Cochet and Frei celebrate their round 12 win
The Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo series set the pace at Silverstone, UK, on 15-16 August 2009, with the Italian marque providing the fastest sportscar race action. The one-make series contested its 10th, 11th and 12th rounds on the British circuit, welcoming Reiter Engineering’s Peter Kox and Marc A. Hayek as well as Autovitesse’s Jonathan Cochet and Alexander Frei onto the top step of the podium for their maiden Super Trofeo victories.
Having completed four of this season’s six race weekends, the Super Trofeo series has seen 23 drivers of seven different nationalities secure podium finishes.
QualifyingPetri Corse’s Fabio Babini secured his second pole position of the season at Silverstone, having lapped the track in 1:23.150 during the 30-minute session. Kox completed a flying lap in the final 30 seconds to put the #24 Reiter Engineering Super Trofeo race car on the front row of the grid, while Cochet set the third fastest lap in the #11 Autovitesse car.
In his first competitive outing in the Gallardo LP 560-4 derivative, VIP guest driver and sportscar veteran Andy Wallace secured a sixth-place start for team Automobili Lamborghini having set a fastest time of 1:26.479.
Round 10Babini’s team-mate, Claudio Rossetto, took the lead at the start, but was pursued by determined Swiss driver Frei in the #11, who managed to pass for first place before the end of the second lap.
Lamborghini Racing Eastern Europe’s Michael Scheublein had a strong start to improve his position from 10th to fourth, which he maintained until the pits opened for the drivers’ mandatory stops. Ahead, Bonaldi Motorsport’s Ferruccio Bellini passed Rossetto for second place and reeled in Frei’s lead.
At the end of the pit window, Babini took over from Rossetto and claimed the lead, holding onto it until the chequered flag. Cochet secured second place in the #11, with Bellini claiming the final podium position.
“It was a good result for us. The weather today has been incredible after this morning’s cloud; it was so hot!” said Babini. “I’m extremely happy with the car today, it has again been perfect, and I’m very happy for Lamborghini for hosting yet another excellent race.”
Round 11Kox stormed into a strong lead from the green flag, with the #88 piloted by Scheublein behind. Yet as Kox crossed the start line for the 10th time, the safety car was deployed, as Wallace had left the track in the #2 team Automobili Lamborghini VIP car.
The on-track safety car coincided with the start of the pit window, with Hayek taking over from Kox and emerging in the lead. Behind, Hérve Leimer was chasing in the #63 Autovitesse car, with Leonardo Maddalena’s #6 Petri Corse in pursuit.
The 40-minute race ended with Hayek taking advantage of Kox’s excellent stint, and both were rewarded with the #24 taking the chequered flag. Maddelena secured second place in the #6, followed by Hérve Leimer who completed the top three.
“Peter [Kox] put in some incredible times in the beginning of the race,” said Marc A. Hayek, President and CEO of Blancpain, the series’ title partner. “It was really disappointing to see the safety car come out, but Peter had a fantastic strategy. He has helped me a lot this weekend, giving me good information.”
Round 12Pole-sitter Kox took the lead at the start of round 12, with Babini chasing hard in second place. Behind, Giorgio Bartocci passed Frei for third, while Bellini charged after fifth-place man Hérve Leimer, putting pressure on the Swiss driver.
With the pit window open, Frei handed over the fourth-placed #11 Super Trofeo race car to Cochet, who began charging after Rossetto, now behind-the-wheel of the #22. Cochet soon passed Rossetto before catching Kox’s team-mate Hayek and passing for the lead with four laps to go.
With less than three minutes left on the clock, Maddalena in the #6 Petri Corse, went straight on at Becketts, allowing Jarek Janiš through for fourth and Bellini for fifth. At the front of the field, Cochet charged on to secure the win from Hayek in second with Rossetto taking third.
“I was so motivated for this race,” said Cochet. “Alex [Frei] did a good job and gave me the car in perfect condition. I was on maximum attack and got the lead, but kept pushing as the car felt so good and you never know what might happen in the last few laps. I’m very happy to get our first win in the Super Trofeo, and I like Silverstone even more now!”
Having watched the weekend’s racing, Manfred Fitzgerald, Lamborghini’s Director of Brand and Development said, “Today’s track action, with the Super Trofeo on excellent pace, supports our stance as the world’s fastest one-make series, and as the season continues, the drivers go on improving and the racing becomes even more competitive.”
