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Perera on pole, Ide best of the title contenders

Perera on pole, Ide best of the title contenders

02/10/2016, International, Motorsport - Road Racing, Blancpain GT Series (Motorsport), Article # 19605570

 

 
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Blancpain GT Series - Round 10 - Barcelona - Qualifying

Perera on pole, Ide best of the title contenders

Franck Perera gave the #74 ISR Audi pole position for the final qualifying race of the 2016 Blancpain GT Series season at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya this afternoon. The French driver pipped Mirko Bortolotti in the #63 Grasser Racing Lamborghini to pole, with Robin Frijns – team-mate of Sprint Cup points leader Enzo Ide – claiming third in the #33 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT. Blancpain GT Series overall leader Maxi Buhk will start from eighth, two positions behind his main competitor Rob Bell.
  

In the 10-minute-long final part of the qualifying session the 17 drivers effectively had only two or three flying laps to try and claim pole position for tomorrow morning’s qualifying race. At a certain point the top-four was covered by just 0.05s, but then Franck Perera crossed the line to lower the provisional pole time by more than a tenth. That was enough to claim his second pole position of the season, after also being top of the timing sheets at Brands Hatch.

Mirko Bortolotti got closest to Perera by just beating Robin Frijns. By claiming third the Dutchman gives Sprint Cup leader Enzo Ide the best grid position of all the title contenders, much to the joy of the Belgian who was watching nervously from the garage.

Jules Szymkowiak, together with Bernd Schneider in third in the Sprint Cup standings, put the #86 HTP Motorsport Mercedes-AMG fourth on the grid, with his team-mate Maxi Buhk claiming eighth in the #84 car.

Buhk, who together with Dominik Baumann is not only second in the Sprint Cup standings but also the overall Blancpain GT Series leader, has some work to do in tomorrow’s races, for his main competitor in the overall standings, Rob Bell aboard the #58 Garage 59 McLaren, qualified two places higher up the grid.

Worse off is Laurens Vanthoor. The Belgian – and his co-driver Fred Vervisch – failed to reach Q3, probably as a consequence of missing the second free practice session due to gremlins in the engine department. The #1 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT-run R8 starts from 18th, leaving Vanthoor - who must make up 29 points on Buhk and Baumann in the overall standings - with an enormous mountain to climb.

In the Pro-Am division of the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup, championship leader Giacomo Piccini and Michal Broniszewski extended their lead by claiming the point for pole position and now enjoy a 27-point lead. Victory in tomorrow’squalifying race would give the Italian-Polish duo the title.

In the Am Cup Claudio Sdanewitsch is certain of the 2016 crown, by teaming up with sole remaining opponent Stéphane Lemeret. The Belgian emphasised the pairing’s domination of the category by claiming pole position.

But Silver Cup championship leaders Luca Stolz and Michele Beretta did not have such a good session. They must be satisfied with 27th overall and third in the Silver Cup. With co-driver Alessio Picariello taking pole position Nikolaj Möller Madsen edges one point closer to the leaders, but the Dane still has to make up 30 points. Stuart Leonard and Michael Meadows, 22 points behind Stolz/Beretta, qualified in second in the Silver Cup.

Tomorrow’s qualifying race starts at 09.15, with the season decider getting underway at 14.10. Both races will be streamed live on the series’ official website: www.blancpain-gt-series.com.

 

Drivers quotes

Franck Perera (#74 ISR Audi): “It is not so easy to have a perfect lap here in Barcelona. The car moves around a lot, but that is the same for everybody. But we did a really good job today, especially since we focused on the race during the preparation. My aim was to be in the top-four, but since the beginning of the year we have known that if everything works out fine this team can put the car at the front.

Mirko Bortolotti (#63 Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini): “Front row is always nice, even though my lap in Q3 was not perfect and maybe I could have improved by a couple of tenths. But as Franck said, it is not easy to put everything together at the right time, especially when there are so many cars on track.

Robin Frijns (#33 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT R8): “With Enzo enjoying a 17-point lead in the standings we will not take too many risks in the race tomorrow. We need to survive the start without any damage, and Franck and Mirko can do whatever they want, I do not really mind. I just have to finish in front of the Mercedes-AMG.”

Alessio Picariello (#5 Phoenix Racing Audi): “This morning the car was quite good, but in qualifying we must have missed something. I was not really happy with the balance of the car and getting a good lap time proved to be quite difficult. Pole in the Silver Cup is nice, but I would like to have been a bit higher on the overall grid.”

