MUNDIAL - OPEN GT EM MONZA

Terça, 29 Setembro 2020 09:31 | Actualizado em Terça, 23 Abril 2024 12:28

Prette-Abril (AF Corse Ferrari) take third win of the season in thrilling finale at Monza The APM Monaco duo used to their benefit a safety-car period after the pit stops and keep themselves in the title race Ramos-Chaves (TMM McLaren), second after controlling most of the race, keep 8- point leadership in the standings Teo Martín Motorsport places a second car on the overall podium, as Marcelo Hahn-Allam Khodair take second Pro-Am win, with Hahn extending lead Scholze-Liebhauser (GetSpeed Performance) take drawing win on Moiseev-Nesov (AKM Motorsport) in the Am battle between Mercedes Monza, 

It was a Monza round with no spectators but with a Ferrari win in Race 2, as Louis Prette and Vincent Abril in their AF Corse APM Monaco car took their third success of the season and relaunched their title bid, after struggling with pace during the entire weekend. They made a perfect use of a safety-car after the pit stop window, which allowed to wipe out the gap with regard to the Teo Martín McLaren of Miguel Ramos and Henrique Chaves, who had the race under control up to that moment, after signing pole in the morning. The duel between Ramos and Abril was breath-taking and the Monegasque had to sweat to steal the position. The Portuguese duo eventually finished second and keeps an 8-point advantage in the standings over Prette-Abril and 15 over Yoluc-Eastwood (TF Sport Aston Martin), today only 10th after an off-track in the first chicane. Teo Martín Motorsport got more satisfaction thanks to Marcelo Hahn-Allam Khodair, who finished third overall and took their second Pro-Am win of the season, which gives Hahn a 6- point margin in the class standings over Krupinski-Klien (JP Motorsport Mercedes), today 2nd ahead of the Optimum Motorsport McLaren of Brendan Iribe-Ollie Millroy. Yesterday’s winning Bentley of Crestani-Mettler (Team Lazarus) finished fifth overall. In Am, Florian Scholze-Jens Liebhauser (GetSpeed Performance) replied to yesterday’s win of Alex Moiseev-Alexey Nesov (AKM Motorsport) by beating the Russian duo, with unchanged situation in the standings. THE START – It’s a lively start, as often at Monza, with three cars abreast (the McLarens of poleman Chaves and Khodair and the Bentley of Crestani), but there is no drama. Chaves kees the advantage an pulls away protected by Khodair, then Crestani, Eastwood, Di Amato and Klien who fight trading positions, Prette and Nesov, first among Am. While the two TMM McLarens pull away and have an 8-second gap by lap 10, Crestani and Eastwood are in close fight for third and Klien is fifth ahead of Nesov and Prette after Di Amato is forced to stop twice in the pits because of a technical issue. In lap 14, the driver change window opens and Chaves, with a surprising strategy move, is among the firsts to stop, together with Crestani, Prette and the Optimum McLarens. After all stops, in lap 20, Ramos leads by 14 seconds on Marcelo Hahn, and 18 on Krupinski, soon passed by Abril; then follow Negro, Yoluc, Baruch, Mettler and Moiseev. In lap 25 though, Baruch touches Yoluc at the first chicane, with the Aston spinning and stuck on a kerb. The safety-car is deployed to allow the Aston to rejoin the race. The Israeli receives a drive-through. In lap 27 the race restarts and immediately, with gaps erased, starts the battle for the lead between Ramos and Abril. The Monegasque attacks continuously but the Portuguese resist well. It will take a little bit of collection and good slipstreaming for the Ferrari to be successful at the first chicane in lap 31. Hahn is third, clinching his first Pro=Am win of the season, while Liebhauser takes first in Am from Moiseev. STANDINGS AFTER ROUND 8 OF 14 Overall: 1. Chaves-Ramos, 85 points; 2. Prette-Abril, 77; 3. Eastwood-Yoluc, 70; 4. M.Hahn, 53; 5. Krupinski-Klien, 47; 6. Moss, 42; etc Pro-Am: 1. M.Hahn, 53 p.; 2. Krupinski-Klien, 47; 3. Moss, 36; 4. Khodair, 34; 5. Iribe-Millroy, Osborne, 33; etc Am: 1. Scholze-Liebhauser, 57 points; 2. Moiseev-Nesov, 53; 3. Leutwiler, 36; 4. Hook, 26; 5. Perburg, 14; etc Teams: 1. Teo Martín Motorsport, 80 points; 2. AF Corse APM Monaco, 49; 3. TF Sport, 42; 4. Optimum Motorsport, 29; 5. JP Motorsport, 25; 6. Team Lazarus, 17; etc