Row 4 start the highlight for Kiwis in tight Nürburgring qualifying

Tom Bewley and Will Exton will start the two one hour races in the ADAC GT4 Germany round at the Nürburgring from 15th and 8th on the grid after a tight qualifying session today.

Two 20-minute qualifying sessions saw the top runners covered by just fractions of a second. Exton’s best effort in the second session secured a fourth-row spot for Sunday’s race but luck wasn’t on Bewley’s side as a red flag limited his to 15th fastest time and the eighth row of the grid for Saturday’s race.

Tom’s first effort in the only GR Supra GT4 EVO in the 24-car field saw him go second fastest in the early stages, setting him and the KCMG team up for a big performance.

The fast times kept coming and just as Tom was building for one more big effort the #84 Mercedes of Lachlan Robinson came to a halt and brought out the red flag with just two and a half minutes remaining.

That left Bewley with the 15th fastest time – still just eight tenths off the best. Pole position went to championship leaders Gabriele Piana and Michael Schrey in their BMW.

“I just didn’t manage to get all of the three sectors nailed together so that’s a big learning for me,” he said. “It’s frustrating when we had the speed all the way around the lap but we just have to look ahead to the race now. It’s going to be busy but I’ll try and use our pace to move up through the field as quickly as possible.”

A short break followed before the second part of qualifying - which would sort out the grid for the Sunday race. This time it was Will Exton’s turn for a full qualifying run.

His first effort was one of the top five fastest and his second hot lap kept him in the top ten as the clock ticked down on the 20-minute session.  Next time around he went sixth fastest with another good lap.

Will eased off to cool the tyres and burn off a little more fuel before a final push but couldn’t match his best and ended the session eighth overall.

“It was a good lap and my best of the weekend so far,” he said afterwards. “I’m pretty pleased with it as they were also my best three sector times, so it was good that it all came together.”

Exton’s lap left him just a third of a second off the Max Kronberg and Hendrik Still Porsche.

“The boys will have learned a lot in that session particularly,” added TGRNZ Motorsport Manager Nicolas Caillol. “It’s what we are here for and the important thing is that they learn from the experience and get better and every time they go out they do get faster and more consistent.

“Will’s lap was particularly impressive as it was so close to the pole position time. Last year Brock and Rylan managed to get within six tenths, so Will has done very well on that lap.”