Giacomo Piccini (#11 Kessel Racing Ferrari): “We did not drive in Q3 because we had a small electronic problem, but since we already had the point for pole position that was not such a problem. Now our aim is to win the qualifying race, which would give us the Pro-Am Sprint Cup title.

Stéphane Lemeret (#55 AF Corse Ferrari): “With Claudio now certain of the Am Cup, we can start without any pressure in the races. We will be able to push a bit more, and our aim is to have fun.”

____

Timetable

Sunday October 2nd
09:15 – 10:15 Qualifying Race
14:10 – 15:10 Main Race

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Blancpain GT Series - Round 10 - Barcelona - Qualifying

Perera on pole, Ide best of the title contenders

Franck Perera gave the #74 ISR Audi pole position for the final qualifying race of the 2016 Blancpain GT Series season at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya this afternoon. The French driver pipped Mirko Bortolotti in the #63 Grasser Racing Lamborghini to pole, with Robin Frijns – team-mate of Sprint Cup points leader Enzo Ide – claiming third in the #33 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT. Blancpain GT Series overall leader Maxi Buhk will start from eighth, two positions behind his main competitor Rob Bell.
  

In the 10-minute-long final part of the qualifying session the 17 drivers effectively had only two or three flying laps to try and claim pole position for tomorrow morning’s qualifying race. At a certain point the top-four was covered by just 0.05s, but then Franck Perera crossed the line to lower the provisional pole time by more than a tenth. That was enough to claim his second pole position of the season, after also being top of the timing sheets at Brands Hatch.

Mirko Bortolotti got closest to Perera by just beating Robin Frijns. By claiming third the Dutchman gives Sprint Cup leader Enzo Ide the best grid position of all the title contenders, much to the joy of the Belgian who was watching nervously from the garage.

Jules Szymkowiak, together with Bernd Schneider in third in the Sprint Cup standings, put the #86 HTP Motorsport Mercedes-AMG fourth on the grid, with his team-mate Maxi Buhk claiming eighth in the #84 car.

Buhk, who together with Dominik Baumann is not only second in the Sprint Cup standings but also the overall Blancpain GT Series leader, has some work to do in tomorrow’s races, for his main competitor in the overall standings, Rob Bell aboard the #58 Garage 59 McLaren, qualified two places higher up the grid.

Worse off is Laurens Vanthoor. The Belgian – and his co-driver Fred Vervisch – failed to reach Q3, probably as a consequence of missing the second free practice session due to gremlins in the engine department. The #1 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT-run R8 starts from 18th, leaving Vanthoor - who must make up 29 points on Buhk and Baumann in the overall standings - with an enormous mountain to climb.

In the Pro-Am division of the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup, championship leader Giacomo Piccini and Michal Broniszewski extended their lead by claiming the point for pole position and now enjoy a 27-point lead. Victory in tomorrow’squalifying race would give the Italian-Polish duo the title.

In the Am Cup Claudio Sdanewitsch is certain of the 2016 crown, by teaming up with sole remaining opponent Stéphane Lemeret. The Belgian emphasised the pairing’s domination of the category by claiming pole position.

But Silver Cup championship leaders Luca Stolz and Michele Beretta did not have such a good session. They must be satisfied with 27th overall and third in the Silver Cup. With co-driver Alessio Picariello taking pole position Nikolaj Möller Madsen edges one point closer to the leaders, but the Dane still has to make up 30 points. Stuart Leonard and Michael Meadows, 22 points behind Stolz/Beretta, qualified in second in the Silver Cup.

Tomorrow’s qualifying race starts at 09.15, with the season decider getting underway at 14.10. Both races will be streamed live on the series’ official website: www.blancpain-gt-series.com.

 

Drivers quotes

Franck Perera (#74 ISR Audi): “It is not so easy to have a perfect lap here in Barcelona. The car moves around a lot, but that is the same for everybody. But we did a really good job today, especially since we focused on the race during the preparation. My aim was to be in the top-four, but since the beginning of the year we have known that if everything works out fine this team can put the car at the front.

Mirko Bortolotti (#63 Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini): “Front row is always nice, even though my lap in Q3 was not perfect and maybe I could have improved by a couple of tenths. But as Franck said, it is not easy to put everything together at the right time, especially when there are so many cars on track.

Robin Frijns (#33 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT R8): “With Enzo enjoying a 17-point lead in the standings we will not take too many risks in the race tomorrow. We need to survive the start without any damage, and Franck and Mirko can do whatever they want, I do not really mind. I just have to finish in front of the Mercedes-AMG.”

Alessio Picariello (#5 Phoenix Racing Audi): “This morning the car was quite good, but in qualifying we must have missed something. I was not really happy with the balance of the car and getting a good lap time proved to be quite difficult. Pole in the Silver Cup is nice, but I would like to have been a bit higher on the overall grid.”

