Auto Racing

Riccardo Patrese of Italy, using a spare car at the last moment, gained the pole position for today’s Portuguese Grand Prix with a qualifying record in the second trial session at Estoril.

Patrese took the top spot from Gerhard Berger when the Austrian failed to improve on his time from Friday.

Patrese, forced to go to a backup Williams-Renault after the engine of his other car went out earlier in the one-hour practice session, was timed in 1 minute 13.001 seconds, an average of 133.30 m.p.h. for the 2.73-mile Autodromo circuit.