The Michelin GT Challenge feature race at VIRginia International Raceway did not disappoint Sunday. The only GTLM and GTD combined class race of the International Motor Sport Association season was exciting from start to finish with numerous lead changes, difference pot stop strategy, cars off track and the like.
When the checkered flag was waved the No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 GTLM team, with drivers Giancarlo Fisichella and Toni Vilander, finished third in class in the two-hour and forty-minute race, which ran for 93 laps.
Fisichella was the qualifying and starting driver from the fourth position on the grid. He lost a couple of positions on the first lap when he and a BMW touched briefly and continued.
The Risi Ferrari team made its first pit stop of the event on Lap 30 from the second class position, approximately 50 minutes into the race, for tires, fuel and driver change to Finn Vilander. Over the next 47 minutes he pushed the car into the lead before pitting for tires, fuel and to turn the driving chores back over to the Italian.
Fisichella had a brief off track excursion when he got closed out of a pass at Turn 3 and sacrificed his second place position to sixth. However, a Ford and Corvette in front of him came together and the leading BMW had to stop for a splash of fuel, which helped elevate the popular red Ferrari team back up to third position, which they held to the end.
The team dedicated their podium to all the flood victims in their hometown of Houston and the citizens of Texas, for which they proudly displayed the flag and decals for the race.
Today's third place finish is the Risi team's third of the season in five IMSA races. Additionally, Risi Competizione won the Dekra Green Challenge Award, their third of the year (Rolex 24 at Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring) and their 12th overall since its inception in 2015. The award is determined through green racing protocols set by the U.S. Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Society of Automotive Engineers International as part of their alliance with IMSA for pit stop efficiency, race pace and most efficient fuel usage.
Giancarlo Fisichella, driver, No. 62 Ferrari 488 GTLM:
"At the start of the race I was wheel-to-wheel with the BMW and it pushed me on the gravel and I lost a position. Afterwards I was struggling a little bit with the tires with moving and graining. Then the last twenty minutes the car was back in proper behavior and I was catching them (other competitors). Then the guys did a fantastic job in the pit stop. Toni went out for second and did a brilliant job to keep them behind so he gave me the car when we were still in second. Then, I was pushing...I was really pushing. I was quick and overlapping the GTD BMW. He opened the door and then when I was overtaking him he closed the door. I locked up because otherwise I would have hit his ca so I went off. It was a shame because we could have won the race. After that I was really, really quick. I was catching them. In the end we finished on the podium and that's a good result. But when you get the victory in sight it's a little frustrating."
Toni Vilander, driver, No. 62 Ferrari 488 GTLM:
"Tough race, a tough battle, as always. I could tell a little bit the lack of not racing. We've been off for quite a long time. It was fun. For the whole stint I had two cars behind me, one Porsche and one Corvette so it was quite tough. I think today we had the strategy and everything to win the race. P3 is a good comeback. We'll work hard to follow up at Laguna and Petit Le Mans to defend last year's victory. Overall, it's good to be on the podium, but we are still hungry so hopefully the next one is ours."
Rick Mayer, Risi Competizione Race Engineer:
"We had a reasonable start. I think our tire strategy was a positive; to run a different tire than the rest of the Michelin runners. Giancarlo did a good job in the first stint and the boys did a great in the pits. I think so other people had some issues so we were able to jump up and get Toni into second. He kept in second with Mueller pressing the entire stint because we are a bit down on power to the Fords and the Corvettes. And of course the BMWs just ran off. They had supercars this race, like in another class so we'll see how that works out for us next race. But, then Giancarlo had an issue with the GTD car and fell back to sixth, but rebounded when other people got together. It was kind of a mixed race for us. It's unfortunate because I thought we had a really strong potential to win there, but we'll come back to race another day. The crew did a great job though and we had some fast and perfect pit stops."
The next race for the Risi Competizione Ferrari team is the penultimate IMSA round at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, September 22-24.
