Lietz-Camathias (Autorlando Porsche) Win GT Open Race and Retake Lead - Title to be decided in Barcelona grand finale
• Austro-Swiss lead by 12 points• Montermini-Maceratesi (Playteam Ferrari) 2nd and the Sun Red 3rd• Petrini-Wiser (Villois Racing) give Aston Martin victory in GTS• Nannini helps Giudici (Ferrari 360) securing GTB title
The fight at the top of the International GT Open is more intense than ever and the title will be decided in the last race (to be run on double distance and double points) in Barcelona on 11 November. Today, Richard Lietz and Joel Camathias, in the Porsche 997 RSR of Autorlando Sport, brilliantly took victory (their fourth of the year) in the Monza GT Open, re-taking the championship lead they had left for one day to local heroes Busnelli-Massironi, winners of the Pro-Am race yesterday. Playteam today took second place with their other pair, Montermini-Maceratesi, while Gutiérrez-Zapata gave the Sun Red 21 its second podium finish in two events.
In GTS, Marco Petrini and Massimiliano Wiser obtained their second success and the third for the Aston Martins of Villois Racing. One man who can already celebrate is Gianni Giudici, who ensured the GTB title for himself, after conquering the sixth win of the year, this time again in partnership with F.1 legend Alessandro Nannini.QUALIFYING 2- Richard Lietz gave a good demonstration of his talent and of the qualities of the Autorlando Porsche 997 RSR by clinching pole-position in qualifying 2 on Saturday noon, setting the fastest time of all sessions in 1.50.019. He will start the GT Open from first row, having at his side Matteo Bobbi, this time the fastest among the Ferrari 430s on the GPC car #18. Qualifying 2 saw 7 Ferraris in the top 10, with the Mosler of Guerrero in sixth and the Marcos of Cor Euser in tenth (and first among GTS cars). Alessandro Nannini (Giudici Ferrari 430 Challenge) took the pole in GTB.Two cars ended the session with trouble: the GTA Mosler stopped in smoke with mechanical problems and the AC Andorra Ferrari 430 driven by Manel Cerqueda jr. (who had done the 11th fastest time) hit the armco after spinning in the Ascari chicane.
HANDICAPS GT OPEN RACE
Time window for mandatory driver change: Between minutes 16 and 24.Minimum time for mandatory driver change (for all): 60”Additional success handicaps:#3 Busnelli-Massironi (Playteam Ferrari)- 20”#10 Livio-Pasini (Advanced Eng. Ferrari)- 15”#18 Bobbi-Bonetti (GPC Ferrari) -10”#32 Moncada-Pellizzato (Racing Box Viper) -15”#33 Romagnoli-Marchetti (La Torre Viper) – 30’’#38 Lancieri-Romanini (Villois Aston Martin) – 15’’#42 Van Zoest-Arias (Roger Ferrari) –30”#44 Gini-Arlotti (Gini Ferrari) – 45”#51 Giudici-Nannini (Giudici Ferrari) – 45’’#54 Caccia-Garofano (Mik Corse Ferrari 430)- 15’’#60 Geri-Cioci (Racing Box Lamborghini) – 30’’
GT OPEN RACE REPORT – Three cars withdraw before the start: the Mik Lamborghini of Gabbiani-Bonaldi is damaged in an accident in the warm-up and the Ferrari 360 of policand-Savary and the Porsche of Ricci-Traffort, both entered by Sofrev ASP, could not be repaired after yesterday’s race. First passage through the chacane is quite orderly, despite the field storming the straight with 5 cars in a row; it’s the GTA Mosler of Guerrero taking the advantage on Lietz (Autorlando Porsche), Sundberg (RSV Ferrari), Livio (Advanced Eng. Ferrari), Bobbi (GPC Ferrari), Maceratesi (Playteam Ferrari), Pier Guidi (Playteam Ferrari 360), Frezza (GPC Ferrari), Zapata (Sun Red) and Euser (Marcos).
On lap 3, Guerrero runs wide in the Ascari chicane and is passed by both Lietz and Sundberg in close fight, while further behind Livio can no longer resist the attacks of Maceratesi and Pier Guidi. While Pinato (Mik Lamborghini) gets trapped in the gravel and Terting (Sun Red Ferrari) takes the lead in GTB from Nannini, Van Zoest (Roger Ferrari) spins and Caccia (Mik Ferrari) too, the real fight is for 5th between a group of six excited (Zapata, Livio, Massironi, Gianmaria, Frezza , PierGuidi) who change positions aznd often also touch each other. Shortly before the pit stop Maceratesi, Gianmaria and Pierguidi seem to emerge from that group, while Livio loses time after being sent off track.
Following the pitstop, it’s Camathias leading, ahead of Romero who loses ground and is passed by Montermini on lap 15; then, Gutierrez, Peter, Bonetti, Roda, Sala, Gattuso, Pasini, Tedoldi and Busnelli. Positions will not vary much until the closing laps, when the Mosler of Aicart stops, Tedoldi spins and, most of all, Romero is sent into a spin by Garofano when lapping the Viper, losing the podium and four positions. In GTS, is Petrini-Wiser taking victory after the Marcos is slowed down by technical problems and in GTB there are no problems for Giudici-Nannini to take yet another victory.
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS AFTER ROUNDS 11 & 12Overall:1. Lietz-Camathias (Autorlando Porsche), 1342. Montermini-Maceratesi (Playteam Ferrari), 1223. Busnelli-Massironi (Playteam Ferrari), 118 p.4. Livio-Pasini (Advanced Engineering Ferrari), 1155. Bonetti (GPC Ferrari), 1046. Peter (GPC Ferrari), 947. Roda (GPC Ferrari), 908. Giudici (Giudici Ferrari), 869. Sundberg-Romero (RSV Ferrari), 8510. Aicart-Guerrero (GTA Mosler), 7711. Mowlem (GPC Ferrari), 7612. Bobbi (GPC Ferrari), 72
GTA:1. Lietz-Camathias (Autorlando Porsche), 522. Maceratesi-Montermini (Playteam Ferrari), 513. Busnelli-Massironi (Playteam Ferrari), 484. Pasini-Livio (Advanced Eng. Ferrari), 475. Bonetti (GPC Ferrari), 43
GTS:1. Romagnoli (La Torre Viper), 642. Marchetti (La Torre Viper), 623. Geri (Racing Box Lamborghini), 534. Lancieri-Romanini (Villois Aston Martin), 485. Cioci (Racing Box Lamborghini), 43
GTB :1. Giudici (Giudici Ferrari), 862. Gini-Arlotti (Gini Ferrari), 663. Nannini (Giudici Ferrari), 424. Ricci (Sofrev Porsche), 245. Balthazar-Beaubelique (Sofrev Porsche), 22
