Championship at Adria  Matech Racing in the FIA GT3 European ChampionshipMatech Racing celebrated a one-two in the first of two races at Adria in the FIA GT3 European Championship. The two Ford GT built to GT3 regulations and driven by Thomas Mutsch and Walter Salles (Brazil) as well as Dino Lunardi (France) and Eric de Doncker (Belgium) were present among the leading group throughout every practice session. Dino Lunardi, who started from pole position, was able to pull away from the following pack and build a lead. After the pit stops Thomas Mutsch, in the sister car, caught up and reduced the gap to his team mate Eric de Doncker who had, in the meantime, taken the car as scheduled from Dino Lunardi. Just before the end of the race Mutsch had to visit the pit again for a stop-and-go penalty, but nevertheless retained second place behind de Doncker. “I rejoined the track a second too early after my pit stop and had to return to the pits within three laps for a stop-and-go penalty as a result. However, I came in during a safety car period, so I was called in to sit out the penalty again. More was possible today, but the result is good in view of the two stop-and-go penalties.” “The first and second positions were a dream result,” said a delighted Matech Team Boss Martin Bartek. Driver Dino Lunardi added: “We are very happy. I started from pole, my job in the race was to build up the biggest possible lead over the other drivers and hand over a healthy car to Eric with the brakes and tyres in a good condition.” In the second race Thomas Mutsch grabbed the number one spot and extended his lead before handing over his Ford GT in first position to Walter Salles.Dino Lunardi, winner of the first race in the #2 Matech Ford, touched a front bonnet lying on the circuit which had come off another car. As a result the front of his Ford GT was heavily damaged. Team mate Walter Salles spun a few seconds later on his oil patch. “We didn’t understand why the race directors did not deploy the safety car,” criticised Martin Bartek. “There was a piece of debris about two square metres lying on the track which was impossible to see in the heavy traffic and darkness. We lost both cars as a result, one of them was leading.” “We view this race weekend with mixed feelings,” said Bartek to conclude. “We now look forward to the next race at Oschersleben and hope to score a better overall result there.”

The Ford GT fielded by Swiss race team Matech Racing with Thomas Mutsch (Germany) and Thomas Biagi (Italy) finished 19th overall and ninth place in the GT1 category at the second round of the FIA GT Championship at Adria.“Unfortunately we already had engine problems in pre-qualifying, which re-occurred during the race. As a consequence a better result wasn’t possible,” explained Matech Team Boss Martin Bartek. The newly developed 600 hp machine is one of two models on the FIA GT grid, which is designed according to the new GT1 regulations that are valid from the 2010 season onwards. The second Ford GT with the start number 40 races under the MarcVDS Racing Team banner with Belgian drivers Bas Leinders and Renaud Kuppens. It finished twelfth overall and seventh in the GT1 class and was therefore the best car running under the 2010 GT1 regulations. “We had several small problems, but we are learning quickly,” says driver Bas Leinders. “I made a good start, but got stuck behind a Saleen. I touched the tyre barrier in the chicane and had to go to the pits. We got a stop-and-go later because we forgot to leave the car on the ground during refuelling. However, I set the seventh fastest race lap and am very happy with the car.”