Autorlando Sport took a 1-2 in Sunday's race
It was a perfect day for Autorlando Sport in the Magny-Cours GT Open race, as the Porsches 997 of the Italian squad signed a resounding one-two victory with Richard Lietz-Gianluca Roda first and Stefano Zonca - Andrea Belicchi second, at the end of an exciting and somewhat unpredictable race, marked by a collective accident at first corner and a 4-lap long safety car period. Monfardini-Frezza took the third place for Edil Cris in their Ferrari F430.
With this fourth victory of the season, Lietz and Roda close even more the gap in the championship. Montermini-Maceratesi (Playteam), who had a difficult day today but managed to collect a fifth position, are still in the lead (133 points), but with a mere 4-point advantage over Lietz-Roda (129) and 11 on their team-mates Gião-Couceiro (122).
French fans could enjoy a French victory in GTS, thanks to the First Lambo of David Tuchbant - Ulric Amado, while the Villois Aston of Wiser-Piccolo was again second and Julià-Pampló (Roger Ferrari) third.
THE RACE
At the start, Maceratesi jumps ahead of poleman Lietz but arriving at the first corner, the Ferrari goes wide and spins in the gravel, lifting a lot of dust and causing a turmoil in the group, where cars are all over the place and can't avoid hitting each other. There are three casualties, all in the Ferrari camp (the Trottet and the two AE of Rugolo and Garofano), while the safety car is out for 4 laps.
At the restart, Lietz leads ahead of Griffin, Monfardini, Aicart, Pasini, Bobbi, Aguas and Gião, while Maceratesi is 16th. In GTS, Amado leads ahead of Cioci and Piccolo.
It is Pasini opening the dance of pit stops for driver change and the AE Ferrari seems in excellent position for the second part of the race, but Bonetti is hit in the back by the SunRed of Victor Fernandez and has to stop again to change a tyre, continuing the race with a broken bumper.
Second part of the race sees Roda leading comfortably with 12" on the surprising SunRed of Victor Fernández, followed by Frezza, Frassineti, Bamford, Chacon, Couceiro, Belicchi and Montermini. It is the battle for second that will draw all the attention, with the SunRed having to concede positions in the final laps and Belicchi emerging over Frezza, Couceiro, Montermini (who spun once), Chacón and Frassineti after an intense battle, while Roda wins easily despite a spin in the corner before the straight.
In GTS, the First Lambo of Tuchbant keeps the advantage over the Villois Aston of Wiser while Pampló takes third, despite electronic problems in the Roger Ferrari. The Racing Box Lambo did not take the start (transmission).
HANDICAPS GT OPEN RACE
#3 - Maceratesi - Montermini (Playteam Ferrari): 10"
#4 - Gião - Couceiro (Playteam Ferrari): 10"
#10 - Pasini - Bonetti (AE Ferrari): 5"
#23 - Moser - Fässler (Trottet Ferrari): 15"
#56 - Romanini - Azzoli (Villois Aston): 10"
#57 - Piccolo - Wiser (Villois Aston) : 15''
#65 - Cioci - Pellizzato (Twentytwo Corvette) : 45''
Driver change window: Between minutes 20 and 30.
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (AFTER 12 ROUNDS)
Overall: 1. Montermini-Maceratesi, 133 p; 2. Lietz-Roda, 129; 3. Gião-Couceiro, 122; 4. Pasini-Bonetti, 99; 5. Monfardini-Frezza, 98
GTA: 1. Montermini-Maceratesi, 57 p; 2. Lietz-Roda, 54; 3. Gião-Couceiro, 50; 4. Pasini-Bonetti, 40; 5. Moser, Monfardini-Frezza, 38
GTS: 1. Cioci-Pellizzato, 51 p; 2. Wiser, 45; 3. Julià-Pampló, 31; 4. Ceccato-Visconti, 30; 5. Moncada, 29
Team: 1. Scuderia Playteam, 107 p; 2. Autorlando Sport, 62; 3. Advanced Engineering, Edil Cris Racing, 50; 5. Trottet Racing, 45; 6. GPC Corse, 19