Italian team celebrates first win since 2006Barba-Kaffer (AF) penalised in dramatic finale but still strong leadersCouceiro-Frezza take first win in GTS, the 3rd for Kessel RacingDayraut keeps control in overall GTS standingsRPM pays tribute to Robin Mortimer with great 4th place
Edil Cris Racing Team’s long quest for victory has come to an end: Raffaele Giammariaand Enrico Toccacelo won the Saturday race in Spa, giving the black Ferrari of theItalian team its first win since 2006. Like in Imola, it was again a dramatic finale andthe roman duo had to capitulate against the AF Ferrari of Kaffer-Barba in the lastcorner but Barba had cut the chicane in overtaking Toccacelo and the inevitable postracesanction (5 seconds) put the championship leaders in 2nd position, but leave themreinforced in the championship’s leadership. Richard Lietz won the other great finalduel of the race against Chris Niarchos for third.
In GTS, Marco Frezza and Pedro Couceiro (Kessel Ferrari) took a well-deserved firstwin this year, after three second places, ahead of GTS championship leader Jean-Philippe Dayraut (this time assisted by Frédéric Mackowiecki in the Luxury Ferrari),with the other Kessel F430 of Livio-Bontempelli third.
Poleman Kaffer keeps the lead at the start, but without being able to get rid ofMullen, Pilet, Giammaria, Peter and Griffin, while at the back of the grid Hummel andMoro get in contact after La Source.
The group of six quickly flew away, with the GTS cars leading the rest of the group,with Dayraut, Frezza and Bruck in the top three. In lap 7, the safety car is out to allowtaking out of the gravel the car of Moro, who has spun. At the restart, Pilet has to pitwith a damaged tire while there is a contact at La Source between the CRS Ferrari ofHummel and the Manthay Porsche of Bullitt. Both cars are out, while a lot of debrisand oil are left on the track.
Kaffer is the first of top guns to stop for the driver change, leaving Griffin and Mullenfight for first. After driver changes and handicaps, it is Toccacelo leading ahead ofNiarchos, Gerber, Couceiro (leading in GTS), Barba and Lietz.
The fight in the final laps will be superb: Toccacelo, with a broken splitter, is obligedto slow the pace, while Barba and Lietz catch up on Niarchos; the AF Ferrari takessecond in the penultimate lap and attacks Toccacelo in the very last chicane, passinghim but cutting the bus stop. Lietz, on his part, takes fourth from Niarchos in the lastcorner as well, while there is a final spin of Broniszewski.
In GTS, Couceiro wins with no problem ahead of Makowiecki, while Livio is third fewtenths ahead of the Ford of Alex Mortimer, whose final charge finishes with anexcellent 4th position, a nice reward for a team that lost his owner and boss a few daysago.
Overall: 1. Kaffer-Barba, 116 p.; 2. Roda-Lietz, 90; 3. Giammaria-Toccacelo, 73; 4. Narac-Pilet,64; 5. Dayraut, 63; 6. Niarchos-Mullen, 62GTS Overall: 1. Dayraut, 44; 2. Couceiro-Frezza, 38 p.; 3. Livio-Bontempelli, 32; 4. Gruber-Deverikos, 29; 5. Ortelli, 26
