Edil Cris took a long-awaited and well-deserved maiden win this season and did it in the best possible place, as Raffaele Giammaria and Miguel Ramos won in the home track of the Portuguese driver. In a hot afternoon, the Lusitanian also took the lead of the series. The podium of Race 1 was completed by Andrea Montermini- Emanuele Moncini (Ferrari Villorba) and a third 458, the Kessel Racing one driven by Philipp Peter-Michal Broniszewski.
In GTS, Gianluca Roda and Fabio Babini gave the third success of the season to the Autorlando Porsche 911 GT3, ahead of the Kessel F430 of Mino Caccia-Massimo Mantovani and the category’s leaders, Bontempelli-Gattuso, who had an agitated race.
The initial laps could not be more lively: Montermini has not a good start, losing the benefit of the pole position. It’s Giammaria and Peter taking the lead, while at first corner, Bizzarri misses the braking and goes out almost bringing Ayari with him. The battle for third is fierce between Rangoni, Montermini and Barba, the last two getting in contact a couple of times, which provokes the Villorba Ferrari to spin and the Autorlando Porsche to go into the gravel. It’s the Porsche having the worst, as it has to stop to repair body damage.
Behind Giammaria, Peter and Rangoni, Montermini is fourth (and will become third in lap 13) ahead of Lopez, Ayari, Bontempelli, Talkanitsa and Roda. As driver changes go on, the Kessel Ferrari of Gattuso-Bontempelli uses the stop to repair body damage.
After the handicaps, Ramos is in the lead with a 13″ advantage over Broniszewski, 17″ on Moncini, then Talkanitsa, Garofano, Camathias, Frezza, and Babini who leads in GTS ahead of Mortimer. In lapo 25, Moncini passes Broniszewski, while Ceccato is forced to retire.
In the last stint of the race, Moncini secure second place after passing Broniszewski, while the Talkanitsas (4th) take their best ever result. The last retirements affect Rugolo, Mortimer, and Frezza, from various mechanical issues. In GTS, behind Babini, is Caccia finishing 2nd and Gattuso 3rd.
Source : International GT Open