Richard Lietz and Gianmaria Bruni have taken pole in GTE Pro for the 8 Hours of Bahrain, leading a front row lockout for the German manufacturer. Team Project 1's Larry ten Voorde and Ben Keating took top honours in GTE Am.
Lietz and Bruni put in an average time of 01:55:485 under the floodlights at the Bahrain International Circuit, which was enough to hold off team-mates Michael Christensen and Kevin Estre by just 0.060s.
James Calado and Alessandro Pier Guidi led a second row lockout for AF Corse, with the #51 Ferrari 488 GTE Evo ahead of the #71, but both well over half a second away from the Porsches. Aston Martin had a disappointing session and brough up the rear in class.
In GTE Am, the #57 Team Project 1 Porsche 911 RSR of Larry ten Voorde and Ben Keating took pole position with a combined average of 01:57:602, which was barely enough to best the #54 AF Corse Ferrari 488 GTE Evo. Giancarlo Fisichella and Thomas Flohr were less than half a tenth away with an average of 01:57:645.
The #88 Dempsey-Proton Porsche 911 RSR of Thomas Preining set the pace early on, but was resigned to third once the young Austrian handed over to Khaled al Qubaisi. Together, the duo managed a time of 01:57:661.
Like in GTE Pro, Aston Martin also struggled in GTE Am, qualifying far outside the top five. The #98 Aston Martin Racing entry of Ross Gunn and Paul Dalla Lana took eighth, while championship leaders Jonny Adam and Salih Yoluc had to settle for ninth.
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