The BMW M6 GT3 of Cerqui-Comandini triumphs in Race-1 at the fourth round of the Italian GT Championship in Mugello

On the top step of the podium in the other classes, Benucci-Niboli (GT3), D'Amico-Cazzaniga (SGT Cup), Pisani-Palazzo (GT Cup) and De Castro (GTS). Race-2 is scheduled for tomorrow with live TV coverage on AutomotoTV and recorded broadcast on Raisport.
Image

 

The BMW M6 GT3 led by Cerqui-Comandini claimed the victory in race-1 of the 4th round of the Italian GT Championship in Mugello. The BMW Team Italia pairing has proceeded the two Ferraris 488 of Schirò-Cioci (Easy Race) and Malucelli-Cheever (Scuderia Baldini 27). The victory in GT3 went to the Ferrari 458 Italia of Benucci-Niboli (MP1 Corse), D’Amico-Cazzaniga (Lamborghini Huracan-Vincenzo Sospiri Racing) took the win in Super GT Cup, while the top step of the podium of GT Cup went to Pisani-Palazzo (Porsche 997-Siliprandi Racing). In GTS, the Porsche Cayman of Sabino De Castro (Ebimotors) took the victory leading the Ginetta G55 driven by Luca Magnoni (Nova Race). Race-2 will get underway tomorrow at 13,15 with live coverage on AutomotoTV (SKY 148) and recorded broadcast on Raisport (at 17).


SUPER GT3: The first victory of the season for Cerqui-Comandini goes down to a splendid pole secured by the driver from Brescia. At the start, Cerqui did not get a perfect getaway and slipped down to fifth behind Gai, Schirò, Agostini and Cheever, but BMW Team Italia’s driver put in a good race pace that allowed him to find his way past Cheever on lap four and Agostini on lap nine. On top, Gai built a two seconds gap to Schirò, while Beretta proceeded Ghirelli, Veglia, Cassarà and Palma in sixth place. At lap 14, the race was neutralized during the pit stops as the safety car was deployed to allow marshals recover the Huracan run by Petri Corse Motorsport. At the restart, Cerqui’s co-equiper found himself on the lead as he did not have to serve any handicap, leading Cioci, Zampieri, Rugolo, Malucelli, Valente, Frassineti and Treluyer. BMW driver managed very well the restart and gained more than a second of advantage on Cioci, who was busy to fend off a couple of attacks moved by Zampieri. Rugolo was fourth and proceeded Malucelli, but the driver from Forlì found the right gap on the penultimate lap and had the upper hand on the driver of Black Bull Swisse Team. At the flag, BMW Team Italia’s pairing claimed their first win of the season while Schirò-Cioci and Agostini-Zampieri, rounded out the podium but the latter were handed a 5s time penalty due to the irregular start of the driver from Veneto and were demoted to the sixth place. The third step of the podium was inherited by Malucelli-Cheever, who led Gai-Rugolo and Frassineti-Beretta, while the Super GT3 classification was closed by Treluyer-Ghirelli in seventh, that were followed by Gentili-Cassarà, Veglia-Valente, Ishikawa and Palma-Baruch.

 


GT3: Nicola Benucci claimed another victory after that scored in Misano, but this time around his co-equiper was Simone Niboli. The MP1 Corse drivers did not have rivals in the hunt for the top step of the podium thanks to a very quick first stint of Benucci, who took the lead early on. Behind him, a great Del Castello was followed by La Mazza and Venerosi. The pit stops did not live any dramas and Niboli rejoined on top leading Del Castello’s co-equiper Colajanni, who was followed by Magli and Baccani, who managed to overtake the Sicilian driver in the closing stages. Positions did not change at the flag and Benucci-Niboli led Del Castello-Colajanni, who finally had a clean race not spoiled by bad luck, while Venerosi-Baccani closed on the third step of the podium strengthening their classification lead.

 

Image

SUPER GT CUP: Three lineups in two points only. The provisional classification of the Lamborghini Huracan SuperTrofeo is very short after race-1 that was won by D’Amico-Cazzaniga, who allowed Vincenzo Sospiri Racing’s drivers to close in on the team mates Vainio-Tujula and Liang Jia-Ortiz, that were respectively fourth and third today. Desideri took the lead proceeding Ortiz at the start, but at lap four they exchanged positions with the Brazilian taking the lead. Behind the two leaders, Tujula, D’Amico, Takashi, Pastorelli and De Marchi followed in the order. Back on track after the drivers change, Liang Jia took over from Ortiz on top leading Necchi, Cazzaniga, Basz, Bonacini, Vainio, Benvenuti and Sartori. Necchi had to concede a couple of places at lap 19, while Cazzaniga took the lead getting past Liang Jia when two laps were left, as the latter lost position to Basz in the closing lap. At the flag, D’Amico-Cazzaniga secured a good victory with Takashi-Basz and Liang Jia-Ortiz completing the podium, while Tujula-Vainio were fourth and proceeded Desidri-Necchi, Bonacini-Pastorelli, Benvenuti-Demarchi and Perolini-Sartori.

 
GT CUP: The third win of the season took Eugenio Pisani (Siliprandi Racing) one step closer to the victory of the Italian title. The driver from Genova and co-equiper Walter Palazzo, did not have problems to have the best of La Mazza-Nicolosi (Ebimotors), that have always been behind. Pisani reached 105 points in the classification, proceeding his co-equiper by 35 points. 


GTS: The debut of two further Porsche Cayman in Mugello made the entry level class even more interesting, and race-1 produced a lot of spectacle on track. At the start, Veronesi got the lead from Maino, to De Castro, Neri, Magnoni and Marchesi, but De Castro got past his team mate at lap five and started chasing the pace setter. Magnoni also got some ground back and took the lead before the pit window opened, leading Veronesi and Maino. A 35s time handicap made Nova Race driver slip down to fifth after the pit stop. De Castro gained the lead followed by Spiridinov, who took over from Veronesi, but the Russian driver lost his position to Magnoni, Pizzola and Marchetti, while Arrigosi got beached at Arrabbiata 2 in the closing stages. At the flag, on did not change and De Castro took his third win of the season, closing in on the classification leader as he is only 4 points shy of the leader Magnoni.


On Twitter

@CIGranTurismo

@GTavoni