Giacomo Piccini (#11 Kessel Racing Ferrari): “We did not drive in Q3 because we had a small electronic problem, but since we already had the point for pole position that was not such a problem. Now our aim is to win the qualifying race, which would give us the Pro-Am Sprint Cup title.

Stéphane Lemeret (#55 AF Corse Ferrari): “With Claudio now certain of the Am Cup, we can start without any pressure in the races. We will be able to push a bit more, and our aim is to have fun.”

____

Timetable

Sunday October 2nd
09:15 – 10:15 Qualifying Race
14:10 – 15:10 Main Race

2016 Blancpain GT Series season finale promises to be unpredictable

2016 Blancpain GT Series season finale promises to be unpredictable

23/09/2016, International, Motorsport - Road Racing, Blancpain GT Series (Motorsport), Article # 19499507

 

 
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Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup - Barcelona

2016 Blancpain GT Series season finale promises to be unpredictable

It is the first time that the Blancpain GT Series visits the Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona and the meeting immediately forms the conclusion of an exciting and unpredictable season. For the overall title anything is still possible, while the fight for the Sprint Cup is also wide open.

 

Barcelona forms the 10th and final round of the 2016 Blancpain GT Series, which combines five Endurance races with five Sprint meetings. After nine rounds the leaders in the drivers’ standings are separated by just five points, so predicting the outcome of the 2016 season is as good as impossible.

Thanks to their fourth place in the Endurance race at the Nürburgring, #84 AMG-Team HTP Motorsport pairing Dominik Baumann and Maxi Buhk have re-taken the lead in the overall drivers’ standings, a lead they first held during the early part of the season but lost after a stroke of bad luck at the Paul Ricard Round. Since the Austrian-German duo only just missed out on the Endurance title at the Nürburgring, they are highly motivated to claim the overall crown in Barcelona.

To do so, they will have to maintain their advantage over McLaren’s Rob Bell. The Briton is on a high travelling to the Spanish circuit after he (and team-mates Van Gisbergen and Ledogar) pocketed the Endurance title at the Nürburgring. A recent dry spell - Bell has only scored two points in the last three rounds - saw him lose what looked like a comfortable lead in the overall drivers’ standings, but with the difference between he and Baumann/Buhk limited to just five points, nothing is decided yet. In Barcelona, Bell again drives with regular Sprint Cup partner Alvaro Parente.

But there is also a proverbial third dog in the fight at Barcelona. Laurens Vanthoor totals 100 points after nine meetings, and - with 34 still up for grabs - the 2014 Blancpain GT Series champion has a chance of erasing a 29-point deficit and claiming his second overall title.

A good result would also help his Belgian Audi Club Team WRT outfit in their quest for a successful defence of their teams’ title. On the eve of the Barcelona meeting, the Belgian squad is 14 points down on HTP Motorsport. For the German team it is the best chance they have ever had of claiming a title that, up until now, has always eluded them. Just like the drivers’ championship, there is a third contender with an outside chance on the teams’ title, but Garage 59 McLaren must make up 30 points on HTP Motorsport.

While the teams’ and drivers’ title fight in the overall Pro-Am category is already decided – Michal Broniszewski and Kessel Racing took the crown – the teams’ title in the Am class is not: AF Corse and Rinaldi Racing are only separated by 10 points. The Am Cup drivers’ title will probably be decided at the moment the entry list is fully confirmed. The two drivers that still have a shot at the title – Claudio Sdanewitsch leads Stéphane Lémeret by 10 points – are again entered in the same car, effectively handing the title to the German driver.

Sprint Cup to also be decided

Barcelona is not only the final round of the overall Blancpain GT Series but also the conclusion of the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup. Leading the Sprint Cup standings are Belgian Enzo Ide and German Christopher Mies. Unfortunately Mies cannot make it to Barcelona, due to other commitments. That means that the 25-year old Belgian will have to defend his lead with the help of another team-mate, but in Robin Frijns – the 2015 Blancpain GT Series champion – he gets some first-class help.

In the Sprint Cup standings Ide has a lead of 17 points over Dominik Baumann and Maxi Buhk. Their win at the Hungaroring brought the Mercedes-AMG duo right back into the title fight after some lesser performances in the middle of the season. Their team colleagues Jules Szymkowiak and Bernd Schneider have been scoring points all season, but a lack of a win means they have to close a 20-point gap on Ide.

