Förderer and Fuchs do the double across two crazy races
Baking Temple of Speed showcases almost 150 GT cars
GT World experience attracts 45,000 fans
SR Motorsport by Schnitzelalm drivers Enrico Förderer and Cedric Fuchs took centre stage across two absorbing GT4 European Series races at Monza, with the 44-car field producing action everywhere you looked in Italy.
The second round of the season again featured the GT4 field joining forces with the GT2 European Series powered by Pirelli and McLaren Trophy Europe, combining to support the GT World, which headlined the action at the Temple of Speed with its own 57-car GT3 grid.
In total, almost 45,000 fans turned out to catch the action, and they were treated to a host of entertainment both on and off the track with live music, pit walks, autograph sessions, supercar displays and a busy fan zone providing plenty of options.
FÖRDERER AND FUCHS MAKE IT THREE FROM FOUR
After their flying start to life in GT4 Europe at the opening round last month, Förderer and Fuchs went even better in Monza, securing their biggest points haul of the season so far to extend their championship lead. The twin victories take their tally to three wins from the four races so far, reinforcing their title-chasing form.
They faced a host of challenges, however, and the #111 Mercedes-AMG was rarely the fastest car, but their consistency and cool heads amid the searing track temperatures got them through in front.
Robert Consani and Benjamin Lariche held a formidable record at Monza, having won three of the last four races here. They looked like extending that when each driver smashed the old Qualifying lap record to grab both pole positions aboard the #1 Team Speedcar Audi, but again luck was not on their side as they lost a shot at the win in Race 1 to a mechanical issue before a penalty denied them an almost certain victory in the finale.
Lariche took pole for the opener but dropped to third early on, giving himself work to do to claw his way back to the front. That sparked a great four-car fight between he, Pedro Garcia’s Racing Spirit of Léman Aston Martin, Förderer and Cameron McLeod in the flying Academy Mustang. McLeod dropped out of contention after a penalty for a start infringement, while Clement Seyler dramatically crashed out in the Aston, leaving Förderer’s team-mate Fuchs and Consani to play out the lead battle across the closing stages. Consani had only just stolen the lead when his Audi slowed with a gearbox problem, leaving Fuchs to take the glory.
Race 2 was just as dramatic, with two safety car interruptions, the second caused by a spectacular airborne accident for the #30 W&S Motorsport Porsche. The fact all drivers emerged unscathed again goes to prove the safety standards of the current generation of GT4 cars.
Consani didn’t let his chance from pole slip, leading throughout the opening stint. The race turned sour for Speedcar when the pit stops arrived and the #1 was handed a time penalty for speeding in the pits, meaning although Lariche rejoined out front he would need to build a gap of 10 seconds or more to secure the win. He so nearly did, pulling 9.4 seconds clear of Förderer by the time he had managed to work his way into second, but in clean air the German ate into the gap just enough, denying Lariche by just over a second and completing a dream double.
Lotus PB Racing celebrated home success in Pro-Am, with Massimiliano Schiavone and Maurizio Copetti scoring victory in Race 1, before Team Speedcar got its reward for strong pace all weekend with Sacha Bottemanne and Viny Beltramelli triumphing in the second. After Am class victory in the opener, Max Kronberg and Daniel Blickle made a flying exit to the second race, leaving Julien Ripert to double Audi’s trophy tally.
THE GT WORLD EXPERIENCE
A total of 43,461 spectators descended on the Temple of Speed for enjoy a packed weekend of world-class GT racing. As well as basking in stunning weather, the crowds enjoyed supercar displays and demonstration laps, open paddock access and a bustling pit walk on Saturday evening, which featured an autograph session with the podium-finishing GT4 Europe drivers.
Automotive exotica included the one-off Nissan R390 GT1, which was both on static display and unleashed on track to allow fans to revel in the sound of its 3.5-litre twin-turbo V8, the new Kimera Evo 37 plus a line-up including world-leading brands such as Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, Dallara, McLaren and more. In addition, the fan zone remained a hive of activity, with thousands of fans enjoying food and drink offerings plus GT World’s live DJ while taking in the action from the big screen.
The GT4 European Series returns to action at the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa where it will support the world’s biggest GT race across the weekend of June 25-27.
