Côme Ledogar and Alexander West took their maiden win in the GT Open in a lively Race 2 at Monza. The pair of Garage 59 conducted a faultless tactical race to beat rivals and manage fuel, beating the Teo Martín BMW of Fernando Monje-Gustavo Yacamán. The Spanish-speaking pair had actually crossed the line in third, but the last-minute overtake by the Orange 1 Team Lazarus Lambo was sanctioned with a 2-second penalty after the race.
For Fabrizio Crestani and Thomas Biagi, the result though is still excellent, as they increase their advantage in the standings race, ahead of the final round in Barcelona. They now lead by 29 points on Yacamán-Monje, new runner-ups given also the poor day had by the Balfe McLaren, the BMW of Ramos and the TF Aston.
In Gt-Am, nothing stops the Sports&You Mercedes of Sardinha-Da Costa, again first, ahead the Imperiale Lambo of Kikko and Omar Galbiati.
THE RACE – Crestani pulls away nicely from the pole, followed by Cioci, Caldarelli and Keen, who gets touched at the second chicane and has to stop in the pits to change a tire. Then Jäger, Ledogar, Monje, Yoluc, Ramos and Guedes, the GT-Am leader. In lap 3, it’s Ramos having to stop with a turbo problem, while Ledogar takes fourth from Jäger.
While Crestani pulls away, Caldarelli passes Cioci for second in lap 6, five seconds behind the leader. Ledogar is not far away, preceding Jäger and Yacamán. The race ends for the Race 1 winning Aston, as Yoluc stops with a broken gearbox. In lap 12, the Renault of Guedes is in the pits, again with brake issues. The driver change window opens with Pellegrinelli, Sardinha and Busnelli stopping first, while the SCG of Bontempelli retires with broken brakes.
After all changes, there is a contact at Lesmo’s second corner between Fu and Moiseev, then provisional leaders, with the Chinese spinning into the gravel. The Russian takes the lead, with 5 seconds over West and 9 on the trio Plachutta, Biagi, Yacamán, then Postiglione 27 seconds behind.
In few laps, Moiseev, West and Biagi get basically together, soon joined also by Yacamán. In lap 26, the Colombian passes Biagi and soon after, West outbreaks Moiseev at the first chicane, taking the lead.
One lap later, the Russian is a little bit wide at Ascari and gets passed by both Yacamán and Biagi. The Italian and the Colombian fight fiercely, and there is a scary contact at Lesmo, but eventually the Lambo takes second behind West. After the race, a 2-second penalty would re-establish the previous order.
STANDINGS AFTER ROUND 12 OF 14
Overall: 1. Crestani-Biagi, 149 points; 2. Monje-Yacamán, 120; 3. Balfe, 109; 4. Ramos, 98; 5. Hankey-Yoluc, West, 94; etc
Pro-Am: 1. Crestani-Biagi, 62 points; 2. Monje-Yacamán, 49; 3. Balfe, 42; 4. West, 38; 5. Ramos, 36; 6. Yoluc- Hankey, 34; etc
GT-Am: 1. Sardinha Silva-Da Costa Coimbra, 50 points; 2. Barreiros, 36; 3. Lémeret, 23; 4. Sdanewitsch, 16; 5. Braams, 15; etc
Teams: 1. BMW Teo Martín, 85; 2. Garage59, 65; 3. Orange1 Team Lazarus, 62; 4. Balfe Motorsport, 42; 5. TF Sport, 34; 6. AF Corse, 24; etc