Bontempelli-Frezza (Kessel Racing) take crazy win in Race 1 at Spa

Italian pair guessed perfect timing to put on wet tires in dramatic race, with rain coming during a yellow period in midst of pit stops

Tutumlu-Deverikos (Autorlando Porsche), another GTS pair, 2nd overall

Pastorelli-Ramos, 3rd, reduce points gap as Montermini is penalized

Local heroes Ide-Soulet (GPR Aston), third in GTS

Big crash but no consequences for Van der Drift in the Raidillon

With the return of grey weather and temperatures dropping almost 15 degrees in 24 hours,Spa offered a typical … Spa Race 1, with rain inviting itself during the driver change windowwhile the race was under safety-car following a big crash of chris van der Drift (BhaiTechMcLaren) at the Raidillon.

Lorenzo Bontempelli and Marco Frezza (who was making his return to the series) made thebest use of the situation clinching a superb win with their Kessel Racing Ferrari F458, whichre-opens completely the GTS title fight and was the best present for the team’s sportingdirector Tiziana Borghi, injured together with other team members, in a road racing whenleaving the track yesterday evening.

Another GTS car, the Autorlando Porsche of Isaac Tutumlu-Dimitris Deverikos came in secondahead of the V8 Racing Corvette of Nicky Pastorelli-Miguel Ramos, who benefitted of the 1-lappenalty imposed to the Villorba Ferrari of Montermini-Rigon, who had dominated the firststint, and the BhaiTech McLaren of Pantano-Suzuki for doing the driver change under safetycar.Local heroes Enzo Ide-Maxime Soulet (GPR Aston Martin) took third in GTS.

At the start, with almost dry conditions, Montermini keeps the advantage of the pole ahead ofRamos and Talkanitsa, with Seefried going wide at La Source and the usual confusion at theback of the group. The phase will be fatal for the Ferrari of Maleev, while there is also acontact between Razia and Hamprecht and the Ferrari Ombra of Costantini is sent into a spin.The situation stabilizes with Montermini ahead of Ramos in the same second, then Pantano,Lyons, Seefried, Frezza and Talkanitsa, followed by Razia, Ide,Cameron, Tutumlu and Rosellwho goes out of track at Blanchimont on lap 6.

The driver change window opens with Ramos coming in, while there is a drive-through forCostantini and Kremer, and Seefried stops with a damage on his Porsche. Light rain appearsand surprises Abresch, who is off at Combes, and Van Der Drift, who had just taken the wheelfrom Razia. The New-Zealander loses the car at the Raidillon hitting heavily but he is ok. Thisprompts the safety-car out for four laps, while some cars take a bet and stop to put rain tires,which shortly after become mandatory as the rain is heavier and heavier.Bontempelli, who was the first one to put on the wets, is in the lead ahead of Deverikos,while Pastorelli will take third when Rigon and Suzuki get penalized with one lap for havingdone the driver change under safety-car and Soulet takes third in GTS. Alexander Talkanitsajr and Johnny Laursen take new wins in the Gentlemen’s Trophy.

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS AFTER RACE 11 OF 16

Overall: 1. Montermini, 182; 2. Filippi, 168; 3. Pastorelli-Ramos, 143; 4. Cameron-Griffin, 117; 5. Sijthoff,97; etc.

Drivers SuperGT: 1. Montermini, 89; 2. Filippi, 76; 3. Pastorelli-Ramos, 66; 4. Cameron-Griffin, 56; 5.Sijthoff, 50; etc

GTS: 1. Toril, 39; 2. Bontempelli; Suzuki-Pantano, 38; 3. Lyons-Beretta, 34; Tutumlu, 30; 5. Ide-Soulet,v.d.Zande, De Marco, 26; etc

Teams SuperGT: 1. V8 Racing, 131; 2. Villorba Corse, 84; 3. AF Corse; AT Racing, 46; 5. Drivex, 19; etc

Teams GTS: 1. Bhaitech Racing, 63; 2. Kessel Racing, 61; 3. Autorlando Sport, 48; 4. SeyffarthMotorsport, 39; 5. AF Corse, 34; etc

Constructors Super GT: 1. Ferrari, 169; 2. Chevrolet, 119; 3. Porsche, 19

Constructors GTS: 1. Ferrari, 128; 2. McLaren, 63; 3. Porsche, 48; 4. Mercedes, 39; 5. Aston Martin, 26

Gentlemen’s Trophy: 1. Talkanitsa Sr, 84; 2. Laursen, 63; 3. Maleev, 51; 4. Earle-Kermer, 25; 5.Sdanewitsch, 24; etc