Eric Gené tops ultra-tight TCR Europe qualifying at Red Bull Ring

Monlau Motorsport’s Eric Gené gave his TCR Europe title aspirations a boost by claiming pole position in a highly competitive qualifying session at the Red Bull Ring.

The Cupra León Competición driver set a best time of 1m36.605 in Q2 to edge out PMA Motorsport’s Nicolas Taylor by a mere five-hundredths of a second.

Gené’s chief title rivals, Jimmy and Teddy Clairet both endured a difficult morning. Championship leader Teddy missed out on Q2 and will start 15th for each of the weekend’s races, while brother Jimmy could only manage 10th in Q2.

That does, however, leave Jimmy Claiet on reversed grid pole position for Sunday’s second encounter.

Arriving in Austria with an 18-point deficit to Teddy Clairet at the top of the standings, Gené began qualifying in strong fashion by setting the early benchmark of 1m38.273, but that time was quickly bettered by a swathe of drivers.

Indeed, such was the closeness of the opening session that nearly every car that crossed the line went quicker.

At the end of the session, Gené was the quickest from Nicola Baldan and Max Hart while Jimmy Clairet was comfortably through in seventh.

Much like he did at Hockenheim, Teddy Clairet was a notable absentee from the second session, having struggled to put a lap together. The Frenchman, at the wheel of his Team Clairet Sport Audi RS 3 LMS, then had a lap-time deleted for track limits.

Also dropping out at the first stage was Viktor Andersson, Felipe Fernández and Ruben Volt, the latter a disappointing 21st on the grid after a driveshaft issue.

Gené kept up his strong form in Q2, setting the quikcest time on his first lap before briefly being usurped by Taylor.

The Spaniard responded with not one but two quicker laps to go nearly a full tenth faster than Taylor, albeit losing his second due to track limits.

With Taylor and Butti not able to improve on their final laps, Gené’s pole was secured, albeit with a magin of just 0.056s in the end.

Baldan will start fourth on the grid, with Jacopo Cimenes fifth alongside René Kircher.

Jenson Brickely (Monlau Motorsport) will line up seventh, with Raphael Fournier (JSB Compétition Hyundai) and Hart both ahead of Jimmy Clairet.

Race one at the Red Bull Ring is scheduled to take place later on today at 14:00 CET.