The Cavaleiro Sports driver fought a sensational duel with Felipe Baptista to win the first pole position of the 2022 Stock Car season at Velopark
Marcos Gomes is the pole-position for the sixth round of the 2022 Stock Car season. The Cavaleiro Sports driver clocked 1min04s460 in qualifying practice this Sunday morning (3) at the Velopark Speedway and will start race 1 for the first time this season.
Beside him will be Felipe Baptista, from KTF Racing, who tried everything in this practice session marked by heavy rain at the Rio Grande do Sul circuit to start from the front. In the second row, we have Felipe Massa and Guilherme Salas, and further back, Felipe Lapenna and Gaetano Di Mauro rounding out the top six.
GRANDE PRÊMIO follows the Stock CarLIVE with full coverage of all activities to be held this weekend at Velopark. On Sunday (3), Race 1 is scheduled for 2:10 pm (Brasília time).
Find out how the Stock classification went at Velopark:
Q1: Rain, red flag, and Saturday's winners out of Q2
Sunday at Velopark dawned cloudy, with the thermometers reading 13ºC and the track reading 17ºC in expectation of a strategy with rain or slick tires. The drivers were divided into two groups, according to their respective positions in the grid, and the fifteen best advanced to Q2.
Before the practice session started, the rain was heavy and the race direction forced everyone to enter the Rio Grande do Sul circuit with rain tires. Shortly after, the opening of the pits was suspended. But at 10:15, it started.
Guilherme Salas was the first to set a great time, with 1min07s590, with Di Mauro, Serra, Zonta, and Rossi right behind. Rubens Barrichello was in sixth place, with 1min09s206.
The rain continued to punish the second group. Cacá Bueno even asked the race direction to hold a bit the exit of the drivers, promptly answered. Another 15 minutes of stoppage until they were released, now without rain, but the track was still wet.
Massa was the first to set a time that would allow him to advance to Q2, with a time of 1min08s557. Frigotto did not come to the track to attempt a fast lap. Marcos Gomes was in second place with 1min08s222. But Tuca Antoniazzi spun with three minutes to go, and the red flag came out.
Lapenna was in the cut-off zone to advance to Q2, with 1min09s546. Green flag, practice restarted. Kanaan was trying to improve his time, since he had never raced on this circuit and, even more, in the rain. Gomes beat Salas' time with 1min06s794. A surprise for Barrichello, beaten by Jimenez. Nelsinho Piquet and Gabriel Casagrande, yesterday's race winners, were also left out of Q2.
Advance to Q2: Gomes, F. Baptista, Lapenna, Salas, Foresti, Robe, Abreu, Osman, Navarro, Serra, Massa, Di Mauro, Nunes, Maurício and Jimenez.
Q2: Lapenna's flying lap and Massa for the first time in Q3
Eight more minutes to define the six drivers who would advance to Q3. The atmosphere at the Velopark continued without rain and the track was in better condition for practice. So, no time wasting to set your fast lap.
Lucas Foresti did an excellent lap, with 1min07s166, but was soon beaten by Guilherme Salas, 1s faster. Felipe Massa also set an excellent time with 1min06s592. Baptista came in a flying lap, with 1min05s084.
Advance to Q3F. Baptista, Gomes, Lapenna, Salas, Massa and Di Mauro.
Q3: Marcos Gomes and Felipe Baptista swapping laps and pole for the first time this season
The moment has arrived: two fast laps in eight minutes to clinch the pole-position at Velopark. The six opponents giving each other plenty of room to have the best lap fit. The chance of pole for the first time this season.
Gomes sets a great lap, with 1min05s043, but Baptista returns the same, with 1min04s851. An honest exchange between the two, soon the Cavaleiro pilot again lowers his time with 1min04576. Massa was third, Salas right behind.
With one minute to go, the rain got too heavy and there was no time for anything else. It is Marcos Gomes' 13th pole position in Stock Car racing.
Stock Car 2022, 6th Stage, Velopark, Starting Grid: