EU V6: Friday Imola qualifying summary

A Second is a Long Time in FR V6!

Qualifying 1.
It had been unbelievably close earlier on in the free practise session, with mere tenths of a second separating the leaders' lap and split times as the drivers tried to gain a psychological advantage. But with title at stake, Neel Jani upped the stakes by a whole second, blowing the others away. Then qualifying he climbed his way up the grid but couldn't knock championship rival Mondini off pole position. Third went to Pasini, whose mid-week testing at Vallelunga had been a success and who proved here that he's one to watch. In fourth came Belicchi, with Sharp the only one seemingly in difficulty, qualifying back in seventh.

Qualifying 2.
With 11 cars lapping to within the same second on Friday morning, and no fewer than 14 doing likewise in the afternoon, all eyes will definitely be on the FR V6s at Imola. It's shaping up to be a blistering weekend's racing, and we're not talking about the weather! Poleman in the second session was Jani, after a long battle with this morning's top qualifier Giorgio Mondini. But in the end the danger came from Montanari, the local hero putting in the second fastest time to earn himself a place on the front row. Behind him came Mondini and Campaniço. The fuse is lit, and there'll be fireworks this weekend.

<pre> Session 1 1) Mondini (EuroInternational) 1'43''683 2) Jani (Dams) 1'43''705 3) Pasini (Victory Eng) 1'43''786 4) Belicchi (AFC Motorsport) 1'43''929 5) Barth (Interwetten.com) 1'44''056 6) Bell (David Price Racing) 1'44''059 7) Sharp (Jenzer Motorsport) 1'44''074

Session 2 1) Jani (Dams) 1'43''827 2) Montanari (Victory Eng) 1'43''841 3) Mondini (EuroInternational) 1'43''890 4) Campaniço (Cram Competition) 1'44''045 5) Proetto (EuroInternational) 1'44''069 6) Barth (Interwetten.com) 1'44''112 7) Belicchi (AFC Motorsport) 1'44''141

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