It was a day of surprises and a Russian triumph today in Race 2 at Monza, on a wet track for most of the race. In a thrilling finale, the SMP Russian Bears Ferrari F458 of Roman Mavlanov and Pol Rosell took a fantastic win over the Ferrari of the other Russian squad, Esta Motorsport, driven by aleksandr Skryabin and Alessandro Pier Guidi. It’s the first overall win in the GT Open for Rosell and Mavlanov, two of the youngest drivers in the series and for the Russian squad, technically managed by Abel Algué’s Baporo in Catalonia. In another all-GTS podium, Marco Frezza and Lorenzo Bontempelli (Kessel Ferrari) took third, with the latter now joining Pantano on the top of the GTS standings.
The overall title got mathematically decided in an intense fight between Andrea Montermini and Miguel Ramos, at the back of the field. Eventually, the Italian secured two more points and the certitude of conquering the title, the second after the one in 2008. “It has been a very tough weekend, especially today when there was some close fighting with Ramos, but I am very happy”, said the Italian.
As rain starts a few minutes before the kick-off, the race starts with the safety-car. When it frees the group, Griffin keeps the lead from the pole but breakes long at the Roggia, leaving Rigon pass but the Villorba Ferrari is overtaken on the outside at Lesmo by Rugolo, who keeps the lead for two laps.
By lap 5, Rigon leads over Rugolo, Griffin, Gattuso, Mavlanov, Pastorelli, Beretta, Salaquarda and Skryabin. The track is slippery and there are spins (Cressoni, Coimbra, Talkanitsa) and off-tracks (Werkman) while Seyfarth almost puts off Frezza and Razia stps on the track with a punctured tire.
There are not much changes on the top up to the pit stop, which happens with some confusion as most of the cars come in at the same time (lap 11). After the window, Stefano Costantini leads with 4″ over Rosell and Toril, then Cameron, Bontempelli, Pier Guidi, Onidi, and Lyons. The title contenders are further aback, with Ramos in P11 and Montermini in P21.
In the lead, Costantini increases slightly the advantage over Rosell and Toril, while Bontempelli charges up to fourth, then PierGuidi, Onidi, Cameron, Lyons, Sijthoff, Ramos and Pantano, with Montermini now 18th. In lap 16, Hamprecht and Sdanewitsch collide at Parabolica, with the Ferrari stuck in the gravel and the Lambo getting a drive-through.
While Cesar Ramos passes Sijthoff with a great move, Miguel Ramos and Montermini fight door-to-door, with the Italian risking to go off at Lesmo but eventually taking the advantage. But the attention in the final laps is all for the fight at the top. Costantini’s rear left tire explodes three laps from the end (same happens to Toril), leaving Rosell first ahead of Pier Guidi that charges like a devil, but the young Catalan keeps cool and takes victory.