Photo: ADAC TCR

Josh Files takes pole as qualifying suspended after major crash for Jordi Oriola

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Josh Files took pole position for the season finale of the ADAC TCR Germany series at Hockenheim, with the second part of qualifying suspended after a crash for Opel driver Jordi Oriola late in the session saw the 20-year-old evacuated to hospital.

Files had set the fastest time in the 20-minute Qualifying 1 segment, while Jordi Oriola was out on a final run after having set the seventh fastest time on a new set of tyres, with a suspected mechanical failure pitching him into the barriers. The Spaniard was sent to hospital for checks, with the second part of qualifying cancelled, with Q1 times now setting the grids for this weekend’s races.

“The team are investigating what has happened,” said Oriola, after he was discharged from hospital. “It was a strong blow, one of the worst accidents of my career, but luckily I am in perfect condition to compete in both races of the weekend.”

Files, who leads the championship and can wrap up the inaugural TCR Germany series title on Sunday, qualified on pole ahead of his Target Competition Honda team-mate Dennis Strandberg, with Steve Kirsch third in the Honda Team ADAC Civic TCR.

HP Racing’s Harald Proczyk, the only driver able to prevent Files from winning the series’ inaugural title, will start from fourth in his SEAT León ahead of Target Competition’s Simon Larsson, with Larsson running in a SEAT León unlike his two team-mates.

Kai Jordan was sixth quickest in the JBR Motorsport Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR and will start ahead of the Opel duo of DG Sport Compétition team-mates Jordi Oriola and Pierre-Yves Corthals, assuming the Belgian team are able to repair Oriola’s car for race day.

Engstler Motorsport’s Tim Zimmermann will start on the outside of the the front row for the second reversed-grid race after qualifying ninth, with Topcar SEAT’s Ronny Jost on pole position after setting the tenth fastest time. A number of drivers had their lap times cancelled due to track limits infringements at Turn 1, including Oriola and Corthals.

The first race will take place at 14:45 CET on Saturday, with Race 2 at 16:45 CET on Sunday.