Parente-Ramos (T.Martín McLaren) step closer to the title
The Italo-Argentine pair takes fourth seasonal success after Saturday’s disappointment
Ramos-Parente, 2nd, now have a 35-point advantage over Lathouras-Rugolo, who took no points Sunday after a sanction for missing the driver change window Balfe-Keen (Balfe Ferrari) 3rd ahead of Yoluc-Hankey (TF Sport Aston Martin), winners in GT-Am
Ezequiel Pérez-Companc and Raffaele Giammaria took their revenge on Saturday, when they suffered a broken engine, by taking their fourth win of the season yesterday in Race 2 in Monza. The AF Corse pair beat the Teo Martín McLaren of Miguel Ramos-Álvaro Parente, who now lead by 35 points in the championship, and the Balfe Motorsport Ferrari of Shaun Balfe-Phil Keen.
It was a bleak day for Michele Rugolo-Pasin Lathouras (AF Corse) who lost their fourth place on track because of missing the window for the driver change. They collected no points for the championship. The TF Sport Aston Martin of Euan Hankey-Salih Yoluc, who also led the race after the Radical of Abbott, won in GT-Am, taking an excellent P4 overall.
THE RACE – After an unpredictable qualifying, which saw James Abbott with the Radical taking a sensational pole on a dump track, the Brit takes a perfect start, keeping Hankey and Griffin at bay. They are followed by Ramos, Sini, Rugolo, Companc and Keen. Rugolo is back on fifth at the end of first lap. Most interesting duel is between Companc and Keen, who passes in lap 3. One lap later, the Aston overtakes the Radical for the lead after a contact at the Ascari, while Rugolo passes Ramos for fourth. With body damage in the rear, the Radical has to concede second to Griffin. Rugolo’s attempt on Abbott, instead, fails, which allows Ramos to retake fourth for a few corners. By lap 7, Rugolo manages to take third, while the injured Radical continues to slip down.
The attention switches again to the lead, as Hankey, Griffin and Rugolo are now together and fighting furiously, with the Irishman attacking the Aston but not going through. Change of leader, instead, in the GT-Am category, as Guedes passes Melnikov seconds before pitting for the driver change.
After the driver changes, Yoluc leads ahead of Giammaria, Balfe, Cameron, Puglisi,
Lathouras and Parente, all within 10 seconds. In lap 24, Giammaria takes the lead from Yoluc, while Lathouras and Parente, after having past Puglisi, fight fiercely for 5th. It takes all his talent to the Portuguese to pass the Thai in lap 28, with a beautiful move on the outside in the second chicane. The AF Corse will live a dramatic finale as it is first penalized with one lap (for missing the driver change window) and then tangled in a contact with Balfe and a spin in the last lap. The race ends with Giammaria winning ahead of Parente and Balfe, with Yoluc keeping P4 overall and first in GT-Am.
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS AFTER RACE 12 OF 14
Overall: 1. Parente-Ramos, 192 points; 2. Rugolo-Lathouras, 157; 3. Giammaria-Companc,150;
4. Balzan-Benucci, 112; 5. Keen-Balfe, 69; etc
Pro-Am: 1. Ramos-Parente, 85; 2. Rugolo-Lathouras, 66; 3. Giammaria-Companc, 62; 4.
Benucci-Balzan, 45; 5.Keen-Balfe, 29; etc
GT-Am: 1.Sdanewitsch, 46; 2. Melnikov, 39; 3. Barreiros, 37; 4. Hankey-Yoluc, 19; 5.
Rasmussen, 18; etc
Teams: 1. AF Corse, 144; 2. Teo Martín Motorsport, 88; 3. Villorba Corse, 45; 4. Balfe
Motorsport, 29; 5. Baporo Motorsport, 22; 6. Brussels Racing Aston Martin, 18; etc
Cup Am: 1. Abbott, 20; 2. Unzurrunzaga, 14; 3. Hoy, 5
