Maro Engel set Mount Panorama alight with a record pole-position lap at the Bathurst 12 Hour on Saturday, just two months after being dumped from the V8 paddock.

The 28-year-old German was quicker than many established Australian drivers, including Bathurst 1000 winners Craig Lowndes, Rick Kelly, Stephen Richards and Jason Bright.

His 2:03.8s lap of the 6.2 kilometre circuit was three seconds faster than Lowndes' V8 Supercars lap Mount Panorama lap record.
Engel's contract was cut short when his team downsized to two cars, leaving him without a regular seat in 2014. He is racing for the same team this weekend, behind the wheel of an Erebus Motorsport Mercedes-Benz GT instead of a V8 sedan.

"I feel I have what it takes to perform well in V8 Supercars," he said. "But it takes time to learn the cars and you're not always given time."

Few drivers are able to immediately get to grips with powerful V8 Supercars, while the Mercedes-Benz Engel drove to pole is more user-friendly with driver aids such as traction control and anti-lock brakes.

Ex-formula one driver Mika Salo qualified second in a Ferrari shared with Craig Lowndes, while V8 Supercars star Shane Van Gisbergen was third in a McLaren.

Engel was awarded the inaugural Allan Simonsen pole position trophy for his effort. The trophy is named after a leading driver killed racing at Le Mans last year.

Engel's 2:03.858 time broke hearts at Maranello Motorsport, Simonsen's former team, which looked to have secured pole when Salo locked in a record 2:03.9421 lap of the circuit.

"This is special," Engel said.

"It's a special feeling to be on pole. It's a moment we remember that we lost Allan Simonsen, but also Sean Edwards, who was a friend of mine.

"I'm glad to kick 2014 off like this. Being able to come away with pole is great, and having the lap record is fantastic."