At Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, qualifying rarely unfolds cleanly. The high-speed, flowing nature of the circuit rewards conviction as much as control, and across LMP2, GTD PRO and GTD, the margins reflected just how finely balanced the field has become. What followed was not simply a fight for track position, but a demonstration of timing, trust and execution under pressure.
LMP2
Jeremy Clarke approached the final moments of LMP2 qualifying with a choice: consolidate, or commit.
Already quickest, the Inter Europol Competition driver could have backed off and relied on a 1:08.019 lap to secure pole position. Instead, he chose to push again. The result was decisive – a 1:07.904 lap that not only confirmed pole for Sunday’s Chevrolet Grand Prix, but established a new LMP2 track record at Mosport.
It was a lap built on necessity as much as ambition. Clarke had briefly slipped down the order in a tightly compressed session before responding when it mattered most, ultimately securing his second consecutive class pole and fourth in IMSA competition – three of which have come this season.
“The field is super tough right now,” he reflected. “When I came in after the first run and saw P2, I knew the next lap had to be full push from the start.”
The commitment required at Mosport leaves little margin for hesitation, and Clarke acknowledged as much. “There were a couple corners where I just had to trust the car and go full throttle – no matter what.”
Behind him, Misha Goikhberg secured second for PR1/Mathiasen, within two tenths of a second, while United Autosports USA and CrowdStrike Racing by APR completed a top four covered by just over half a second. The closeness of the field was further underlined by a post-session technical infringement for the No. 99 entry, which will now start from the rear despite originally qualifying third.
For Clarke and Inter Europol, the significance extends beyond pole position. With LMP2 serving as the headline category this weekend, the opportunity to lead outright – rather than in class – adds an additional layer of motivation.
GTD PRO
If LMP2 qualifying was about sustained pressure, GTD PRO delivered a late twist.
For much of the 15-minute session, the top ten remained separated by less than four tenths of a second, suggesting one of the closest qualifying battles of the season. Then, in the final two minutes, Neil Verhagen shifted the narrative.
The Paul Miller Racing driver produced a lap that initially stood nearly half a second clear of the field – a 1:14.382 effort that ultimately proved sufficient to secure his second consecutive pole position at Mosport. While others closed the gap in the closing seconds, none could dislodge the BMW from the top.
“I guess this is kind of my track,” Verhagen remarked, reflecting on back-to-back poles at the circuit. His session, however, was not without incident. An early excursion at Turn 3 highlighted the fine line between commitment and overreach, a balance he recalibrated to deliver when it mattered.
Max Esterson ensured a strong American showing with second place for RLL Team McLaren, matching the team’s best qualifying result of the season, while Alexander Sims placed the No. 3 Corvette just 0.002 seconds further back in third. The sister Corvette will line up fourth, maintaining its championship consistency.
Further intrigue came from CarBahn’s Aston Martin, which slotted into fifth on its GTD PRO qualifying debut, reinforcing the category’s depth. At the front, however, Verhagen’s late intervention stood apart – a reminder that, at Mosport, the final minutes often carry the greatest weight.
GTD
Across continents and categories, Heart of Racing Team orchestrated one of the more remarkable qualifying storylines of the season.
Eduardo Barrichello completed a pole-position hat-trick for the Aston Martin outfit, securing top spot in GTD at Mosport just hours after the team had led sessions in both IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge and the FIA World Endurance Championship in Brazil. Three drivers, three cars, two continents – a rare alignment of performance and preparation.
Barrichello’s lap – a 1:15.130 – was notable not only for its pace, but for the circumstances under which it was achieved. A five-minute delay at the start of the session, imposed for a procedural infringement, left minimal time to bring the tyres into their optimal window. His response was immediate.
“As soon as I left the pit lane, I had to push,” he said. “I wasn’t sure the tyres would come in, but the car felt very good straight away.”
The Brazilian, contesting the circuit for the first time, leaned on both instinct and support from teammate Roman De Angelis – racing on home soil – to deliver a composed performance that further strengthens his championship position.
Behind him, Mason Filippi continued an impressive day by securing second in the DXDT Racing Corvette, shortly after victory in Michelin Pilot Challenge competition. The session also produced a notably diverse top six, with Lexus, Mercedes-AMG, Lamborghini and BMW all represented, underlining the competitive spread within GTD.
Yet the broader narrative belonged to Heart of Racing. With Kobe Pauwels simultaneously securing pole in São Paulo and Hannah Greenemeier leading in GS machinery, the team’s Saturday became a showcase of operational depth across programmes, drivers and continents.
At Mosport, as elsewhere, execution remains everything. But for one team in particular, the pieces aligned with rare precision.
