The AF Corse pair is the first to score two wins this year
Keen-Balfe (Balfe Ferrari) take superb second after faultless home show Balzan-Benucci (Villorba) 3rd and again on the podium
4 teams within 11 points in the overall standings, as Parente-Ramos lead Barreiros-Rasmussen (GT-Am) and the Radicals (GT Open Cup) repeat class successes
Ezequiel Pérez-Companc and Raffaele Giammaria put a faultless performance today in Race 2 at Silverstone to take their second win of the season. The AF Corse Ferrari pair becomes the first pair to win two races in 2015 and jumps to second in the overall standings, 10 points behind Parente-Ramos (Teo Martín McLaren), today 5th, as four driver pairs are within 11 points!
The Argentine and the Italian (who became a father of a second son this week) beat by a mere 5 seconds local heroes Phil Keen and Shaun Balfe, at the wheel of the balfe Motorsport Ferrari, excellent second and again on the podium after Portugal. Nicola Benucci-Alessandro Balzan (Villorba Corse Ferrari) were third, keeping their championship chances intact, as do Lathouras-Rugolo (AF Corse) despite only a 6th today following some gearbox issues.
Filipe Barreiros-Mads Rasmussen (AF Corse) repeated yesterday’s success in the GT-Am category and so did the Radicals RXC V8 in the GT Cup, with Abbott-Nouri (Pro-Am) and Unzurrunzaga (Am).
THE RACE - Good start of Keen from the pole, who leads ahead of Rugolo and Russo, who also had a good kick-off, followed by Companc, Ramos, Benucci and Melnikov. The first laps don’t see big changes, with Keen leading closely on Rugolo, then Companc, Ramos, Melnikov, López and Benucci, the last two having lost some positions. Nouri spins in lap 12 with the Radical.
It is close dueling between Keen and Rugolo for the lead, but the Italian will never find a way through until the end of the stint. Ramos is the first top gun to stop for driver change. ./..
After all pit stops, in lap 17, Balfe leads with 11 seconds on Giammaria, then 20 seconds further down Russo, Balzan, Lathouras (whose car slows at times, due to a gearbox glitch), Parente and Sdanewitsch. While Parente passes Lathouras (lap 19), Giammaria reduces constantly the gap on Balfe and Balzan passes Russo for third (lap 23) after a short intense due. In lap 24, Giammaria takes the lead. Soon after, Rasmussen passes Sdanewitsch for top spot in GT-Am, while Unzurrunzaga stops along the track.
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS AFTER RACE 6 OF 14
Overall: 1. Ramos-Parente, 86; 2. Giammaria-Companc; Benucci-Balzan, 76; 3. Lathouras-Rugolo, 75; 5. López, 55; 6. Balfe-Keen, 47; etc
GTS: 1. Ramos-Parente, 38; 2. Benucci-Balzan, 32; 3. Giammaria-Companc, Balzan-Benucci, 30; 4. Lathouras-
Rugolo, 30; 5. López, 22; 6. Balfe-Keen, 20; etc
GT-Am: 1.Sdanewitsch-Melnikov, 20; 2. Barreiros, 18; 3. Silva-Coimbra, 15; 4. Rasmussen, 10; 5. Guedes, 8. Teams GTS: 1. AF Corse, 63; 2. Teo Martín Motorsport, 38; 3. Villorba Corse, 32; 4. Baporo Motorsport, 22; 5.
Balfe Motorsport, 20; etc