In fourth are McLaren duo Bell and Parente. They scored a win at the Sprint round at the Nürburgring, but failed to score any points in Budapest, which means they are now trailing the standings leader by 23 points. Belgian Audi duo Vanthoor and Frédéric Vervisch still have a mathematical chance of winning the title, but with a 33-point deficit need a minor miracle to end the season on top.

In the other categories things are also still undecided. In the Pro-Am category Kessel Ferrari drivers and triple race winners Michal Broniszewski and Giacomo Piccini enjoy a 26-point advantage over French Mercedes-AMG duo Beaubelique and Moullin-Traffort, while in the Silver Cup (reserved for Silver drivers) Lamborghini pairing Luca Stolz and Michele Beretta have 24 points in hand over British Audi drivers Leonard and Meadows. The Dane Moller-Madsen will need a perfect weekend if he wants to close the 31-point gap on the Silver Cup leaders.

As you can see on the attached entry list there have been some changes in different driver line-ups since the last sprint round at the Hungaroring, but the Barcelona grid will still be 35 cars strong.

The Barcelona meeting is not only the final round of the Blancpain GT Series, but also includes races for the Blancpain GT Sports Club and several demo runs by the impressive machinery of the Blancpain Ultracar Sports Club.

Drivers quotes

Maxi Buhk (#84 AMG-Team HTP Motorsport Mercedes-AMG): “Barcelona is where the most important decision of the season will be taken. It was frustrating to miss the Endurance title by just one point, but we should not be too disappointed: thanks to our fourth place at the ‘Ring we still have a good shot at the overall titles, both for the drivers and the team.

Rob Bell (#58 Garage 59 McLaren): “Barcelona will be like the Nürburgring: a big fight. 
But we are ready for it, we are looking forward to it even. We want this championship as well. I think the spectators in Barcelona will see some great racing with a lot of action.

Enzo Ide (#33 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT R8): “I don’t think that the fact that I cannot drive with Christopher is a big disadvantage. Robin Frijns is a factory driver as well, and very quick too. We have done some testing together and we get along really fine. The only thing left to do is to get used to certain procedures, like the driver changes, but there is plenty of time to prepare ourselves.

_____

Provisional Entry list

 

____

Provisional Timetable 

Saturday October 1st
09:00 – 09:40 Free Practice 1 for Bronze & Silver Drivers
09:40 – 10:20 Free Practice 1
12:30 – 13:50 Free Practice 2
15:30 – 16:25 Qualifying

Sunday October 2nd
09:15 – 10:15 Qualifying Race
14:10 – 15:10 Main Race
 

Click here for the event poster

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Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup - Barcelona

2016 Blancpain GT Series season finale promises to be unpredictable

It is the first time that the Blancpain GT Series visits the Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona and the meeting immediately forms the conclusion of an exciting and unpredictable season. For the overall title anything is still possible, while the fight for the Sprint Cup is also wide open.

 

Barcelona forms the 10th and final round of the 2016 Blancpain GT Series, which combines five Endurance races with five Sprint meetings. After nine rounds the leaders in the drivers’ standings are separated by just five points, so predicting the outcome of the 2016 season is as good as impossible.

Thanks to their fourth place in the Endurance race at the Nürburgring, #84 AMG-Team HTP Motorsport pairing Dominik Baumann and Maxi Buhk have re-taken the lead in the overall drivers’ standings, a lead they first held during the early part of the season but lost after a stroke of bad luck at the Paul Ricard Round. Since the Austrian-German duo only just missed out on the Endurance title at the Nürburgring, they are highly motivated to claim the overall crown in Barcelona.

To do so, they will have to maintain their advantage over McLaren’s Rob Bell. The Briton is on a high travelling to the Spanish circuit after he (and team-mates Van Gisbergen and Ledogar) pocketed the Endurance title at the Nürburgring. A recent dry spell - Bell has only scored two points in the last three rounds - saw him lose what looked like a comfortable lead in the overall drivers’ standings, but with the difference between he and Baumann/Buhk limited to just five points, nothing is decided yet. In Barcelona, Bell again drives with regular Sprint Cup partner Alvaro Parente.

But there is also a proverbial third dog in the fight at Barcelona. Laurens Vanthoor totals 100 points after nine meetings, and - with 34 still up for grabs - the 2014 Blancpain GT Series champion has a chance of erasing a 29-point deficit and claiming his second overall title.

A good result would also help his Belgian Audi Club Team WRT outfit in their quest for a successful defence of their teams’ title. On the eve of the Barcelona meeting, the Belgian squad is 14 points down on HTP Motorsport. For the German team it is the best chance they have ever had of claiming a title that, up until now, has always eluded them. Just like the drivers’ championship, there is a third contender with an outside chance on the teams’ title, but Garage 59 McLaren must make up 30 points on HTP Motorsport.

