16.08.2003  ENGE AND KOX FERRARI RELEGATED TO THE BACK OF THE GRID ALLOWING BRABHAM AND MAGNUSSEN TO MOVE UP TO SECOND

As a result of technical checks carried out by IMSA after the afternoon's final qualifying session for the Grand Prix of Mosport, the time set by Tomas Enge in the Prodrive Ferrari 550 he shares with Peter Kox was disallowed and the car has been relegated to start tomorrow's race from the back of the grid. 

The technical infringement concerned the size of the rear-wing endplates, which were 3mm in excess of the legality box. The team unsuccessfully presented its case that no performance advantage was gained by the wing used.

QUALIFYING

Earlier, the Prodrive Ferrari 550 Maranellos had lined up second and third in GTS immediately after final qualifying as the class lap times around Mosport were shattered by the Prodrive and Chevrolet teams. Peter Kox and Tomas Enge ended up the faster of the red cars, three tenths of a second shy of Oliver Gavin's GTS pole winning time in the first of the factory Chevrolet Corvettes, Enge missing out on claiming pole by slowed by traffic on the circuit on his flying lap. 

David Brabham and Jan Magnussen were behind their team mates in third, just over two tenths back, but this became second after the Stewards decision, while the second Corvette moves up to start third. The team Olive Garden Ferrari 550 Maranello qualified further back, Emanuele Naspetti's 1:16.550 only good enough for an eventual seventh in GTS as the Rafanelli-run car saw its session curtailed early by an accident.

In the GT class, ALMS series debutants, Ferri Competizione have proved the fastest of the Ferrari contingent, Mauro Baldi and Andrea Bertolini's best lap of 1:20.634 putting them fourth in class a tenth ahead of the Risi Ferrari of Ralf Kelleners and Anthony Lazzaro. 

CARE PRODRIVE FERRARI QUALIFYING REPORT

The Care Racing supported Prodrive Ferrari 550 Maranellos will line up on the first and second rows of the GTS grid for tomorrow's Grand Prix of Mosport after both comprehensively smashing last year's GTS qualifying lap record in today's session. 

Despite a tremendous effort in the dying seconds of qualifying, Tomas Enge in car no88 narrowly missed claiming class pole position by three tenths of a second after meeting slower traffic on the track, posting a best time of 1m 14.788. Jan Magnussen, tasked with qualifying the no80 car which he will share with David Brabham, bettered last year's record by nearly a second with a time of 1m 15.021 to take third position in the class. 

There were a few beating hearts and worried faces in the Prodrive Ferrari pits when, after only 6 minutes of the scheduled 20-minute session, the red flags came out following an accident which befell the Rafanelli Ferrari 550. Enge had not posted a qualifying time at that point, and the team waited with baited breath to hear if the session would be extended and, if so, for how long. When the word came that an additional 12 minutes would be added, his relieved team-mate Peter Kox saw Enge leave the pit lane and show he meant business by immediately posting a 1m 16.0 on his first lap. 

Tomas Enge (CZ), car 88: "My last lap wasn't a fantastic one, that would have got us pole, but it was a good lap. The car and Michelin tyres were working really well, but the competition is very strong and we will have to work very hard tomorrow to be as strong in the race. We have progressed little by little at each race this year, and we will try everything we can to beat the Corvettes - just as they will try everything to beat us! I am sure it will be a spectacular race and we just hope everything will go well for us." 

Jan Magnussen (DK), car 80: "I'm a bit disappointed to be honest as the car was getting better and better out there and I felt we could have got a lot closer [to the pole time], but I had to come in and change tyres as we'd done quite a few laps. We've got a very good race car though and I'm really looking forward to a great battle tomorrow afternoon." 

George Howard-Chappell, Team Principal:  "That was excellent competition, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who's really pleased to have seen a qualifying session run in all its glory. It all points towards a very exciting race tomorrow for both competitors and fans alike."