If yesterday’s race saw an Argentine (Pérez-Companc) on the highest spot of the podium, today’s Race 2 at Estoril saw two! Emiliano López and Matías Russo (in his comeback to international GT racing after three years) took a resounding and emotional win on Ferrari F458 GT3 of Baporo Motorsport (formerly SMP Racing) in another thrilling race under the sun. The ‘albiceleste’ duo beat Michele Rugolo- Pasin Lathouras (AF Corse Ferrari), who retake by one point the championship’s lead, and the the Balfe Motorsport sister car of Shaun Balfe-Phil Keen. Portuguese contenders shone again with Luis Silva-Antonio Coimbra taking the GT-Am win with the Sports&You Marcedes SLS, while the Novadriver Audi (Camaniço-Camathias) was fourth ahead of the Teo Martin McLaren of Parente-Ramos.
THE RACE – It’s very warm for Race 2, but poleman Balzan doesn’t stress and takes the lead, followed by Parente, Rugolo, Barba, Companc, Lopez and Balfe, who passes the Argentine in lap 3. The nicest battle is then between López, Barreiros, Melnikov and Camathias for sixth, while in the lead, the pair Balzan-Parente have a 7” advantage on Rugolo and Barba by lap 8. First surprise comes one lap later when Balzan storms into the pits with an issue with the flat bottom of the car. The Italian will rejoin the race and stop again soon after.
In lap 14, Álvaro Barba, who was 3rd, goes off into the gravel trap at the Parabolica, prompting the safety-car. The race restarts as soon as the Lambo is recued. At the restart, Parente is extremely alert and has 6 seconds of advantage on Rugolo at the following lap, when Companc, Balfe, Camathias, Lopez and Barreiros open the pit stops.
After all driver changes are over (lap 3), Lathouras leads right in front of Russo. The two men start a nice duel, with the Argentine taking the advantage, with Keen and Campaniço completing the leading quartet, followed by Coimbra, Ramos and Giammaria. It’s big fight between Lathouras, Keen and Campaniço for second but nothing will change up to the chequered flag, while Ramos takes fifth from Coimbra (lap 28) and Giammaria does the same two laps later.
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS AFTER RACE 4 OF 14
Overall: 1. Rugolo-Lathouras, 57; 2. Ramos-Parente, 56; 3. Giammaria-Companc, Balzan-Benucci, 44; 5. López, 41; 6. Russo, 31; etc
GTS: 1. Ramos-Parente, 25; 2. Lathouras-Rugolo, 24; 3. Benucci-Balzan, Balzan 18; 5. Giammaria-Companc, 16; 6. Russo, 14; etc
GT-Am: 1.Sdanewitsch-Cameron, 13; 2. Barreiros-Guedes, Silva-Coimbra, 8.
Teams GTS: 1. AF Corse, 43; 2. Teo Martín Motorsport, 25; 3. Villorba Corse, Baporo Motorsport 18; 5. Balfe Motorsport, 9; 6. Kessel Racing, Team Npovadriver, , 4; etc
Teams GT-Am: 1. AF Corse, 12; 2. Sport&You, 8.