While the teams’ and drivers’ title fight in the overall Pro-Am category is already decided – Michal Broniszewski and Kessel Racing took the crown – the teams’ title in the Am class is not: AF Corse and Rinaldi Racing are only separated by 10 points. The Am Cup drivers’ title will probably be decided at the moment the entry list is fully confirmed. The two drivers that still have a shot at the title – Claudio Sdanewitsch leads Stéphane Lémeret by 10 points – are again entered in the same car, effectively handing the title to the German driver.

Sprint Cup to also be decided

Barcelona is not only the final round of the overall Blancpain GT Series but also the conclusion of the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup. Leading the Sprint Cup standings are Belgian Enzo Ide and German Christopher Mies. Unfortunately Mies cannot make it to Barcelona, due to other commitments. That means that the 25-year old Belgian will have to defend his lead with the help of another team-mate, but in Robin Frijns – the 2015 Blancpain GT Series champion – he gets some first-class help.

In the Sprint Cup standings Ide has a lead of 17 points over Dominik Baumann and Maxi Buhk. Their win at the Hungaroring brought the Mercedes-AMG duo right back into the title fight after some lesser performances in the middle of the season. Their team colleagues Jules Szymkowiak and Bernd Schneider have been scoring points all season, but a lack of a win means they have to close a 20-point gap on Ide.

In fourth are McLaren duo Bell and Parente. They scored a win at the Sprint round at the Nürburgring, but failed to score any points in Budapest, which means they are now trailing the standings leader by 23 points. Belgian Audi duo Vanthoor and Frédéric Vervisch still have a mathematical chance of winning the title, but with a 33-point deficit need a minor miracle to end the season on top.

In the other categories things are also still undecided. In the Pro-Am category Kessel Ferrari drivers and triple race winners Michal Broniszewski and Giacomo Piccini enjoy a 26-point advantage over French Mercedes-AMG duo Beaubelique and Moullin-Traffort, while in the Silver Cup (reserved for Silver drivers) Lamborghini pairing Luca Stolz and Michele Beretta have 24 points in hand over British Audi drivers Leonard and Meadows. The Dane Moller-Madsen will need a perfect weekend if he wants to close the 31-point gap on the Silver Cup leaders.

As you can see on the attached entry list there have been some changes in different driver line-ups since the last sprint round at the Hungaroring, but the Barcelona grid will still be 35 cars strong.

The Barcelona meeting is not only the final round of the Blancpain GT Series, but also includes races for the Blancpain GT Sports Club and several demo runs by the impressive machinery of the Blancpain Ultracar Sports Club.

Drivers quotes

Maxi Buhk (#84 AMG-Team HTP Motorsport Mercedes-AMG): “Barcelona is where the most important decision of the season will be taken. It was frustrating to miss the Endurance title by just one point, but we should not be too disappointed: thanks to our fourth place at the ‘Ring we still have a good shot at the overall titles, both for the drivers and the team.

Rob Bell (#58 Garage 59 McLaren): “Barcelona will be like the Nürburgring: a big fight. 
But we are ready for it, we are looking forward to it even. We want this championship as well. I think the spectators in Barcelona will see some great racing with a lot of action.

Enzo Ide (#33 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT R8): “I don’t think that the fact that I cannot drive with Christopher is a big disadvantage. Robin Frijns is a factory driver as well, and very quick too. We have done some testing together and we get along really fine. The only thing left to do is to get used to certain procedures, like the driver changes, but there is plenty of time to prepare ourselves.

_____

Provisional Entry list

 

____

Provisional Timetable 

Saturday October 1st
09:00 – 09:40 Free Practice 1 for Bronze & Silver Drivers
09:40 – 10:20 Free Practice 1
12:30 – 13:50 Free Practice 2
15:30 – 16:25 Qualifying

Sunday October 2nd
09:15 – 10:15 Qualifying Race
14:10 – 15:10 Main Race
 

Click here for the event poster

2016 Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup decider turns out to be a thriller

2016 Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup decider turns out to be a thriller

19/09/2016, International, Motorsport - Road Racing, Blancpain GT Series (Motorsport), Article # 19446981
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Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup - Nürburgring - Race

2016 Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup decider turns out to be a thriller

