Third win for the Portuguese and Teo Martín Team BMW, maiden success for the young Dutchman; Ramos now only 8 points behind of Crestani-Biagi, today 7th
Local heroes Plachutta-Jäger (Lechner Mercedes) take superb 2nd, ahead of the
Balfe McLaren of Balfe-Carroll
Fifth GT-Am win for Sardinha-DCosta (Sports&You Mercedes)
SF Racing debuts with pole but loss of power slow Caldarelli-Fu
Race 1 at the Red Bull reopens the games in the International GT Open, as Miguel Ramos-Pieter Schothorst won with the Teo Martín BMW, beating local heroes Mario Plachutta-Thomas Jëger (Lechner Racing Mercedes AMG) and the Balfe Motorsport McLaren 650S of Shaun Balfe-Adam Carroll. It’s the maiden win in the GT Open for young Dutchman Schothorst but the third this season for reigning champion Miguel Ramos, who has reduced to 8 points his gap with the standings leaders, Thomas Biagi-Fabrizio Crestani, today only 7th. The Orange1 Team Lazarus
Lambo paid the toll of its atmospheric engine on this track located at 700 meters. In bGT-Am, Miguel Sardinha and Manuel Da Costa took their fifth success of the year with the Sports&You Mercedes AMG.
THE RACE- At the start, the SF Racing Ferrari of polesitter Caldarelli seems in trouble (a loss of power, was explained later), being overtaken on its right by Yacamán and Balfe, with some serious rubbing between the three.
Tappy takes advantage of the situation to lead ahead of Schothorst, Yacamán, Yoluc, Caldarelli, Babini and West. The leading McLaren is seriously challenged by the two BMWs, with the trio pulling away. At the end of lap 6, in the last corner, both the Teo Martín cars manage to pass the McLaren after a short fight. There is also an intense battle for 7th with West keeping well at bay Plachutta, Biagi and
Balfe. The Swede resists until lap 10 and will get in contact with Balfe when trying to repass him.
A drive-through is inflicted to Yacamán for the incident at the start and the Colombian serves it in lap 13, falling in P6, but passes Babini and Caldarelli quite quickly. In lap 15, he’ll pass also Yoluc to take third. Yoluc, Caldarelli, Plachutta and West are the first ones to stop for driver change in lap 19.
After all changes, Ramos is on top with 19 seconds on Benham, 37 on Jäger and 39 on Monje. Follow Carroll, Parente (who will get a 5-second penalty for track limits), and Hankey and Crestani in full fight. Positions and gaps remain quite stable until lap 36 when Benham stops in the last corner with a broken brake disc.
Jäger is now a safe second with Monje, Carroll and Parente all within 5 seconds still fighting. Eventually, Carroll will pass Monje for third a couple of laps from the end.
In GT-Am, Portugal rules again with Da Costa taking a lights-to-flag win on Guedes.
STANDINGS AFTER ROUND 9 OF 14
Overall: 1. Crestani-Biagi, 99 points; 2. Ramos, 91; 3. Balfe, 88; 4. Keen, 74; 5. Monje-Yacamán, 72; 6. Hankey-Yoluc, 68; etc
Pro-Am: 1. Crestani-Biagi, 40 points; 2. Ramos, 36; 3. Balfe, 34; 4. Keen, Monje-Yacamán, 28; 6. Yoluc-Hankey, Tappy-Benham, 24; etc
GT-Am: 1. Sardinha Silva-Da Costa Coimbra, 35 points; 2. Barreiros, 32; 3. Lémeret, 23; 4. Sdanewitsch, 16; 5.
Braams, 15; etc
Teams: 1. BMW Teo Martín, 64; 2. Orange1 Team Lazarus, Garage59, 40; 4. Balfe Motorsport, 34; 5. TF Sport,
AF Corse, 24; etc
