The younger of the Pastorelli brothers, Francesco, and Jacky Camp took their maiden win in the International GT Open, with one of the V8 Racing Corvette, in a day that saw Giorgio Pantano and BhaiTech Racing taking the GTS titles, in a breath-taking finale in front of 20.000 spectators. Pantano secured the Drivers’ crown in the last lap when he took second in the GTS race behind winners Pol Rosell-Roman Mavlanov in the SMP Russian Bears Ferrari F458 GT3 (which took its third success of the year) and ahead of the AF Corse Ferrari of Fabio Onidi-Filip Salaquarda.
Pantano tied up in points with Lorenzo Bontempelli, but won because of more wins (3 to 1). For the Kessel Racing driver and the other GTS title contender, Rafael Suzuki (Novadriver Audi), it was a bad day as they finished out of the top 5 in the category, not scoring points.
At the start, there is some contact in the middle of the group which sparks a multiple collision when Kox gets sideways clipping Magnussen. In the subsequent confusion also Tutumlu, Broniszewski, De Castro, Maleev and Unzurrunzaga get involved. The last three and Kox are the four for who the race is finished. Clearly, the safety-car is out, as Pastorelli, Schirò, Mavlanov, soulet, Van der drift, Collar, Traffort, Parente, Salaquarda and Suzuki pass in that order, with Bontempelli 28th.
Re-start is in lap 4, with big fight between Pastorelli and Schirò. In lap 7, the safety-car is out again as Swift can’t avoid the Corvette of Nathan stuck in the track after a spin. As the race re-starts, it is already driver change time, with Suzuki, Bontempelli and Schirò opening the ball.
After the pit stops, Rosell leads with 6 tenths on Onidi, followed by Francesco Pastorelli, Razia, Pantano, Cameron, Perera, Beretta and Toril. Campaniço is 21st followed by Frezza, who passes him in lap 20. At the top end, Pastorelli bis passes Onidi and then Rosell to take the lead in lap 22, while Pantano manages in the last lap to pass Onidi and take second in GTS, enough to equal Bontempelli in points but take the title on quality of results.
Other final verdicts saw Ferrari taking both Constructors’ titles, while Alexander Talkanitsa Sr (AT Racing) is the winner of the first-ever Gentlemen’s Trophy in the GT Open. Last race successes were for Jacky Camp and Gabriel Balthazard.
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS AFTER RACE 16 OF 16 (FINAL)
Overall: 1. Montermini, 231; 2. Pastorelli-Ramos, 177; 3. Filippi, 168; 4. Cameron, 145; 5. Griffin, 133; etc.
Drivers SuperGT: 1. Montermini, 116; 2. Pastorelli-Ramos, 94; 3. Cameron, 82; 4. Filippi, 78; 5. Griffin, 74; etc
GTS: 1. Pantano, 56; 2. Bontempelli, 56; 3. Suzuki, 54; 4. Rosell-Mavlanov, 47; 5. Soulet, 44; etc
Teams SuperGT: 1. V8 Racing, 189; 2. Villorba Corse, 116; 3. AF Corse, 73; 4. AT Racing, 71; 5. Drivex, 19; etc
Teams GTS: 1. Bhai Tech Racing, 93; 2. Kessel Racing, 85; 3. AF Corse, 57; 4. SMP Racing, 51; 5. Autorlando Sport, 48; etc
Constructors Super GT: 1. Ferrari, 249; 2. Chevrolet, 174; 3. Porsche, 19
Constructors GTS: 1. Ferrari, 194 ; 2. McLaren, 93; 3. Porsche, 48; 4. Aston Martin, 44 ; 5. Mercedes, 39; etc
Gentlemen’s Trophy: 1. Talkanitsa Sr, 127; 2. Laursen, 97; 3. Maleev, 72; 4. Earle-Kermer, 49; 5. Sdanewitsch, 34; etc