eleventh was the Frenchman Jean-Karl Vernay (MRS GT-Racing), the winner of the 2012 International Cup Scholarship. The nine-time World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb (France), the guest driver in the VIP car of Porsche AG, heads into his second Supercup race on Sunday from position 16. His compatriot Sébastien Ogier, the current WRC leader and competing for the first time in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup as a guest for the Allyouneed by Project 1 team, put his Porsche 911 GT3 Cup on position 14. Porsche Junior Michael Christensen (DAMS) from Denmark had to settle for the 20th grid position.
Sean Edwards (pole-sitter): “Our car ran perfectly, it was great to drive. The many yellow flags made it a very difficult qualifying session. I think a faster time would have been possible, but I didn’t really get a clean run. That makes pole position all the more sweeter. For tomorrow’s race I’m of course hoping for a perfect start – and for my second victory in Monaco.”
Kuba Giermaziak (2nd qualifier): “I had just one free lap, so we can be really happy that I managed to clock the second fastest time. I hope that things go a little better for me in the race than recently in Barcelona. If I can make a clean start maybe I can fight Sean for victory.”
Michael Ammermüller (3rd qualifier): “On my quickest lap I had to overtake another car. That was typical for this difficult qualifying. I could have gone even faster under normal circumstances, but I am satisfied with my grid position. My goal for the race is to have a good start and to go for a podium finish.”
Klaus Bachler (Porsche Junior, 9th qualifier): “This is my first race in Monaco, so I’m feeling pretty good. On my second set of tyres I made a mistake in braking and then later touched the barriers. I came in to the pits to change the tyres. It was the right decision because I then set my fastest time with the old tyres.”
Jean-Karl Vernay (Winner International Cup Scholarship, 11th qualifier): “It was an exciting qualifying. With my first set of tyres I was even in the top five, but I can still be satisfied with ninth place. Now I’m hoping to finish further up the field in tomorrow’s race.”
Sébastien Loeb (16th qualifier): “I was almost in despair. I didn’t get one free lap. At one point I was on the way to a new fastest time, but suddenly two cars stood in the middle of the track. That was typical of this qualifying.”
Michael Christensen (Porsche Junior, 20th qualifier): “That was such a disappointment. I had the chance to clock a quicker time but unfortunately I couldn’t make the most of it.”
Sunday’s race is televised live by TV stations Eurosport (09.45 hrs) and Sky (09.40 hr). In addition, Eurosport broadcasts highlights on Sunday at 22.30 hrs in the programme “Motorsport Weekend Magazin”.
Starting grid
1. Sean Edwards (GB), Team Allyouneed by Project 1, 1:36.063 minutes
2. Kuba Giermaziak (PL), VERVA Racing Team, + 0.623 seconds
3. Michael Ammermüller (D), Lechner Racing Team, + 0.768
4. Jeroen Bleekemolen (NL), Lechner Racing Team, + 0.828
5. Christian Engelhart (D), FACH AUTO TECH, + 0.675*
6. Richie Stanaway (NZL), DAMS, + 0,863
9. Klaus Bachler (A), FÖRCH Racing, + 1.115
11. Jean-Karl Vernay (F), MRS GT-Racing, + 1,235
16. Sébastien Loeb (F), Porsche AG, + 1.708
20. Michael Christensen (DK), DAMS, + 1.832