• Final race of the season won by Grasser Racing Lamborghini of Bortolotti, Ineichen and Engelhart
• Garage 59 McLaren-drivers Bell, Ledogar and Van Gisbergen crowned 2016 Endurance Cup winners
• Kessel Racing drivers Broniszewski, Bonacini and Rizzoli win Pro-Am Drivers Endurance Cup
• Talbot, Zanuttini and Gitlin complete Kessel Racing success by taking the Am Drivers crown in the Endurance Cup
• Garage 59 take the Teams’ Endurance Cup, with Kessel Racing taking the crown in the Pro-Am and Am Cups

The outcome of the 2016 Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup was only decided on the final lap of the final race at the Nürburgring. In the absence of Shane Van Gisbergen, Rob Bell and Côme Ledogar came to the Nürburgring as the leaders in the standings, but the duo, joined by Duncan Tappy for the occasion, had a horrible weekend. Qualifying did not go their way, and the #58 Garage 59 McLaren had to start from 21st. Rob Bell managed to climb up the order, but when he missed a braking point and made contact with another car, he was penalised with a drive-through. The McLaren dropped some places, but the possibility to finish in the points had not completely gone… until Tappy was hit from behind and had to limp back to the pitlane with a puncture. Taking the wheel when the car was outside the top-30, Côme Ledogar could only pray that their competitors did not manage to close the gap in the cup standings.

When the Frenchman took the wheel of the McLaren, he and Bell and the absent Van Gisbergen were still leading the virtual standings, thanks to a series of unpredictable events. At a certain point during the three-hour race, only one of the four title contenders was in the points.

The #99 ROWE Racing BMW of Eng and Sims, joined by Nick Catsburg this weekend, was never able to make among the frontrunners this weekend, finishing in a lowly tenth. During the first stint it looked as if the #8 Bentley Team M-Sport Continental of Soucek, Reip and Soulet would form a dangerous threat for the McLaren drivers, but trouble during the first pit stop – one of the wheels got stuck and only three tyres were changed, meaning that it did not count as a mandatory stop, and forcing the team to make an additional stop.

That left one car in the way of the McLaren’s glory, namely the #84 AMG-Team HTP Motorsport Mercedes of Buhk, Baumann and Jaafar, but they had to finish on the podium to close the 15-point gap that separated them from the McLaren-drivers. The trio gave it their all, but had to settle for fourth, one place short of a Cup-winning position.

This did not mean that the McLaren’s worries were over. For at the front, two drivers were at it hammer and tongs, trying to claim their first endurance win of the season. For one of them, Christian Engelhart, it would be even his first win in the Blancpain GT Series, for the German made his Series debut at the Nürburgring. After a Safety Car intervention some 40 minutes from the end of the race, Engelhart had none other than Laurens Vanthoor under the back wing of his #16 Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini. The 2014 Blancpain Endurance champion did his utmost to try and pass the green Lambo, because a win would give his Belgian Audi Club Team WRT the teams’ crown. A contact – and possible damage to one of the cars – could promote the Mercedes of Buhk, Baumann and Jaafar to the necessary third place.
But both Engelhart and Vanthoor showed that GT racing on the edge can be fair, even if the stakes are high. Engelhart kept the Audi R8 behind, sharing Grasser Racing Team’s first win of 2016 with his teammates Mirko Bortolotti and Rolf Ineichen, who had set faultless and quick opening stints.
Vanthoor had to settle for second, and that was also the position of the Belgian Audi Club Team WRT in the teams standings, where the squad ended up with 71 points, the exact same number as Bentley Team M-Sport (for which the #7 Continental finished in ninth after starting from the pitlane) and Garage 59 McLaren. But because the McLaren squad has won two races this year, they can claim the biggest cup.

Obviously, the most attention went to the winners of the Drivers Endurance Cup. Côme Ledogar burst into tears when he was radioed the good news, Rob Bell celebrated with the whole of the Garage 59 crew in the box and Shane Van Gisbergen, racing in Australia this weekend and watching the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup on the livestream, could stop chewing his fingernails and enjoy a well-deserved title. Garage 59 team manager Bas Leinders is the first team manager in the Blancpain GT Series history to claim the overall Endurance Cup with two different teams, having won it with the Marc VDS Racing team in 2013.

In the Pro-Am Cup and the Am Cup, things were much more straightforward, although the leaders in the standings went through some difficult moments as well. #11 Kessel Racing Ferrari drivers Michal Broniszewski, Alessandro Bonacini and Andrea Rizzoli looked set to claim the Pro-Am Cup, up until a Full Course Yellow-period at the end of the second hour played into the hands of their sole rivals, #74 ISR Audi drivers Giauque, Hassid and Perera. Rizzoli was quick to catch and pass the Audi however, keeping the Pro-Am Cups (both Teams’ and Drivers’) inside the Kessel Racing camp. Winning at the Nürburgring proved to be impossible though, because the #66 Black Pearl Racing Ferrari of Daniel Keilwitz and Alexander Matschull proved to be unbeatable. Matschull brought the immense challenge of doing a double stint to a good end and even claimed fifth overall in the end.

