Di Folco-Amici-Middleton (Lamborghini Huracan) win the 2nd round of the Italian GT Endurance Championship

The Imperiale Racing's Lamborghini proceeded the Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo of Fisichella-Gai-Zampieri (Scuderia Baldini) and that of Mann-Cressoni (AF Corse). In GT Cup Delacour-Sbirrazzuoli (Ferrari 488 Challenge) secured the win as Neri-Fascicolo-Nilsson (BMW M4) in GT4.
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Alberto Di Folco, Andrea Amici and Stuart Middleton (Lamborghini Huracan) are the winners of the second round of the Italian GT Endurance Championship held at the Mugello Circuit. Imperiale Racing’s drivers proceeded the two Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo of Fisichella-Gai-Zampieri (Scuderia Baldini) and Mann-Cressoni (AF Corse), the latter were the first of GT3 PRO-AM. Piccini-Schiavoni-Mastronardi (Ferrari 488 GT3) secured the win in GT3 AM, Delacour-Sbirrazzuoli (Ferrari 488 Challenge) that of GT Cup, while the victory in GT4 went to Neri-Fascicolo-Nilsson (BMW M4-Ceccato Racing). Salaquarda-Basz-Postiglione (Audi R8 LMS-Audi Sport Italia) were only fourth as they crossed the finish line on top, but were then handed nearly 15s time penalty due to an irregular drivers’ change. The provisional classification is led by Di Folco-Amici-Middleton at 32 points, that is two more than Fisichella-Gai-Zampieri.

RACE CLASSIFICATION

CHAMPIONSHIP CLASSIFICATION

GT3 PRO-AM

GT3 AM

GT CUP

GT4

GT3: A difficult, hard-fought and eventful race has been held at the circuit in Tuscany. Due also to a rain-shower that fell in the mid part of the race, several cars exchanged on top, but the victory eventually went to Imperiale Racing after the race, when Salaquarda-Basz-Postiglione were handed nearly 15s of penalty after they crossed the finish line on top. The victory of Imperiale Racing was truly deserved, thanks to a great first stint by the young British driver Middleton, who took the lead and kept it for the whole hour despite a safety car that compacted the group.

Amici also run a strong second stint on slick tyres despite the light but tricky rain that forced some lineups to fit rain tyres. The driver from Rome always kept himself close to the front runners and engaged in a big fight with Zampieri and Salaquarda, eventually handing the car over to Di Folco in P3. Due to the 10s time penalty following the third place in Pergusa, the driver from Rome slipped down to P5, but he recovered very well up to P2 thanks to some good overtaking moves on Cressoni and Fisichella, crossing the finish line in second place, but taking the lead after the penalty handed to Audi’s lineup.

In the final classification, Imperiale Racing’s drivers led Fisichella-Gai-Zampieri, which managed to climb up from the back to second place after a technical problem experienced in qualifying. Gai recovered a lot of ground in the first stint, Zampieri did the same in the second despite running on slick tyres on a wet track, which allowed Fisichella to stay close to the top even though the driver from Rome had an excessive tyre degradation in his stint.

Mann-Cressoni deservedly ended third, that were first of GT3 PRO-AM. The young American driver came to the fore on slick tyres despite the wet track. The rest was all about a great run of a great champion of the likes of Matteo Cressoni, who crossed the finish line ahead of Salaquarda-Basz-Postiglione. The penalty for Audi has been a cold shower, but an error at the drivers’ change anticipated the exit of the car from the pits, which was sanctioned at the end of the race. The three drivers run an excellent race starting from Basz, who was second in the first stint and Salaquarda, who led his stint and engaged in great battles with Crestani.

In the final stages, Vito Postiglione came to the fore pulling away from his rivals and building a 12s gap, that were not enough to clinch the victory though. They crossed the finish line ahead of Piccini-Schiavoni-Mastronardi (Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo-Iron Lynx), which were the first of GT3 AM, and Greco-Crestani-Filippi. The Easy Race drivers still had tough luck after their retirement in Pergusa and they only were sixth in Mugello. Greco has been very good to stay close to the front runners in the first stint, as did Crestani, who took the lead on lap 43 on slick tyres, but then he lost a few places when he went wide on the gravel trap. Back in the lead a few laps afterwards, the driver from Treviso lost the lead again to Zampieri, handing the car over to Filippi for the grand finale.

A contact in the closing stages with Di Folco caused a puncture and an unscheduled pitstop that stripped the lineup of a possible podium finish. The seventh-place went to Schreiner-Hudspeth-Fuoco (Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo-AF Corse), which led the sister car of RS Racing driven by Di Amato-Vezzoni, which was the second in GT3 PRO-AM. The driver from Rome has been amazing, he drove a solid first stint that allowed his co-equiper Vezzoni to rejoin on top for his stint, but then the tough conditions of the track forced the team to pit the car to fit rain tyres and then slick tyres again, which allowed Di Amato to cross the finish line ahead of Earle-Perel-Schirò (Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo-Kessel Racing). They were third in GT3 PRO-AM, while Magnoni-Zanotti (Honda NSX-Nova Race) were second in GT3 AM.

Drudi-Ferrari-Agostini (Audi R8 LMS-Audi Sport Italia) had tough luck and went off on lap 12, Cuhadaroglu-Fumanelli (Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo-Kessel Racing) retired on lap 15, while the women lineup Gatting-Frey-Bovy (Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo-Iron Lynx) which ended 13th overall after a problem to the power-steering.Perolini-Negro-Veglia (Lamborghini Huracan-LP Racing) had a troubled race too. They ended 14th, while Comandini-Zug-Spengler (BMW M6 GT3-Ceccato Racing) were 15th due also to a puncture following contact with Fumanelli in the early stages.

GT CUP/GT4: At the debut in the Italian series, Delacour and Sbirrazzuoli truly deserved the win. The AF Corse drivers posted the fastest time in qualifying and led the race since the start proceeding Dionisio-Varini-Barri (Lamborghini Huracan ST-Team Italy) and Baratto-Becagli-Vinella (Ferrari 458 Challenge-SR&R) at the flag. Demarchi-Risitano-Barbolini (Ferrari 488 Challenge-SR&R) had to retire due to a mechanical failure.

The victory in GT4 went to the BMW M4 of Neri-Fascicolo-Nilsson that run a regular race in all three stints. Neri at the start handed the car over to Fascicolo, while Nilsson drove the car through the final stint and earned 20 points for the classification that, after the victory in Pergusa, confirm Ceccato Racing on top of the provisional classification.

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DELACOUR-SBIRRAZZUOLI (FERRARI 488 CHALLENGE-AF CORSE)

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NERI-FASCICOLO-NILSSON (BMW M4-CECCATO RACING)