Timo Glock leads all BMW top four in rain-hit qualifying at Zandvoort

BMW Motorsport driver Timo Glock took his second pole position of the year at today’s qualifying session at Zandvoort, after heavy rain fell over the Dutch track, leading a BMW lockout at the front.

BMW Motorsport sent their cars onto the track with only 12 minutes left on the clock, with the Bavarian cars taking the first four positions, with Timo Glock on the top spot with a lap time of 1:27.823. Heavy rain then started falling over Zandvoort with seven minutes remaining, with the drivers unable to improve further.

Augusto Farfus was second fastest, just under a tenth behind Glock, followed by Marco Wittmann and Maxime Martin, in an unexpected front two row lockout for BMW.

Audi drivers René Rast and Loïc Duval followed, with the French rookie just over half a second adrift. Tom Blomqvist, who was the first BMW driver to set a time, was seventh, with Gary Paffett the only Mercedes AMG in the top ten in eighth. Audi drivers Mike Rockenfeller and Mattias Ekström completed the top ten, with championship leader Ekström over seven-tenths off the pace.

Other championship contenders Jamie Green (Audi) and Lucas Auer (Mercedes) were caught on the back foot, having completed a first tentative attempt to evaluate the track and unable to improve as they were venturing out as the rain started falling.

Bruno Spengler also had a problematic session. The Canadian had been the first to go out on the track as the session started, but had set a slow lap and was unable to improve when the rain came, qualifying in 17th and on the penultimate spot of the grid.

The start of Race 1 is scheduled for 14:48 CET, with the weather forecast uncertain and still changing.