Photo: Super TC2000

Gabriel Ponce de León wins qualifying race in Potrero de los Funes

Toyota Gazoo Racing Argentina has claimed victory in the Super TC 2000 Qualifying Race at Potrero de los Funes. Facundo Ardusso of Renault Sport and Damián Fineschi of Escudería Fela by RAM Racing finished behind him in positions two and three.

The qualifying race was held shortly after the qualifying session. During that, Q1 saw little action, only Fiat Petronas’ Emmanuel Cáceres had his lap times ruled out because of exceeding track limits, the race stewards had warned the drivers of this prior to the race.

Privateer driver Diego Azar, from Escudería FE, decided to leave his Peugeot 408 after both practice sessions and retire from the rest of the weekend due to “several mechanical problems”, which made him feel insecure to race, as he said to the official broadcasters.

Gabriel Ponce de León led Q1 with 2:27.679 in his Toyota, where surprisingly Luis José Di Palma of Renault Sport was eliminated, after leading the first practice session. Damián Fineschi proved strong in Q2, as the clouds covered part of the sky at San Luis again, but then the fastest was Leonel Pernía, in another factory Renault, in which he also led the second practice. In that session, the three Citroën C4 Lounge from the factory team were eliminated.

Q3 saw the drivers doing a single lap, where Pernía set pole-position for the Qualifying Race. However, a grid penalty moved him back to sixth in the grid, allowing Ponce de León and Fineschi to the front row.

Fineschi did a solid start and took the lead into Turn 1. But the Toyota was stronger on the following straight and Ponce de León claimed the lead Ardusso took advantage of that move and claimed second, leaving Fineschi in third. Chapur, Pernía and Canapino joined behind.

A collision in the middle of the pack left Manuel Mallo of Chevrolet YPF and Matías Milla of Toyota Gazoo Racing Argentina out of the race and forced the safety car out on track.

Further down the field, ex Birtish Formula Ford driver Juan Ángel Rosso lost ground due to damage in his front-end.

Ponce de León won the qualifying race for Toyota Gazoo Racing Argentina, chased by Ardusso and Fineschi in the top three. Chapur and Pernía finished fourth and fifth respectively, followed by Canapino, in the top-placed Chevrolet. Werner was seventh, while Ignacio Julián of Renault Sport, Bernardo Llavero of Chevrolet YPF and Matías Rossi of Toyota Gazoo Racing Argentina rounded off the top ten.

The final results will convert into the starting grid of tomorrow’s feature race, scheduled to start 12:05 ART.