Following the historic win at the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps three weeks ago, the contrast was stark for the Belgian Audi Club Team WRT at Round 5 of the FIA GT 3 Championship, as the team lived a disappointing weekend in its first visit to the Slovakia Ring near Bratislava. Hampered since qualifying by an incredible number of tire punctures, which also affected other teams, Grégory Franchi-Enzo Ide and Jirko Malcharek-Didier André finished both races out of the points. The outcome was particularly frustrating for the Belgian pair, who was second in the overall standings, but chances towards the title battle remain completely alive, as Greg and Enzo now lie fifth, 22 points from the top, with still 50 points to be awarded in the championship’s finale to be held in Zandvoort mid-October.
Things proved difficult from the start for the Belgian squad, as the puncture issue arose since free practice. In the two qualifying sessions, both Audis R8 LMS saw their efforts ruined by yellow and red flags while the drivers were in their fast lap attempts. Starting beyond row 6 in both grids, it was clear that the races would be up-hill, given the level of competitiveness of the series. Further punctures during the two 60-minute races dashed the hopes of Franchi- Ide of scoring heavy points. “We lost the count of how many punctures we suffered over this weekend”, told a frustrated Enzo Ide. “In Race 1, I took the start from 14th position and chose to go on the outside line to try to pass some cars from the beginning. Unfortunately, there was a pile-up in the middle of the group and I had to go into the gravel to avoid contact. That ruined our race from scratch. On Sunday, we could hope of some little points but another puncture towards the end of the race meant losing ground again”.
Still, the set-back has not impacted the determination of the Belgian pair, as recent winner of the Spa 24 Hours Grégory Franchi points out: “We are now fourth and 22 points behind the leaders”, explains the Liège-born driver. “With 50 points still in contention, nothing is lost and having the championship finale in Zandvoort, a circuit that both Enzo and myself know very well, will help. We will have to go for it in the final round!”
On the other Audi R8 LMS of the team, Frenchman Didier André and local hero Jirko Malcharek did not have better luck, being also targeted by punctures and finishing both races beyond the 20th position. From a technical point of view, the puncture issue had a clear explanation: “It is a problem that hit many other teams”, says WRT’s Sports Director Pierre Dieudonné. “The tire manufacturer has confirmed that the tires were not suffering from any stress problem and that the cause of so many punctures, 18 only during Race 1, is to be sought in the type of gravel used in this circuit, which becomes very sharp once broken and brought back onto the track.”
The Belgian Audi Club Team WRT is determined to come back to the fore-front as from its next commitment, next week-end at Magny-Cours, for the 4th round of the Blancpain Endurance Series that Greg Franchi is leading after his Spa’s triumph. “We had a weekend to forget here in Slovakia”, is the conclusion of Team Manager Vincent Vosse. “As always, we will draw the lessons that have to be drawn and we’ll do the utmost to be back quickly where we should be. This said, the level of performance of all Audis here in Slovakia was not normal, with a R8 able to make the top ten only once (in qualifying 2). This clearly shows that the Balance of Performance is not correct and that the FIA needs to look into the matter.”
Source : Belgian Audi Club Team WRT