icola Baldan has claimed his first TCR Europe pole position in qualifying at Circuit Zolder, dominating the session with a time of  1:36.470, nearly half a second clear of SP Compétition’s Aurélien Comte.

The Baldan Group by Comtoyou Audi driver set the pace in Q1, before becoming the first driver to go under the 1:37 barrier on his first flying lap in Q2 with a time of 1:36.955.

He was able to improve with just five minutes to go to set a 1:36.470, with Ruben Volt at this point his closest threat in the ALM Motorsport Honda Civic, who was just above the 1:37s.

With two minutes to spare, Vallelunga Race 2 winner Aurélien Comte became the only other driver to get under the 1:37s with a time of 1:36.902, just over four-tenths of a second behind Baldan.

Volt would qualify in third position, the best of the Hondas, making it three marques in the top three, while current points leader Franco Girolami was fourth quickest in the session.

The grid for the reversed grid second race provisionally sees ALM Motorsport’s Levente Losonczy starting from pole in his ALM Honda, just ahead of Felipe Fernández’s GOAT Racing Honda.

Baldan was also the fastest of the Diamond Trophy drivers in qualifying, while TCR South America champion Ignacio Montenegro was the best of the rookies in fifth.

After qualifying, the drivers’ title has closed up with Comte now just two points behind Girolami, while Baldan moves up to third ahead of Montenegro.

The first race is scheduled to take place this afternoon at 16:15 CEST with live streaming on the TCR TV YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/TCRTV