In the Am Cup Liam Talbot, Marco Zanuttini and Vadim Gitlin had enough with the points from seventh to claim the Am Cup, but with the trio of AKKA ASP drivers Beaubelique, Ricci and Vannelet dominating the race in the category they could not afford to make any mistakes. And while the French Mercedes-trio drove to a much deserved win – continuing their streak of podium finishes – the Kessel Racing drivers kept their head cool and crossed the line in sixth. After winning the category in the Le Castellet race and the Total 24 Hours of Spa, it was an excellent way to finish an excellent season.

 

Rob Bell (#58 Garage 59 McLaren): “I still can’t believe that we are the champions, certainly not after the way things went today. I have to thank the whole of the team, they worked very hard this season. I still can’t believe I made a small error, and I have to admit that at that point I thought it was all over. But somebody once said to me that sometimes you have to win ugly, and we won ugly today.”

Alessandro Bonacini (#11 Kessel Racing Ferrari): “I wanted to win this Cup very badly, because we came very close a couple of years ago and finished second. Now we did it, and this is a great sensation, because I can keep this feeling all through next year. It was hard though, and I could not believe my eyes when I saw the Audi in front of us at the beginning of the last stint. But Andrea did a perfect job in catching them again.

Vadim Gitlin (#888 Kessel Racing Ferrari): “I had never raced at the Nürburgring before, so it was very difficult for me. I knew we had to keep seventh position to claim the Am Cup and that was exactly what I did. This is an important win for me, for it is the first time I win a championship. It has been a dramatic season, because we did not finish the first race and I had a tough stint in Monza. But I don’t know why, at that moment I became completely convinced that we would the Cup this year. And here we are.

Christian Engelhart (#16 Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini): “It’s been an awesome first race in the Blancpain GT Series for me, to start with a win is very special. I’ve been watching the Blancpain GT Series for years, it’s very competitive and it’s great to be here in this position. I had a tough fight with Laurens, who was pushing very hard, but I managed to keep him behind me and I am very happy about that.

Laurens Vanthoor (#1 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT R8): “I have to admit that I am a bit angry at myself that I was unable to get the win and get the Teams Endurance Cup for the Belgian Audi Club Team WRT. But I also think that there was no way I could get past in a fair manner. I tried several times, but he did not make any mistakes and did a good job. We will just have to do a little bit better next time.

Lucas Ordonez (#23 Nissan GT Academy Team RJN GT-R): “It was quite good to be able to start from P11, because we had not been that high up this year. I quickly got to the front, the car behaved fantastic. I kept pushing, we had some excellent pitstops and Mitsu and Alex both did amazing jobs. I think we deserved this podium, we’ve had a tough season but this makes up for a lot.”

Alexander Matschull (#66 Black Pearl Racing Ferrari): “I was only told ten minutes before the start that I had to do a double stint. It was quite a challenge, and I was very relieved that there was a safety car intervention at the beginning of my second stint, so I could relax a bit. The team gave us a perfect car and Daniel did an excellent first stint, and I am very happy to win this one.

Jean-Luc Beaubelique (#87 AKKA ASP Mercedes-AMG): “Since we did not participate in the Total 24 Hours of Spa, we knew it would be difficult to fight for the title, but we did our best. We made no mistakes, had a great race and even managed to finish on the same lap as the overall winners. We finished every race we started on the podium, so that is not so bad.
 

 

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Click here for the final result list

Click here for the points files

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Next Race : Barcelona (Sprint Cup) 1&2 October

Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup to be decided at the Nürburgring

Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup to be decided at the Nürburgring

10/09/2016, International, Motorsport - Road Racing, Blancpain GT Series (Motorsport), Article # 19334596

 

 
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Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup to be decided at the Nürburgring

55 cars will line up for the penultimate round of this season’s Blancpain GT Series at the Nürburgring next weekend (September 17/18). While the overall title cannot be won in the Eifel mountains, the battle for the 2016 Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup will come to its conclusion after three hours of racing around the German track.

 

With two rounds to go in this year’s Blancpain GT Series, McLaren ace Rob Bell has a seven-point lead over Mercedes-AMG duo Maxi Buhk and Dominik Baumann in the overall drivers’ standings. With a maximum of 26 points on offer at the Nürburgring and 34 more up for grabs at the season finale in Barcelona, it is mathematically impossible for the overall drivers’ title to be decided in Germany.

