The undulating Tuscan circuit is set to score a new participation record this coming weekend, which further qualifies the Italian series on an international level, thanks to 27 drivers from around the world. Both races will be broadcast live on ACISPORT TV and on a delayed basis on Raisport, as well as being available for streaming on the championship's website and social media channels.
A highly competitive weekend is on the horizon at the Mugello Circuit for the 3rd round of the Italian GT Sprint Championship, with a remarkable 45 line-ups entered. This sets a new record for the Italian series, which continues to grow in prestige beyond national borders. The season is characterized by all GT3 and GT Cup class standings remaining open.
GT3: At the top of the overall standings with 48 points, Klingmann-Spengler (BMW M4 GT3) are the team to beat in the third round of the Sprint series. The representatives of BMW Italia-Ceccato Racing Team, along with their teammates De Luca-Tamburini, will have to contend with the two Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo (VSR) cars of Cazzaniga-Petrov and Liberati-Michelotto, who are chasing closely at five points behind. Also on the starting grid for the two races will be the third Lamborghini from the Forlì-based Moulin-Llarena team, in addition to the Huracan GT3s from Imperiale Racing driven by Denes-Gvazava, leading in GT3 PRO-AM, and Fascicolo-Ciglia, the current leaders in GT3 AM.
The Ferrari contingent is also substantial, with the entries of D’Auria-White and Castro-Nurmi, who have already participated in previous events, and they will be joined by the 488 GT3 Evo 2020 cars of Acosta-Negri and Toledo-Agostini, all sporting AF Corse colors. The 'Red' car from Best Lap will also be present with the Coluccio-Mazzola crew behind the wheel.
Completing the list in the top class are the two Honda NSX GT3 cars (Nova Race) of Gnos-Greco and Magnoni-Bodellini, as well as the two Mercedes AMG GT3 cars (Antonelli Motorsport) with Kelstrup-Sandrucci, while the second will see the return of team owner Marco Antonelli to competition, alongside a driver yet to be decided.
GT CUP: There will be a total of 29 cars hitting the track in the single-make configuration class. In the GT Cup PRO-AM, the current leader of the provisional standings, Leonardo Colavita, will be sharing the Double TT Racing Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo with Giorgio Maggi. Chasing the 18-year-old from Rome, who is currently thirteen points ahead, are two Lamborghini Huracan STs from Belgian driver Gilles Stadsbader (VSR), who won both races at Misano and will be partnering with Piergiacomo Randazzo, and the Giacomo Race Huracan with Giacomo and Matteo Pollini. The third Huracan on the grid will be fielded by DL Racing for Segù-Vebster, while the Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo cars will be driven by Demarchi-Patrinicola (Best Lap), Gai-Fontana and Dhillon-Griffin (Formula Racing), Matthew Korzejewski (Pellin Racing), and the winners of race 2 at Monza, Del Col-Biagi (Easy Race). The only Porsche entered in the PRO-AM category will be driven by Mattia Di Giusto, who will have Jonathan Cecotto alongside him instead of Riccardo Pera, using Ombra Racing's 992 GT3 Cup.
The GT Cup AM class is also crowded with 19 registered teams, including the current provisional leaders, Nicoli-Scarpetta (Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo). Best Lap's representatives are closely followed in the standings (+5) by Fabi-Riva (Lamborghini Huracan ST Evo-DL Racing) and Pastorelli-Pezzucchi (Porsche 992 GT3 Cup-KMS), with the two Lambo drivers Ignazio Zanon (VSR) and Ettore Carminati (CRM Motorsport) trailing by nine points, all still in the running for the Italian title. In addition to the championship leaders, the 488 Challenge Evo cars will be fielded by Buttarelli-Marazzi (Rossocorsa) by the Canadian Thor Haugen and American Lisa Clark (Pellin Racing), the Danish driver Andreas Bogh Sorensen (Formula Racing) and Marzialetti-D’Aniello (Best Lap).
The Lamborghini Huracan STs are equally impressive, with cars from Iron Linx for Luciano and Donovan Privitelio, HC Racing Division for Massimiliano and Nicolò Pezzuto, and newcomer Benny Strignano partnering with the returning Ferdinando D’Auria, along with the second Huracan from DL Racing to be driven by Pierluigi Alessandri.
The participation of other Porsche cars is noteworthy, with the presence of the Autorlando 992 GT3 Cup of Zanardini-Ghezzi and the Ebimotors 991 GT3 Cup of Papi-Peroni and Liana-Piccioli, Grisi-Abbati (SP Racing) and Croccolino-Luvisi (GDL Racing).
Program and TV schedule: The racing weekend in Tuscany will kick off on Friday with two free practice sessions scheduled from 11:30 to 12:35 and from 15:40 to 16:45. It will continue on Saturday with two official practice sessions divided by class from 8:55 to 10:15, followed by the first two races of 50 minutes + 1 lap starting at 15:30 (GT3) and 16:40 (GT Cup). Finally, on Sunday, the program includes the GT3 class race at 14:30, followed by the GT Cup class race at 15:40, both lasting 50 minutes + 1 lap. All races will be broadcast live on ACI Sport TV (SKY 228) and on a delayed broadcast on RaiSport (race 1 on Sunday at 1:20 and race 2 on Sunday at 23:15), as well as on the championship's website www.acisport.it/CIGT, Facebook page, and YouTube.
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THE CLASSIFICATION LEADERS KLINGMANN-SPENGLER (BMW M4 GT3-BMW ITALIA/CECCATO RACING TEAM)
GT CUP PRO-AM CLASS LEADER LEONARDO COLAVITA (FERRARI 488 CHALLENGE EVO-DOUBLE TT RACING), LEADING THE RACE IN MONZA WITH GIORGIO MAGGI
