A tough eighth round of the FIA GT Championship at Imola, Italy, prevented Dunlop from showing its true competitiveness in high ambient temperatures that suited the British tyre. Bad luck wiped out two of Dunlop’s teams before the race was a lap old, Jamie Campbell-Walter pulling to the side of the road in his Lister without drive, and Chris Goodwin crashed his RML Saleen after getting blocked by a Ferrari.

“They were real blows to us because we were looking very good for a race result with them,” said Dunlop manager Graham Shuter. “We examined the tyres after the qualifying sessions, and they were good for double stinting, especially in this heat. We were going to be aggressive this weekend and were going all out for a podium and perhaps a victory.”

Tommy Erdos and Mike Newton were the best finishing Dunlop runner when the pair brought their RML Saleen home ninth in the GT class. Erdos was unfortunate to flat-spot one of his tyres during the opening stint, forcing the RML team to change them at the first stop. Mike Newton took over the car for the second stint, but again a flat spot ensured a tyre change.

Paolo Ruberti put on a mighty first stint in his Graham Nash Saleen to hold off the Maserati of Johnny Herbert throughout the first half hour and was seventh after the first round of pit stops.

Christophe Bouchut, Val Hillebrand and Stephane Lemeret set fastest time in second practice on Friday in their Zwaans Racing Viper, but the team was unable to convert that performance into a race result. Bouchut was running well, but was tipped into a spin in the final hour of the race and finished 20 laps down on the winners.

The next round of the FIA GT Championship is at Oschersleben, Germany, on September 19.