Miguel Ramos and Álvaro Parente took an authoritative second win of the season Sunday in Spa, in an almost dry race 2. The Portuguese pair of the Teo Martín Motorsport McLaren 650S reinforce their leadership in the overall standings. It was a one-two for the Spanish squad, as Rob Bell-Andew Watson crossed the line in second, but were sanctioned with 40 seconds after the race for an incident between Bell and Companc in the closing laps, eventually taking fifth.
Second was then for the Brussels Racing Aston Martin of Tim Verbergt-Michael Schmetz, who did again a perfect race, with Pasin Lathouras-Michele Rugolo (AF Corse Ferrari) taking third and keeping their second place in the standings.
The TF Sport Aston Martin of Salih Yoluc-Euan Hankey repeated its win in GT-Am, ahead of the two AF Ferraris of Sdanewitsch-Lémeret and Barreiros, with James Abbott (Radical) also repeating success in the GT Cup.
THE RACE - It’s dry but not completely everywhere for the start. Parente takes the lead ahead of Giammaria, Watson, Verbergt, Abbott and Lathouras, with Giammaria apparently in trouble soon after and losing two positions. Unzurrunzaga is in the pits after formation lap. After three laps, Parente has already 10 seconds of advantage on team mate Watson, attacked and passed by Verbergt at Combes, where the track is wet.
Lathouras goes wide at Blanchimont and is passed by Nebylitskiy for sixth. Two laps later the Russian locks the brakes at La Source in a cloud of smoke, being passed by the Thai. As the track dries completely, Yoluc is the first to stop for the driver change.
After all pit stops, it’s Ramos leading with Bell escorting him, Companc in third only 3 seconds behind, then Schmetz, Rugolo, Abbott, Balzan and Russo. Interesting fights arise in the final laps, as Companc attacks Bell and Rugolo does the same with Schmetz, who puts on fastest lap. It’s a hot finish: three laps to the end, Companc attacks Bell on the outside, there is contact, with the Argentine put sideways over the kerb and finishing 5th. Ramos slows the pace visibly as the tracks get more humid, which allows the Aston to storm on the McLaren at the very end but nothing changes under the flag. After the race, the stewards will inflict a 40-second penalty to Bell, who drops to fifth.
