Lamborghini took at last its first win of the season, as the Huracán of Ombra Racing, entrusted to Damiano Fioravanti and Andrea Rizzoli won Race 1 at Barcelona, benefitting from the 5-second penalty (for incorrect position at the start) inflicted to the car crossing the line in first, the other Huracán of Imperiale Racing of Breukers-Agostini. Giovanni Venturini- Jeroen Mul, the leading pair of Imperiale, took second, but are definitely out of the race for the title.
Finishing 6th today with Alessandro Pier Guidi, Mikkel Mac (Luzich Ferrari) increased its lead to 8 points, as Fran Rueda-Andrés Saravia (Teo Martín BMW) finished 12th and out of the points, with the very final battle for the title constrained to those two.
Valentin Pierburg and Tom Onslow-Cole (SPS Mercedes) took third overall and won in the Pro- Am class, reducing to 6 (gross) points the gap versus Migel Ramos-Fabrizio Crestani (Daiko Lazarus Lambo), today 3rd behind Perel-Salikhov (Rinaldi Ferrari). This will be the other big duel for tomorrow.
Things are done in the am class, as Giulio Borlenghi-Andrzej Lewandowski secured the title for the VSR Lambo, by finishing second today behind Stefano Costantini (Target Lambo) and Basso-Salas (Teo Martín BMW).
THE RACE – Onslow-Cole and Crestani, the two men that brought the cars fighting for the Pro- Am title to trust the first row, keep the advantage at the start followed by Fioravanti, Breukers, Mac, Lisowski, Khodair, Ellis, Gonda and Perel (who get in contact at the chicane), while Keen is forced to an off-track rejoining last.
There are not great changes in the initial laps, except for gaps growing in-between the front- runners while Perel takes 9th from Gonda after a nice duel. It’s even hotter between Cioci and Montermini, fighting for P14, with the former waving hands in a very Latin way…. Finelli spins in the gravel in lap 10, while the Lambo of Zaugg catches fire and has to stop on the track, prompting the safety-car to be deployed. At that moment, Mac is fifth, well ahead of direct rivals for the title, Mul (10th) and Saravia (16th). The two are among the first to stop as soon as the driver change window opens, exactly at the end of lap 14, when the race restarts.
After all changes, in lap 22, Pierburg is first, closely followed by Agostini and Rizzoli, who both pass the Mercedes. Further aback, Hahn is fourth followed by Wilkinson, Salikhov, Di Amato, Ramos, Venturini and Pier Guidi, with Rueda 22nd. While Di Amato spins and Wilkinson stops in the pits, Salikhov takes fourth from Hahn and Pier Guidi passes Ramos for 7th.
In the final laps, Venturini climbs to 4th and Pier Guidi to 5th, while M. Jedlinski and Cipriani suffer separate spins, prompting the safety-car again. The last two laps of the race see Auer in trouble with an open front bonnet, while Venturini passes Pierburg for what will be the final P2 as the other Imperiale Lambo sees a 5-second penalty added to its time for incorrect position on the grid, dropping to P4. Pier Guidi is 6th and Rueda 12th, while a lone Stefano Costantini wins in Am.
“GET WELL SOON, ALAN” – The GT Open community gathered in front of the grid of Race 1 to express once again its warmest wishes to Alan Heillmeister, recovering well from the accident suffered at Monza. The Brazilian driver could watch the scene on TV from hospital and get ‘live’ whishes via smart phones. He will be flying back to Brazil this coming week and start the rehab process at home.
PROVISIONAL STANDINGS AFTER ROUND 13 OF 14
Overall: 1. Mac, 112; 2. Saravia-Rueda, 104; 3. Pier Guidi, 96; 4. Venturini-Mul, 94; 5. Fioravanti, 78; 6. Agostini- Breukers, 74; etc
Pro-Am: 1. Ramos-Crestani, 76 points; 2. Pierburg-Onslow Cole, 60; 3. Hahn, 55; 4. Liang-Giammaria, 47; 5. Ellis- Wilkinson, 38; 5. Rugolo-West, 37; etc.
GT-Am: 1. Lewandowski-Borlenghi, 75 points; 2. Konopka, 61; 3. Basso, 58; 4. Hrachowina-Konrad, 53; 5. Coimbra Da Costa-Silva Sardinha, 44; 6. Calko, 35; etc
Teams: 1. Imperiale Racing, 100; 2. Luzich Racing, 92 points; 3. BMW Team Teo Martín, 73 points; 4. Ombra Racing, 42; 5. RS Racing, 37; 6. SPS Automotive Performance, 30; etc
