Two podium finishes for Villois Racing and Wiser-Guerrero, who give theAston Vantage GT2 its firs win ever, as top contenders fail in Race 1Narac-Pilet (IMSA Porsche) take win in Race 2 and keep title battle openBritish teams and Kessel dominate GTS races
Brands Hatch, 19th September 2010
Race 1: Day of glory for Villois Racing
The Aston Martin Vantage GT2 of Villois Racing took a wonderful maiden win (the firstever for this model car) on British soil: Max Wiser and Lucas Guerrero won a closelyfought,superb and unpredictable race that saw the three title contenders got out ofcontention for top positions. The Kessel Ferrari of Philipp Peter-Michal Broniszewskicame in second and EdilCris Ferrari of Raffaele Giammaria-Enrico Toccacelo third.In the GTS class, British teams swept the floor, with the Mtech Ferrari of DuncanCameron-Matt Griffin winning from the RPM Ford of Peter Bamford-Alex Mortimer andchampionship leading Luxury Ferrari of Dayraut-Ortelli.
Poleman Mullen is fastest at the start, ahead of Kaffer, Narac, Giammaria, Peter,Wiser, Dayraut, Frezza and Roda. Narac loses two positions when he goes wide in onecorner, just to regain his position shortly after. The Frenchman is in good form and hewill animate the superb fight at the top with Kaffer and Mullen, who will be passed byboth in lap 14.
The CRS Ferrari is losing pace because of its tires and gets overtaken in lap 19 byGiammaria and Peter. Wiser is about to do the same at Pilgrim’s but there is contactand Mullen spins losing many positions. In the meantime, Roda’s race ends in thegravel after contact with team-mate Gruber (who’ll get a drive-through), and thesaftey-car has to go out shortly before the driver changes, as the Kessel Ferrari ofFrezza (at that time second in GTS behind Dayraut) catches fire.
Strangely, during the safety-car period, Narac crashes into Kaffer and has to retire. Atthe restart, Kaffer seems in trouble with the gearbox, getting passed by Giammariaand Peter, in close fight for first.
After the driver change is Asch on the Trackspeed Porsche leading ahead of the Viperof Scott, Guerrero, Broniszewski and Toccacelo, but the two British cars have done thepit stop during the safety-car and get penalized with one lap, which leaves the fieldclear for the Aston GT2’s first victory, while Matt Griffin (Mtech Ferrari) wins the finalall-British duel in GTS in front of RPM’s Ford of Alex Mortimer.
Race 2: Pilet-Narac impose the IMSA Porsche
Patrick Pilet and Raymond Narac won win authority the second race in Brands Hatchahead of championship leaders Kaffer-Barba (AF Corse Ferrari) and the winner of race1, the Villois Aston of Wiser-Guerrero. Kessel Racing took victory in GTS, with StefanoLivio and Lorenzo Bontempelli, in the second win of the year for the Italian pair.Poleman Pilet keeps the advantage at the starts and is first at first lap ahead of Barba,Guerrero, Toccacelo, Lietz, Goodwin and Ortelli, who will soon stop with a mute caralong the track, while Niarchos and Deverikos have contact and get trapped in thegravel at Druids. That prompts the safety-car out for a couple of laps. The racerestarts but only for one lap as the Kessel Ferrari catches fire again, like in race 1.After the yellow period and the driver change, is still Narac in the lead, with 3 secondsof advantage on Kaffer, then Giammaria, Wiser, Roda, Peter and Bontempelli, wholeads in GTS ahead of Ashburn (who makes a spin), Cameron and Bamford, while Viperof Wilkins, retired in lap 23 when he was third.
The situation will not change much, with Narac resisting well ahead of Kaffer. Thefinal battle for third was won by the Villois Aston, with Wiser taking the a secondpodium after Giammaria goes wide in a corner.
Championship StandingsOverall/General: 1. Barba-Kaffer, 170 p.; 2. Narac-Pilet, Lietz-Roda, 144; 4.Toccacelo-Giammaria, 133; 5. Niarchos-Mullen, 92.GTS: Dayrayt, 64 p.; 2. Frezza-Couceiro, 56; 3. Livio-Bontempelli, 50; 4. Gruber-Deverikos, Ortelli, 46
Teams/Equipos SuperGT: 1. AF Corse, 81 p.; 2. IMSA Performance, 64; 3. AutorlandoSport, 61; 4. EdilCris Racing Team, 57; 5. CRS Racing, 38Teams/Equipos GTS: 1. Kessel Racing, 122; 2. Luxury Racing, 67; 3. Autorlando Sport,46; 4. RPM, 36; 5. Villois Racing, 26
