+ Kirchhöfer’s scintillating lap lights up GT3
+ Mitchell’s GT4 record not enough to deny team-mates Miller and Neate
+ Qualifying results: Silverstone 500
Marvin Kirchhöfer set the fastest-ever British GT lap at Silverstone to help Optimum and Morgan Tillbrook bag pole position for Sunday’s three-hour 500. GT4 also has a new qualifying benchmark thanks to Jack Mitchell, but that wasn’t enough to deny Mahiki team-mates Josh Miller and Aiden Neate who start up front tomorrow.
Optimum’s McLaren began Q2 in second overall after Tillbrook lapped a tenth slower than Giacomo Petrobelli. But Kirchhöfer’s subsequent effort, which was a tenth quicker than Sandy Mitchell’s previous best from 2022, more than overturned the #77’s crew’s arrears.
Indeed, his 1m56.569s moved the 720S 0.661s ahead of 2 Seas’ Kevin Tse and Maximilian Götz who set the third and second fastest times in their respective sessions. Blackthorn’s Aston Martin shared by Petrobelli and Jonny Adam finished just 0.004s behind.
Guest entrants Andrew Gilbert and Fran Rueda (Kessel Racing) were fastest of the Silver-Am contenders in ninth overall.
In GT4, Miller and Neate’s pace in Q3 and Q4 left them 1.3s ahead of their nearest rivals and the top Pro-Am duo, Optimum’s Marc Warren and Jack Brown, while Ravi Ramyead and Charlie Robertson (Century) start third.
GT3: KIRCHHÖFER A CUT ABOVE
Fastest time in Friday’s testing before topping this morning’s Free Practice signalled Kirchhöfer’s intent. And the German made no mistake when it mattered most in qualifying by lapping four tenths quicker than anyone else.
Petrobelli set the pace on consecutive laps in Q1 but had his advantage reduced to 0.1s by Tillbrook who saved his best for the final run. That deficit became a healthy advantage in Q2 when Götz also pushed the Aston Martin down to P3 overall despite Adam setting the second session’s third fastest time.
The first of Barwell’s Lamborghinis completes row two. Alex Martin and Patrick Kujala finished fourth and eighth, respectively.
Paradine’s guesting BMW shared by 2023 Silverstone 500 winners Darren Leung and Dan Harper made it as many different manufacturers in the top five, while Marcus Clutton’s fourth fastest Q2 time elevated Orange Racing’s McLaren – which suffered an off in Free Practice – three spots to sixth overall.
Donington winners Charles Dawson and Kiern Jewiss start seventh after qualifying with an additional 30kg of ballast, and the returning Rob Collard lines up eighth with Hugo Cook in the second of Barwell’s Huracans.
Paddock’s McLaren rounded out the top 10 behind Kessel’s Silver-Am class pole-winning Ferrari.
GT4: MAHIKI MAKES AMENDS
A procedural breach cost Lotus its first British GT pole since 2015 last time out at Donington, but there was no repeat this time as Miller’s masterful lap in the opening segment shattered GT4’s existing qualifying lap record and left Neate with a comfortable cushion heading into the second half.
Having topped every session leading up to Qualifying, Mahiki was the safe bet for pole, but few expected Miller to scythe a full 0.8s off Gordie Mutch’s old qualifying best – set with the same team and car last year – on his first attempt. 1.4s clear of the rest, Miller pitted early with pole all but secured.
Neate then set fourth fastest time to confirm the #84 Emira’s place at the head of the field.
But there was still plenty to play for behind where Free Practice and Pre-Qualifying pace-setter Mitchell had his sights set on beating Miller’s new benchmark. His first effort fell just short before a 2m07.965s shaved just 0.016s from the provisional record. In doing so, the car also featuring Steven Lake moved up to fifth overall.
Lotuses aside, the combined effort of Warren and Brown helped Optimum’s McLaren to second overall and Pro-Am pole, just ahead of Ramyead and Robertson’s Century BMW.
Harry George and Luca Hopkinson will start from fourth overall and second in the Silver order aboard the other Optimum Artura, while Chris Salkeld and Branden Templeton (Century) share row three with Lake and Mitchell’s Lotus.
Team Parker Racing’s Mercedes-AMG of Jon Currie and Phil Keen is next up after beating the sister car driven by Endurance Cup pole winners Ed McDermott and Seb Morris.
British GT’s blue riband race begins at 12:30 on Sunday. Watch it live on SRO’s GT World YouTube channel and Sky Sports F1 from 12:15.