Qualifying results
1. Babini/Rossetto (#22), Petri Corse 1:23.1502. Hayek/Kox (#24), Reiter Engineering 1:24.2233. Frei/Cochet (#11), Autovitesse 1:24.2824. Janis/Winter (#77), Lamborghini Racing Eastern Europe 1:24.9125. Bellini (#3),Bonaldi Motorsport 1:25.2326. Green/Wallace (#2), Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A 1:26.4797. C. Leimer/H. Leimer (#63), Autovitesse 1:26.6978. Bartocci/Maddalena (#6), Petri Corse 1:27.2009. Fasanetto/Giordanelli (#1), Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A 1:27.96010. Scheublein/Charouz (#88), Lamborghini Racing Eastern Europe 1:28.90011. Bassetti/Plano (#66), Petri Corse 1:30.487
Round 10 results
1. Babini/Rossetto (#22), Petri Corse 40:00.8202. Frei/Cochet (#11), Autovitesse 40:13.0933. Bellini (#3),Bonaldi Motorsport 40:22.8684. Hayek/Kox (#24), Reiter Engineering 40:24.5165. Janiš/Winter (#77), Lamborghini Racing Eastern Europe 40.37.9206. Scheublein/Charouz (#88), Lamborghini Racing Eastern Europe 41:16.0997. Fasanetto/Giordanelli (#1), Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A 41:17.4208. Green/Wallace (#2), Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A 41:29.6519. C. Leimer/H. Leimer (#63), Autovitesse + 1 Lap10. Bassetti/de Plano (#66), Petri Corse + 2 LapsNot classifiedBartocci/Maddalena (#6), Petri Corse
Round 11 results
1. Hayek/Kox (#24), Reiter Engineering 40:52.2862. Bartocci/Maddalena (#6), Petri Corse 40:53.4493. C. Leimer/H. Leimer (#63), Autovitesse 41:01.9444. Frei/Cochet (#11), Autovitesse 41:12.2645. Babini/Rossetto (#22), Petri Corse 41:12.6806. Bellini (#3), Bonaldi Motorsport 41:38.1257. Fasanetto/Giordanelli (#1), Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A 41:57.6728. Scheublein/Charouz (#88), Lamborghini Racing Eastern Europe 41:58.0009. Bassetti/de Plano (#66), Petri Corse + 1 LapNot classifiedGreen/Wallace (#2), Automobili Lamborghini S.p.AJaniš/Winter (#77), Lamborghini Racing Eastern Europe
Round 12 results
1. Frei/Cochet (#11), Autovitesse 40:01.9602. Hayek/Kox (#24), Reiter Engineering 40:26.2793. Babini/Rossetto (#22), Petri Corse 40:29.6124. Janiš/Winter (#77), Lamborghini Racing Eastern Europe 40:37.9625. Bellini (#3),Bonaldi Motorsport 40:40.5936. C. Leimer/H. Leimer (#63), Autovitesse 40:55.2407. Scheublein/Charouz (#88), Lamborghini Racing Eastern Europe 41:11.8098. Green/Wallace (#2), Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A 41:21.9699. Fasanetto/Giordanelli (#1), Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A 41:23.07710. Bartocci/Maddalena (#6), Petri Corse + 2 Laps11. Bassetti/Plano (#66), Petri Corse + 2 Laps
Pro Drivers’ Standings
Fabio Babini (ITA) Petri Corse 125Jarek Janiš (CZE) Lamborghini Racing Eastern Europe 80Peter Kox (NED) Reiter Engineering 79Jonathan Cochet (FRA) Autovitesse 73Maximilian Götz (GER) Lamborghini München Team Holzer 41Davide Amaduzzi (ITA) Bonaldi Motorsport 38Jens Klingmann (GER) Lamborghini München Team Holzer 30Erik Janiš (CZE) Lamborghini Racing Eastern Europe 26Arjen van de Zwaan (NED) Schoolmaster 22Johannes Stuck (GER) Automobili Lamborghini 10Giorgio Venica (ITA) Petri Corse 6Andy Wallace (GBR) Automobili Lamborghini 6Marco Apicella (ITA) Petri Corse 1Uwe Alzen (GER) Lamborghini München Team Holzer 1
Pro-Am Drivers’ Standings
Claudio Rossetto (ITA) Petri Corse 125Marc A. Hayek (SUI) Reiter Engineering 79Alexander Frei (SUI) Autovitesse 73Ferruccio Bellini (ITA) Bonaldi Motorsport 65Achim Winter (GER) Lamborghini München Team Holzer 56Albert von Thurn und Taxis (GER) Lamborghini Racing Eastern Europe 38Michael Scheublein (GER) Lamborghini Racing Eastern Europe 38Cedric Leimer (SUI) Autovitesse 36Herve Leimer (SUI) Autovitesse 36Eugenio Amos (ITA) Bonaldi Motorsport 28Giorgio Bartocci (ITA) Petri Corse 26Leonardo Maddalena (ITA) Petri Corse 26Petr Charouz (CZE) Lamborghini Racing Eastern Europe 26Mario Fasanetto (ITA) Automobili Lamborghini 17Tim Schrick (GER) Automobili Lamborghini 17Giovanni Bassetti (ITA) Petri Corse 13Siebrand Dijkstra (NED) Schoolmaster 12Gianluigi Piccioli (ITA) Bonaldi Motorsport 10Roberto Giordanelli (ITA) Automobili Lamborghini 10Louis Machiels (BEL) Lamborghini Racing Eastern Europe 9Holger Eckhardt (GER) Automobili Lamborghini 9Luigi Mocchia (ITA) Automobili Lamborghini 8Martin Westerhoff (GER) Automobili Lamborghini 6Salvatore De Plano (ITA) Petri Corse 6Roger Green (GBR) Automobili Lamborghini 6Andrea Gardelli (ITA) Igor Pasta Racing 4Matteo Grassi (ITA) Igor Pasta Racing 4Niek Hommerson (NED) Lamborghini Racing Eastern Europe 4Oliver Morley (GBR) Lechner Racing Team 0Maximillian Werndl (GER) Lechner Racing Team 0
Teams’ Standings
Petri Corse 136Lamborghini Racing Eastern Europe 90Autovitesse 88Bonaldi Motorsport 87Reiter Engineering 79Lamborghini München Team Holzer 56Automobili Lamborghini 51Schoolmaster 22Igor Pasta Racing 4Lechner Racing Team 0
