• Teams and drivers ready for first of two rounds in a week• Another historic track, Donington, to host the GT Open on July 4-5• Over 30 cars entered in Belgium• M-tech, GDL, Ventidue, Perlini and Giudici make first appearance in GTS
One of the most-awaited events of the International GT Open is at our door : the third round of the 2009 season takes place in Spa-Francorchamps on 26-28 June and there is no doubt that the legendary track in the Belgian Ardennes is on top of the ranking of preferred circuits for most drivers. The Spa event will see in action also the Euro F.3 Open, the FIA F.2 and other prominent series, in the framework of the traditional Spa Euro Races meeting.
With the fourth round of the series (a first visit to another historic circuit such as Donington Park) following immediately the week-end after spa, the Belgian round constitutes the first part of an interesting double outing, as most of the teams will not go back to their base and will go directly from Belgium to England. The two events will conclude the first part of the championship and could be crucial to determine thetrends of the season.
Things are extremely open in the championship, with current leaders, Switzerland’s Marcel Fässler-Joël Camathias on the Trottet Ferrari only 2 points ahead of Richard Lietz-Gianluca Roda in the Autorlando Porsche (62 vs. 60 points). Not much further behind, is Advanced Engineering Ferrari of Michele Rugolo-Giacomo Ricci (54). In the GTS category, Philipp Peter-Michal Broniszewski (Kessel Ferrari) have a relatively more comfortable advantage (6 points) on Max Wiser (Villois Aston Martin).
As expected, the Spa-Francorchamps race has attracted a number of new entrants, with a total number expected to exceed 30 cars and to be the best entry so far this season. In the Super GT category, Spain’s Josep Mayola-Marc Carol will perform one oftheir seasonal outings to the GT Open in their PRC Ferrari F430. In addition, are expected a couple of Porsches 997, whose entry was being finalized at the time ofwriting.
It is though in the GTS category that we find the highest number of novelties, with the appearance of four new teams. GDL Racing, which was founded in 2001 in Ravenna, Italy by Gianluca De Lorenzi andhis father Luigi (a former chief-mechanic of Minardi F.1 for ten years) and is active in GT and Touring cars racing, enters a Porsche 997 Cup for Gianluca De Lorenzi himself and Stefano Borghi. Andrea Perlini, who comes from a well-known racing dynasty in Italy, will enter a Dodge Viper Coupé that he will share with Briton Duncan Cameron.
Ventidue Motorsport does not need further presentation, as this is the squad having won the GTS crown in the GT Open last year. Massimiliano Crinelli’s team is back with its Corvette and has enlisted two GT Open regulars such as Ferdinando Geri and threetimes Italian GT3 champion Giacomo Piccini. Gianni Giudici is back with his Ferrari F430 GT3, a similar car is entered by British stalwart GT team Mtech for Mike Edmonds and Ruffier Racing is also back with one of its Lamborghini Gallardos.
Driver line-up changes include Paolo Necchi replacing on this occasion Lucas Guerrero at the wheel of one of Villois Racing’s Astons. The Spaniard is forced to miss this race,as it had planned long time ago his ... wedding on this very week-end!
As always, the Spa-Francorchamps GT Open will get TV coverage throughout Europe thanks to Eurosport and Motors TV and additional live coverage in Spain (Canal +), Italy(Nuvolari) and Portugal (Sport TV).
SPA GT OPEN TIMETABLEFriday, 26 June 200909:50-10:35 Free Practice 112:05-12:50 Free Practice 2Saturday, 27 June 200909:00-09-15 Qualifying 1 GTS09:15-09:20 Qualifying 1 GTS + SGT09:20-09:35 Qualifying 1 GTS11:11-11:46 Qualifying 2 GTS13:26-11:31 Qualifying 2 GTS + SGT11:31-11:46 Qualifying 2 SGT15:00-16:10 Pro-Am Race (70’ – Rolling Start)Sunday, 28 June 200913:30-14:20 GT Open Race (50’ – Rolling Start)
