The sixth and penultimate round of the Italian GT Championship at the Monza Eni Circuit

The Ferrari-Lamborghini-Audi duel for the GT3 title involving Stefano Gai, Zampieri-Altoè and Bar Baruch, all within 17 points, will get underway this coming weekend at the circuit near Milan. Games on also in GT Cup between Davide Di Benedetto and Pisani-Sauto, while Perolini (SGT Cup) and Magnoni (GT 3 Light) are very close to clinching the title.
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The final sprint for the 16th Italian GT Championship is about to start. The Italian GT is heading to the Monza Eni Circuit this coming weekend for the sixth and penultimate round of the season, that will be followed by the grand finale at Mugello towards the end of the month.

In the highest class, GT3, the challenge will involve Ferrari, Lamborghini and Audi and specifically classification leader Stefano Gai, and his chasers Zampieri-Altoè and Bar Baruch. The three lineups are within 17 points, which is not much considering the two jokers and the 80 points still up for grabs which make the classification wide open. Gai (Ferrari 488-Scuderia Baldini 27) has a six points lead and reaches Monza with the great champion Giancarlo Fisichella alongside him. The Scuderia Baldini 27 pairing comes from the good win in Vallelunga’s race2 as the closest rivals, Zampieri-Altoè, that won race1 on the Huracan run by Antonelli Motorsport. The Israeli Bar Baruch is also all set for an attack weekend on the R8 LMS run by Audi Sport Italia alongside Mattia Drudi. The Italian driver is quite resolute to repeat the good debut of Vallelunga and help his co-equiper’s title quest. All envisages a very interesting weekend.

The penultimate round of the season will also have some debuts and comebacks. The British drivers Christopher Froggatt and John Sawbridge will move their first steps in the Italian GT on the Ferrari 488 run by AF Corse, while Loris Spinelli and the Pole Karol Basz will be back to the series on the Lamborghini Huracans, fielded respectively by Antonelli Motorsport with Lorenzo Veglia and Imperiale Racing with Vito Postiglione. The team from Mirandola will also line up a second Huracan for Liang-Giammaria, Easy Race will field a Ferrari 488 for Mancinelli-Fontana, while BMW Team Italia will be at the start with the M6 GT3 driven by Comandini-Koebolt.

Two new arrivals will also be present in GT3 “Light”: the 17 years old Simon Mann who will have Matteo Cressoni on his side on the Ferrari 458 Italia. AF Corse lineup will have to face the challenge of the other 458 Italia run by Easy Race, with drivers still to be defined, and that of the other Audi R8 LMS ultra driven by Magnoni-Marchetti (Nova Race). Luca Magnoni could secure the title two races early.

The classification of Super GT Cup is well defined as Pietro Perolini (Antonelli Motorsport), alone in Monza, is firmly on top with 31 points advantage on teammate Marco Cenedese, who will share driving duties with Kikko Galbiati in Monza. The Chinese driver Xu Xu and the Serbian Milos Plavovic will make their debut in the class reserved to Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo.

The fight is wide open in GT Cup where the Italian Davide Di Benedetto (Porsche 991) is all set to defend his lead from the attacks of Pisani-Sauto (Porsche 997). The Island Motorsport driver will have to manage his 13 points lead from the Siliprandi Racing’s lineup, but “Ciccio” La Mazza and Luciano Linossi might slide in the fight, as the latter will be back to the championship after a 6 years long absence, on a Porsche 991 of Ebimotors.

Program: the sixth weekend of the season will begin on Friday with two free practice sessions (at 10.45 and 14.45). It will continue on Saturday with two qualifying sessions (from 9.35 to 10.35). While race1 will get underway on Saturday from 13,20 and Race2 (both on the length of 48 minutes + 1 lap) will be on Sunday at 14. Both races will go live on Rai Sport, on the Facebook page of the championship and on www.acisport.it/CIGT.

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