A Ferrari 488 got again on the top step of the podium in the third round of the Italian GT Championship held in Monza. After the victory in race-1 taken by Malucelli-Cheever, the Red Car from Maranello won also race-2 with Stefano Gai (Black Bull Swisse Racing) who pipped by only 0.272s the Audi R8 LMS driven by Treluyer-Ghirelli (Audi Sport Italia) at the flag and relegated the sister car driven by Schirò-Melo (Easy Race) to 10”107s.

In Super GT Cup reserved to the Lamborghini Huracans, the victory went to the Polish Myszkowski-Lewandowski (Vincenzo Sospiri Racing) that led Benvenuti-Demarchi (Imperiale Racing) and team mates Vainio-Tujula, while Nicola Neri (Porsche Cayman-Kinetic Racing) won class GTS. The next round of the series is scheduled in Mugello next July 15-16th.

SUPER GT3: The third win of the season and the classification lead in Super GT3 PRO are the haul of the Milanese driver Stefano Gai. Despite the absence of co-equiper Mirko Venturi, the driver of Black Bull Swisse Racing has been excellent in race-2, bouncing back from the unlucky race-1 that saw him closing only seventh. Gai took the victory after the flag, following the penalty handed to the Audi R8 LMS of Treluyer-Ghirelli due to an irregularity at the pit stop. This does not spoil anyway the great win taken by the Swiss team that is now leading the classification 5 points clear of race-1 winners Matteo Malucelli and Eddie Cheever III.

Ghirelli was very quick at the start and took the lead proceeding Pezzucchi, Agostini, Cheever, Gai, Schirò, Frassineti, Leo, Veglia and Cerqui, while Ishikawa had to pit after an excursion. The young Audi driver put in a series of very quick laps that allowed him to pull away. Behind him, Cheever had to fend off a very aggressive Gai. The pit window opening enlivened the race. When all cars were back on track, Pezzucchi’s co-equiper Pastorelli was on top, leading Treluyer, Gai, Zampieri, Melo, Beretta and Comandini, while Malucelli, who had to serve a 25s time penalty, rejoined in tenth place.

Pastorelli’s lead lasted only a few laps. Krypton Motorsport’s driver went in fact wide at the Roggia chicane and was overtaken by Treluyer and Gai, but the safety car deployment due to a car stopped in the circuit neutralized race for a couple of laps. At the restart, Zampieri attacked Pastorelli for P3 and Melo got the most of it taking both rivals. Pastorelli had to endure brakes problems and was forced to concede several positions, while Malucelli and Comandini engaged in a good duel for the sixth place. The closing stages saw a tight fight involving Zampieri and Melo for P3, and Treluyer crossed the line first followed by Gai, while the Brazilian of Easy Race closed on the third step of the podium. The aforementioned penalty pushed Audi’s lineup to P2, giving the the third victory of the season to the Black Bull Swisse Racing’s lineup. Agostini-Zampieri were fourth and proceeded Leo-Baruch, Malucelli-Cheever, Comandini-Cerqui, that were also the leaders of the non PRO, and Frassineti-Beretta. BMW’s lineup secured therefore the sixth win of the season, proceeding in this occasion Veglia-Valente, Cassarà-Gentili and Pezzucchi-Pastorelli.

 

GT3: Another victory went to the Audi R8 LMS ultra of Merendino-Di Benedetto that are now well within the title fight. At the start, Benucci-Bontempelli had to give up due to some electrical problems and Baccani took the lead from Magli, to Di Benedetto and Del Castello, but Erreci Proracing’s driver had to retire due to a technical problem shortly after. Back on track after the pit stop, Merendino was on the lead as Veronesi who took over from Baccani had to serve a 45s time handicap. La Mazza installed himself in P3, and shortly after he managed to find his way past Ebimotors’ driver. Merendino took a splendid double win at the flag, proceeding La Mazza and Venerosi, but the Sicilian driver was relegated to P3 after the race due to an irregularity at the pit stop. Baccani and Venerosi strengthened their classification lead with the 15 points scored today and reached 97 points, that is 31 clear of La Mazza and Magli.

SUPER GT CUP: The Polish lineup made by Andrzej Lewandowski and Teodor Myszkowski were at the debut in the Italian series and took the victory in race-2 on the Lamborghini Huracan run by Vincenzo Sospiri Racing. The race has been quite tight and eventful since the start when Ortiz took the lead proceeding Basz and Tujula. Bonacini and Galbiati came to the fore in the first stint, as the latter put in a great performance that took him up to P3 from the starting P6. D’Amico, fourth, slipped to the back quite soon, before he had to stop due to a problem to the rear left wheel. At lap 7 Basz also had to retire when a wheel came off his car, as Tujula inherited P2 leading Galbiati, Bonacini, Benvenuti, Lewandowski and Necchi. The second part of the race after the pit stops was very eventful too. Galbiati’s co-equiper Alessandri spun leaving the top part of the charts. As the Antonelli Motorsport’s driver was out, Ljang Jia took the lead proceeding Myszkowski, De Marchi, Durante, Vainio and Desideri, but at lap 20 the Chinese driver spun and handed the lead to the Polish driver who proceeded Demarchi and Vainio that closed the race in this order, when an incident among two GT Cup cars stopped the race early. The fourth place went to Desideri-Necchi, who led Durante - Bonacini, who had a violent incident at lap 21 due to the explosion of a tyre.

 

GT CUP: The victory of GT Cup has not been assigned. Both drivers taking part in race-2, that is Pisani-Palazzo and La Mazza-Nicolosi, have been excluded as deemed responsible of the incident involving the two Porsche 997 driven by Walter Palazzo and Giuseppe a Mazza in the closing stages that forced race direction to red flag the race. The race had been dominated by Pisani on Nicolosi in the first stint, but the safety car compacted the Palazzo and La Mazza, in the second stint and the two collided at lap 23, event that put the word end to the race.

GTS: The first victory of the season went to Nicola Neri that brought the Porsche Cayman of Kinetic Racing to the end before the two Ginetta G55 (Nova Race) of Carboni-Marchetti and Luca Magnoni. Gonfiantini came to the fore in the first stint taking the lead from Neri, to Carboni and Magnoni. The race was very tight and the top three was within two seconds as the drivers started an exciting duel with Kinetic Racing’s driver fending off the attacks for P2. After the pit stop, Marchetti who took over from Carboni, found himself on top, but a drive-through penalty relegated him to P3. Neri inherited therefore the lead as De Castro was second, but the latte rhad to retire at lap 21 due to a technical problem. Marchetti took the second position and Magnoni the third. Magnoni, De Castro, Neri and Carboni are now all within 13 points in the classification. Game on.

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Classification race2 SGT3 - GT3

Classification race2 SGT Cup - GT CUP- GTS

Championship classification Super GT3 PRO

Championship classification Super GT3 

Championship classification  GT3

Championship classification Super GT CUP

Championship classification GT CUP

Championship classification GTS