Montermini and Maceratesi took an exciting win
Andrea Montermini and Michele Maceratesi took a superb third victory this season in the very last lap of the Pro-Am race of the Estoril GT Open, despite a 20-second handicap, to further increase their lead in the overall standings of the championship (103 points).
Trottet Racing’s Xavier Pompidou and Henri Moser almost repeated their Spa success with another great performance but the race was a lap too short this time for the young Swiss. Playteam’s perfect Saturday was completed by the third place of local heroes Manuel Gião-Pedro Couceiro, who are now second in the standings (74 points), while Alessandro Bonetti – Damien Pasini (Advanced Engineering), fifth today, are now third (64 points).
The 21 cars took the start under the sun and Montermini (on pole after a qualifying session that saw Bonetti and Collard lose their best times for having been achieved under yellow and the two Edil Cris deprived of all their times for using uncorrectly marked tyres) took the lead with no problem ahead of Pompidou, Couceiro, Collard, Bonetti, Romero, Casè, Fernandez, Roda, De Castro, Caffi and Gellweiler. On lap 2, though, Montermini exits wide in the corner after the straight, leaving the door open to Pompidou, who flies away at a pace of almost half second per lap. Behind, Collard tries to attack Couceiro with no success, De Castro takes eighth from the SunRed of Fernandez and Bontempelli and Roda collide.
Positions stabilize and gaps get stable among the top positions, with fierce fight between Fernandez and Frezza being the main entertainement, while Roda spins in lap 11. As from lap 10 onwards, Montermini starts to reduce slightly the disadvantage and on minute 24 opens the window for driver change, with Fernandez, Couceiro and Montermini among the first to stop. Most logically, Pompidou and Collard, with no handicap, were the last to stop.
With the support of As the situation settles after the changes, Moser leads with a 14" seconds advance on Maceratesi, 17" on Gião, 23" on Sundberg, 30" on Cruz, 31" on Pasini and 35" on Monfardini. Follow Cressoni, Aicart, Rugolo and Lietz. Maceratesi is catching up on the leader at steady pace, while behind, Pasini takes fifth from Cruz, who will spin few laps later. Shortly after, Monfardini takes fifth from Pasini, who battles hard also with Aicart.
But it is the final battle for the win that catches all the attention. Maceratesi catches Moser in the final lap and passes the young Swiss with a perfect manouver while the last incident sees Monfardini loosing control of his Ferrari in the straight and hitting the armco (he will go to the medical center with a twisted finger).
Reminder
HANDICAPS PRO-AM RACE:
#3- Maceratesi-Montermini (Playteam Ferrari): 20”
#4- Gião-Couceiro (Playteam Ferrari): 5”
#10- Pasini-Bonetti (AE Ferrari): 10”
# 11- Rugolo-Casè (AE Ferrari): 15”
Driver change window: between minutes 2’ and 36