Spa Qualifying Report

“Factory” Audi ace McNish set a best lap of 2mins 34.454secs, an average speed of 63.17mph around the magnificent 4.333-mile, 15-corner track in the Ardennes region, to clock the 13th fastest time in today’s (SAT) qualifying session staged in typically wet conditions.

For McNish, who has posted an 11th and a retirement in the opening two DTM races, today’s performance his equals his best DTM start position.

The 35-year-old Monaco-based Scotsman who drives a Siemens-supported 2005-spec Audi A4DTM commented:  “The conditions deteriorated through the session and the visibility worsened while my Audi was aquaplaning in many places around the track which wasn’t a nice feeling."   

Former double world champion Mika Hakkinen, of Finland, starts his Mercedes from pole-position in the 23-laps (99.66-miles) race – his first DTM “pole” and the first time Europe’s most competitive and popular touring car series has been held at Spa.

Hakkinen set a best 2min 32.729secs in the “Super Pole” top-10 run-off while Sweden’s 2004 DTM champion Mattias Ekstrom (Audi) completes the front row.

Bromley’s Gary Paffett, who won the last race at the EuroSpeedway two weeks ago, and Hakkinen (Fin), both suffered excursions off the track in the earlier 30-minute qualifying session.

Paffett’s Mercedes suffered rear end damage preventing the Briton from taking his place in the top-10 run-off which then saw Hockenheim DTM race winner Jean Alesi (Fr) and reigning EuroSeries Formula Three champion Jamie Green, from Leicester, also slide off the track in their Mercedes. 

2002 DTM champion Laurent Aiello, of France, had set the fastest time in the qualifying session but was another to suffer an excursion in the “run-off”.  Indeed, so slippery was the wet track that six-time Le Mans 24 Hours race winner Tom Krsitensen (Audi) skidded off on his “slowing down” lap.

Qualifying Positions (Weather – rain):

1. Mika Häkkinen, Fin (Mercedes C-Klasse) 2:32.729 

2. Mattias Ekström, Sw (Audi A4 DTM) 2:33.292 

3. Christian Abt, D (Audi A4 DTM) 2:33.991 

4. Marcel Fässler, CH (Opel Vectra GTS V8) 2:34.121 

5. Pierre Kaffer, D (Audi A4 DTM) 2:34.304 

6. Tom Kristensen, Den (Audi A4 DTM) 2:34.870

7. Laurent Aiello, Fr (Opel Vectra GTS V8) 2:35.844   

8. Jean Alesi, Fr (Mercedes C-Klasse) 2:36.884 

9. Jamie Green, GB (Mercedes C-Klasse) 2:41.078 

10.  Gary Paffett, GB (Mercedes C-Klasse) (DNS) 2:34.036 

11.  Stefan Mücke, D (Mercedes C-Klasse) 2:34.293 

12.  Bernd Schneider, D (Mercedes C-Klasse) 2:34.364 

13.  Allan McNish, GB (Audi A4 DTM) 2:34.454  02.526 

14.  Martin Tomczyk, D (Audi A4 DTM) 2:34.788  02.860 

15.  Alexandros Margaritis, Greece (Mercedes C-Klasse) 2:34.976  03.048 

16.  Heinz-Harald Frentzen, D (Opel Vectra GTS V8) 2:35.215 

17.  Manuel Reuter, D (Opel Vectra GTS V8) 2:35.476 

18.  Rinaldo Capello, It (Audi A4 DTM) 2:36.366 

19.  Bruno Spengler, Can (Mercedes C-Klasse) 2:37.118 

20.  Frank Stippler, D (Audi A4 DTM) 2:37.164