Donington Qualifying Unlucky for Panoz Team
Australian Brabham, driving the Spirit of Sebring car #50, suffered a persistent software problem with the paddle gearshift system and it left him with little time in which to set a qualifying time. His quickest lap placed him 7th with a time of 1m 24.817.
He said: "It was a bit frustrating out there this afternoon. We made a few changes to the paddle shift system before the session but had problems with it. There were not enough minutes left in the session to do a time which we think the car is capable of."
Gualter Salles of Brazil, qualifying car #51, was hampered by the brake problem which has dogged the car on and off since Sebring. Changes to the braking system were made since this morning's practice session and, although it was much improved, it was not entirely resolved.
Gualter secured 9th place amongst the prototype runners with a time of 1m 27.971 and said afterwards: "The car feels pretty good in the corners but we were still struggling with the brakes. The first half of a lap is really good, but then I had to brake much too early and was locking the rears. On my last lap I missed the braking point in the Esses and ended up going over the gravel but there's no damage to the car."
The 2h 45 minute race will begin at 12 noon tomorrow and will be broadcast live on SkySports television.
1 1
Capello/Kristensen
Audi
1.21.122
2 2
Biela/Pirro
Audi
1.21.281
3 7
Johansson/Audi
Audi
1.21.687
4 6
Dalmas/Beretta
Chryler
1.22.721
5 72
Bouillion/Redon
Courage
1.23.899
6 3
Collins/Lupberger
Ascari
1.24.117
7 50
Brabham/Magnussen Panoz LMP07
1.24.817
8 8
Cochran/Boss
Panoz LMP1 1.26.242
9 51
Graf/Salles
Panoz LMP07 1.27.329
10 21
O'Connell/Carway
Pilbeam
1.27.971
Ends