Italian GT Championship Press Release
Audi Sport Italia's drivers proceeded the two Ferrari 458 Italia of Casè-Giammaria and Magli-Ferrara. In GT Cup the Lamborghini Gallardo of Tempesta-Iacone and "El Pato”-Zanardini dominated the race.
Marco Mapelli and Thomas Schoeffler (Audi R8 LMS) claimed race-1 victory in the third round of the Italian GT Championship underway at the circuit of Mugello. The lineup of Audi Sport Italia proceeded the two Ferrari 458 Italia of Casè-Giammaria (Scuderia Baldini 27) and Magli-Ferrara (Easy Race) at the end of a tight race.
The Lamborghini Gallardo run by Imperiale Racing and driven by Amici-Barri went out after holding the lead of the race for a long time in the first stint (rear splitter failure), similar fate for the Ferrari 458 Italia driven Lucchini-Pier Guidi (out due to an incident) and the Audi R8 LMS of Capello-Zonzini, that came to the fore towards the end of the race (stopped on the gravel trap due to braking problems).
The victory in GT Cup went to Tempesta-Iacone (Lamborghini Gallardo-Bonaldi Motorsport) ahead of team mates "El Pato"-Zanardini and Baccani-Venerosi (Porsche 997-Antonelli Motorsport).
Mapelli and Schoeffler (51) are currently leading the GT3 classification, ahead of Donativi-Gagliardini (42) and Carboni-Beretta (41), while Omar Galbiati keeps the lead of GT Cup as he reached 59 points, that is 4 clear of Passuti, Iacone and Tempesta.
Race-2 will start tomorrow at local 16:00hrs (pole by Mapelli), with live coverage on Dinamica Channel (free view and SKY) and recorded broadcast on Raisport2 at 19:20hrs. Web streaming will be available at www.acisportitalia.it/GT.
Race-1 as it happened: the poleman got the lead at the start and was followed by Ferrara, who had a good start from the second row, then Frassineti, Schoeffler, Giammaria, Carboni and Capello followed in the order, while Iacone got the lead in GT Cup proceeding Baccani and Maestri. Giammaria made a successful move on Schoeffler at lap two and the race did not have any other twists for several laps as the top four drivers started pulling away.
At lap 8 Lucchini and Mora had a contact while battling P10 out and the BMS Scuderia Italia's driver had the worst of it as he got stranded in the sand. Carboni took Schoeffler at the following lap gaining P5, and then he was followed by Capello. In GT Cup Iacone pulled away from Baccani and Maestri.
Giammaria moved his attack to Frassineti at lap 11, but the driver from Rome managed to keep his third place, while Ferrara got closer and closer to the race leader and eventually found his way past him at lap 12, exactly when pit lane was open for the drivers change.
At lap 14, Barri, who replaced Amici, had to pit due to a failure of the front splitter ending his race early. Magli, who replaced Ferrara, was in the lead at the end of the pit stops.
Easy Race's driver had a 3"8s margin to Casè, who took the wheel of Giammaria, followed by Necchi, on Frassineti's car, and Mapelli who replaced Schoeffler, while Zonzini got P5 ahead of Benucci, Beretta, Gagliardini, Renauer and D'Amico. In GT Cup Venerosi took over from Baccani leading Tempesta and Bodega.
At lap 19, Mapelli found his way past Necchi for P3 and then was followed by team mate Zonzini. Sà Silva had a spectacular off that did not have any physical consequence for the driver.
The final laps lived strong emotions as Casè got Magli's slipstream. The driver from Bologna managed to fend off Scuderia Baldini 27's attacks for a while, but behind them the two Audis of Mapelli and Zonzini were closing in. The driver from St. Marin had to stop in the sand at lap 24 due to some brakes problems that ended his race early.
At the penultimate lap Casè had a go to Magli and managed to get past him at the Bucine corner. The two crossed the finish line in this order but Mapelli - third at the flag - got on the top step of the podium as the first two lineups were penalyzed due to a wrong drivers' change.
The fourth place went to Necchi, who led Beretta, Gagliardini, Renauer, Benucci, D'Amico, Mengozzi and Tempesta, as the latter, together with Iacone, won in GT Cup ahead of team mates "El Pato"-Zanardini and Baccani-Venerosi.
Photo credit: Italian GT Championship
