With 42 entries, the Catalunya GT Open next week-end (31st October – 1st November) willbe the most exciting event of the 2009 International GT Open, as the traditional automnrendez-vous in Barcelona keeps faith to its reputation of attracting the best and mostdiversified entry of the year. The appealing programme also includes the last round of theFIA Formula 2 Championship (with Spanish fans able to celebrate its first champion, AndySoucek), the final round of the Euro F.3 Open (which will decide the long duel betweenCelso Míguez and Bruno Méndez) and races of three mono-brand trophies (the MiniChallenge, the Copa Peugeot 207 THP and the Copa SEAT León).
With only one other round left after Montmeló (in the algarve, in one week’s time), theCatalan races will be key in the fight at the top of the International GT Open. Currentleaders, Marcel Fässler-Joël Camathias (Trottet Racing) will try to keep their Ferrari atthe top of the overall standings (188 points), but can expect to be seriously challenged bythe Porsche armada of Lietz-Roda (164), Gião-Couceiro (132) and Pilet-Narac (130).Meanwhile, Philipp Peter-Michal Broniszewski, on the Kessel’s Racing Ferrari F430Scuderia, will seek to reach mathematical certainty in their bid for the GTS title.
The Super GT field (19 cars) will be enriched by a number of regular participants to theIber Gt Championship, which include the Ferraris of PCR Sport (Mayola-Carol), MotorCompetición (Villalba-Gutiérrez) and Automòbil Club d’Andorra and the Drivex Porsche ofAmaral-De Castro. IMSA Performance is bringing a fourth Porsche 911 GT3 RSR for Polette-Noyriel, while Monfardini-Frezza will be at the wheel of the Vittoria Ferrari and Turkey’sIsaac Tutumlu joins SunRed’s driver line-up.
Nevertheless, it is in the GTS category that we will see the higher number of novelties andadditions, which will bring the GT3 field to 23 units and a separate GTS race on Sunday.Barcelona will mark the debut in the championship of the Phoenix Audi R8 (Delétraz-LaMarca) and Sports Garage’s BMW Alpina B6 (Brandea-Bleyinie and Prignaud-TBA) whileadditional Ferraris will be entered by G.Balthazard, M.Ricci, AS Events, Monllau, Baporoand Mtech.
Two Porsches 997 Cup are entered by Attempto, while are also back the LamborhinisGallardo of Ruffier Racing and will complete the 8-brand field the Ascari of Monzón-Escámez. Among regular participants, it is to be noted the new driver line-up at VilloisRacing with Lucas Guerrero joining Max Wiser, and Miquel Julià making its debut on theAston Martin alongside Andrea Wiser, and the presence of a third Kessel Ferrari for AlessioSalucci (a showman well known in Italy as joke partner of Valentino Rossi) and LMP2 driverAndrea Ceccato.
The Catalunya GT Open will enjoy increased TV coverage, as a number of Spanish andforeign TV crews will be present on the sport, coming on top of regular broadcasters:Eurosport and Motors TV at pan-European level, Canal +, Nuvolari and Sport TV, who offerlive coverage in Spain, Italy and Portugal, respectively.
CATALUNYA GT OPEN TIMETABLE / HORARIO
Thursday / Jueves 29, October / Octubre 200911:30-12:30 Free Practice / Libres 114:40-15:40 Free Practice / Libres 2
Friday / Viernes, 30 October / Octubre 200910:20-11:10 Free Practice 3 / Libres 314:45-15:00 Qualifying / Clasificación 1 GTS15:00-15:05 Qualifying / Clasificación 1 GTS + SGT15:05-15:20 Qualifying / Clasificación 1 SGT
Saturday / Sábado, 31 October / Octubre 200910:50-11:05 Qualifying / Clasificación 2 GTS11:05-11:10 Qualifying / Clasificación 2 GTS + SGT11:10-11:25 Qualifying / Clasificación 2 SGT16:40-17:50 Pro-Am Race / Carerra Pro-Am (70’ – Rolling Start / Salida lanzada)
Sunday / Domingo, 1 November / Noviembre 200914:05-14:55 GT Open Race (Super GT) / Carrera GT Open (Super GT) (50’ – Rolling Start / Salida lanzada)16:10-17:00 GT Open Race (GTS) / Carrera GT Open (GTS) (50’ – Rolling Start / Salida lanzada)
