The lineup made by Kikko Galbiati, Giovanni Venturini and Alex Frassineti (Lamborghini Huracan-Imperiale Racing) claimed the win ahead of the sister car driven by Pulcini-Giammaria-Nemoto (VSR) and the BMW M6 GT3 of Comandini-Zug-Sims (BMW Team Italia) at the third round of the Italian GT Endurance Championship. The victory of GT4 went to Gnemmi-De Castro-Postiglione (Porsche Cayman-Ebimotors), as Gnemmi and De Castro were crowned the GT4 PRO-AM champion leading the new Italian GT4 AM champ Luca Magnoni, who shared driving duties with Francesco De Luca in the Mercedes AMG run by Nova Race. The third step of the podium went to De Amicis-Di Giusto-Marchi (Porsche Cayman-Ebimotors). Comandini and Zug are leading the classification at 34 points and are followed by Galbiati-Venturini (32), Roda-Rovera-Fuoco (29), Sims (27), Pulcini-Giammaria (25) and Agostini-Mancinelli (24), while in GT3 PRO-AM Hudspeth, Michelotto and Greco confirmed their lead ahead of Di Amato-Vezzoni.

RACE CLASSIFICATION

GT3

It has been an exciting win for Galbiati-Venturini-Frassineti, that came thanks to a perfect car and a great race management for the whole weekend, starting from qualifying that allowed Imperiale Racing to take a splendid pole position and the lead of the race since early on. Frassineti kept a high pace and pulled away from the rivals building a margin of more than 20s to his rivals, which allowed Galbiati to manage the race. The young Italian driver kept the initial gap keeping at the due distance the sister car run by VSR, as did Venturini in the third stint, crossing the finish line ahead of Pulcini-Giammaria-Nemoto. The VSR lineup ran their best race of the season yet taking P2 despite a not great start from Pulcini. The young driver from Rome bounced back soon and installed himself in P2 towards the end of his stint handing the car over to Giammaria who managed the position well afterwards. The Japanese Nemoto, at his first race of the season, did not struggle much to drive his Huracan to the second step of the podium allowing his co-equipers to slide in the title fight. The Vincenzo Sospiri’s drivers led the BMW M6 GT3 of Comandini-Zug-Sims taking a great P3 that allowed Stefano Comandini and the 17 years old German Marius Zug to get on top of the classification.

The Ferrari 488 of Di Amato-Vezzoni ended at the feet of the podium, that were the first of GT3 PRO-AM at the end of an exciting weekend. The two stints of the driver from Rome have been perfect, as that of the Gentleman driver from Cremona, who completed his best race of the season, that allowed him to end ahead of the direct rivals in the GT3 PRO-AM title hunt, Hudspeth-Michelotto-Greco. The Easy Race drivers, also in a Ferrari 488, still lead the classification thanks to the 15 points taken for the second place secured by the driver from Singapore that found his way past Marco Cioci. The Italian and Stefano Gai returned to the Italian GT siding the 18 years old American Simon Mann in the Ferrari 488, but the AF Corse drivers suffered the ABS failure early on and a puncture in the closing lap which did not allow Cioci to defend the fifth place.

The seventh place went to the Porsche GT3 R (Ebimotors) driven by Venerosi-Baccani-Malucelli, that led the Mercedes AMG GT4 of Ferrari-Linossi. The Antonelli Motorsport’s drivers had an unlucky race that could have ended differently. The 17 years old Italian kept P3 in the first stint, position that was kept by Francesca Linossi, but a problem to a bolt in the right front tyre forced Ferrari to delay his stint losing the podium in this way, but ending ahead of Roda-Rovera-Fuoco. The winners of Imola had a tougher race in Vallelunga and the ABS problem forced them to an additional stop. Nothing is lost though in the title fight as AF Corse’s drivers are 5 points short of the new BMW leaders.

The Audi R8 LMS of Drudi-Agostini-Mancinelli that was second in qualifying was hit by bad luck in the race. The Audi Sport Italia’s driver won in Mugello, but had to retire early due to the failure of a trivial component and lost several places in the classification. Riccardo Agostini and Daniel Mancinelli have now 10 points to get back from the BMW pairing Comandini-Zug. The second VSR lineup, Kroes-Shandorff-Tujula, had a difficult day too. They were second in the first stint with the Dutch driver behind the wheel, but he spun out and had to come back to the pits and the retirement came in the second stint.

GT4

Three wins in as many races and GT4 PRO-AM title one race early. This is the impressive result for Paolo Gnemmi and Sabino De Castro in GT4, that won the race in the Porsche Cayman next to their co-equiper Vito Postiglione, who filled in for Riccardo Pera who was competing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Things have not been easy for the Ebimotors lineup that had a long battle with the BMW and Mercedes. In the first stint, the poleman Gnemmi was overtaken by Guerra and Magnoni, while in the second stint De Castro fought for the lead with Neri and De Luca. The Nova Race driver took the lead on lap 63 handing the car over to Magnoni later on, but the latter had eventually to concede the GT4 lead to Postiglione. The driver from Potenza won the race from the new GT4 AM driver Luca Magnoni – who won the title one race early - and his new co-equiper Francesco De Luca, while the other Cayman of Ebimotors driven by De Amicis-Di Giusto-Marchi was third and proceeded the second Mercedes AMG GT4 that Nova Race gave to Minella-Formenti-Manassero. BMW colors had a tough day despite a strong start on top by Guerra, who took the lead early on, but a contact between Marchi and Neri forced him on the gravel trap. The Ebimotors driver had a drive-through penalty to serve, but the BMW car had to retire as the debris made the radiator break.

GT ENDURANCE CLASSIFICATION

ENDURANCE GT3 PRO-AM CLASSIFICATION

ENDURANCE GT4 PRO-AM CLASSIFICATION

ENDURANCE GT4 AM CLASSIFICATION

GNEMMI-DE CASTRO-POSTIGLIONE (PORSCHE CAYMAN-EBIMOTORS)

MAGNONI-DE LUCA (MERCEDES AMG GT4- NOVA RACE)