Keanu Al Azhari (16/UAE, Mühlner Motorsport) has done it again and also ended the fourth session at the Sachsenring at the top of the timing sheet. The Duqueine driver has been unbeatable so far at the finale of the 2024 Prototype Cup Germany, coming out on top in the test, both Free Practice sessions and now the first qualifying. The three top favourites – Julien Apothéloz (23/CHE, BWT Mücke Motorsport), Markus Pommer (33/Untereisesheim, Gebhardt Motorsport) and Danny Soufi (21/USA, Konrad Motorsport) – followed in positions two to four. “I knew it was going to be a good qualifying if I could put a lap together,” said a confident Al Azhari. “When I set a lap time of 1:16.2 minutes, it was clear to me that I needed to be even faster on the next lap if I was going to take pole. I managed that with a 1:15.3. I think I could have gone even faster, but I am still very happy.” With the tyres already having peaked, the Mühlner protégé opted to return to the pit lane with three minutes of the session remaining. “By that point, the tyres would not have allowed any improvement,” explained the 16-year-old.
Apothéloz, who was second fastest, was also happy. “It is damned close here; the whole field is very compact, particularly at the front. I obviously wanted pole position and gave it my all, but I just came up short. However, second place on the grid is also a good position to start from. Particularly as Markus and Danny, our two fiercest rivals for the title, start from behind us. However, we cannot afford to underestimate Keanu; he is damned fast here and also still has a chance of winning the title.” One thing is particularly important for the Mücke driver, who like Al Azhari drives a Duqueine, which he shares with Riccardo Leone Cirelli (16/ITA): “We have to drive a flawless race, and I am confident we will do precisely that.”
Pommer, who is looking to become the first driver in the history of the Prototype Cup Germany to successfully defend his title and lines up alongside Valentino Catalano (18/Westheim) this season, struggled a little with a technical issue. “Our radio failed. I am usually always told my lap time and position over the radio, but this time I did not know my position. It felt better than third. To be honest, I don’t know whether I might have gone faster if I had known that I was third. However, third place is okay. I still believe you can win from this grid position.” The third-fastest Duqueine driver, Pommer did manage to finish ahead of the best-placed Ligier of Soufi. “The field here is astonishingly close,” said the Konrad driver, who pairs up with Torsten Kratz (53/Mönchengladbach). “I am happy with my performance, but not with fourth place. However, as I said, it is very close here and it is still all to play for. We will now look to see what we can improve between now and the race, then we will do everything we can to defend first place in the Drivers Championship.”
Jacob Erlbacher (23/Böblingen, Gebhardt Motorsport), Sven Barth (43/Eberbach, Momo Gebhardt Motorsport), Antti Rammo (41/EST, MRS GT-Racing) and Klaus Abbelen (63/Barweiler, Frikadelli Racing Team) complete the first four rows of the grid for race eleven of this season’s Prototype Cup Germany, which gets underway at 15:15 today.
