Nathanaël Berthon puts pole difference down to final sector

World Touring Car Cup returnee Nathanaël Berthon believes he made the difference en route to his first WTCR pole in the final sector of the Zolder track.

Berthon, returning to WTCR this year with Comtoyou Racing after a year away, beat Cyan Racing rival and fellow Frenchman Yann Ehrlacher to pole by just 0.031 seconds in a thrilling qualifying session on Saturday.

Berthon was the last driver to run in the decisive Q3 shootout and could not quite match Ehrlacher through the first two thirds of the famous Belgian track, but then unleashed his Audi RS 3 LMS in the final sector to snatch pole by the tiniest of margins.

Berthon took more than a tenth out of Ehrlacher in sector three – which comprises the tight Bolderbergbocht hairpin, the Jacky Ickx chicane and a fast stretch in between – and says that’s what made the difference.

“Obviously we had very good work [in] the pre-season, what time we had to test, and the guys did a really good job on the Audi,” Berthon said.

“This lap was pretty quick – especially the last sector. I knew I had to give everything, and the car gave it.”

Ehrlacher, meanwhile, agreed that he had lost crucial time in the final sector.

“I made a mistake in the final hairpin that cost me 1.5 tenths,” said Ehrlacher. “Missing the pole is frustrating but I’m going for the victory tomorrow.”

Berthon is now well-placed to improve on his best WTCR result to date, a third-place finish in the reverse-grid Race 2 in Wuhan in 2018, and was quick to praise his Comtoyou Racing squad.

“I’m pretty happy – thanks for all the guys that worked really well. Obviously I’m happy with my lap, for sure.”