The outcomes of the different Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup competitions will, however, be decided given that the three-hour event in the Eifel is the last of the long-haul races. No fewer than four driver combinations could take the coveted trophy home on Sunday night. Garage 59 McLaren trio Rob Bell, Shane Van Gisbergen and Côme Ledogar lead the standings with 68 points courtesy of their wins at Monza and Le Castellet. However, due to a far from perfect race at the Total 24 Hours of Spa the lead they enjoyed after the French round has dwindled to a mere nine units. Furthermore, Shane Van Gisbergen will be absent at the Nürburgring, due to other commitments. He will be replaced by Duncan Tappy.

It is Bentley Boys Andy Soucek, Maxime Soulet and Wolfgang Reip who lead the chasing pack. Although the #8 Bentley Team M-Sport Continental GT’s drivers are yet to win an Endurance race in 2016, they have come very close on a few occasions, especially at Le Castellet and Spa. For Reip it would be extra special if all pieces would fall into place at the Nürburgring, for the Belgian could become the first driver to successfully defend his Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup overall title.

Four points behind the Bentley trio (and, for the mathematically challenged, 13 adrift of McLaren’s) are Total 24 Hours of Spa victors Alexander Sims, Philipp Eng and Maxime Martin, who are tied on points with Silverstone race winners Buhk, Baumann and Jazeman Jaafar. Martin cannot make it to the Nürburgring, but will be replaced by 2015 Total 24 Hours of Spa winner Nick Catsburg. With the crews that are tied in third driving a BMW M6 GT3 and Mercedes-AMG GT3 respectively, this year’s Endurance Cup contenders are at the wheel of four different cars, a testimony to the competitiveness of the series.

The gaps in the Endurance Cup teams’ standings are even closer, with Garage 59 leading Bentley Team M-Sport by only six points. HTP Motorsport and ROWE Racing are 13 and 15 points adrift, respectively, while Belgian Audi Club Team WRT’s 18-point deficit means they also still have a shot at defending the crown. Equally, a good result for HTP Motorsport could see them clinch the overall teams’ title, since their Hungaroring Sprint victory handed the German squad an 18-point advantage in those standings.

Pro-Am: Can Broniszewski claim the Endurance Cup as well?
Since the Hungaroring Polish driver Michal Broniszewski is certain to win the Blancpain GT Series Pro-Am title, enjoying an unassailable 62-point lead in the overall Pro-Am standings. In the Pro-Am division of the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup things are far from decided, however. Together with his Kessel Racing team-mates Alessandro Bonacini and Andrea Rizzoli (the 2014 Pro-Am Endurance Cup winner) Broniszewski currently has 10 points in hand over ISR trio Franck Perera, Philippe Giauque and Henry Hassid. A win for the Audi drivers means that the Kessel Ferrari must finish on the podium for its crew to claim the title. And even that might not be enough if the ISR boys score the point for claiming pole position.

Am Cup: Endurance Cup is Kessel’s for the taking
With overall Am Cup leader Claudio Sdanewitsch only competing in the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup, the overall Am Cup title fight will be decided at the final event of the season in Barcelona. In the Endurance Am Cup standings Liam Talbot, Marco Zanuttini and Vadim Gitlin already have one hand on the trophy after recording class wins at both the Le Castellet round and Total 24 Hours of Spa. With a 21-point advantage over Pierre Ehret (#333 Rinaldi Racing Ferrari) and Gilles Vannelet, Jean-Luc Beaubelique and Maurice Ricci (#87 AKKA ASP Mercedes-AMG) an eighth place at the finish would be enough for the Kessel Racing drivers to seal both the drivers’ and teams’ Endurance Cups in the Am category.

Côme Ledogar (#58 Garage 59 McLaren): "Spa was not our best race, maybe we tried too hard to compensate the difference in lap times. I'm afraid we could see the same scenario at the Nürburgring, but - as always - we will do our utmost best to the maximum out of the car. By focusing solely on the task ahead and not spending too much in watching what the competition does, we could get a good result."

Wolfgang Reip (#8 Bentley Team M-Sport Continental): "I am very privileged to have been in a team that can compete for the title for the second year running. Both my team of 2015 and Bentley this year have shown to be able to run at the front. Unfortunately for us, we have been unlucky at some races, otherwise we could have travelled to the Nürburgring with a more advantageous situation. Considering the level of the competition, we can have only one aim in the Eifel and that is to win."
____

Click here for the provisional entry list

____

Provisional Timetable 

Saturday September 17th
09:00 – 10:00 Bronze Test 
11:05 – 12:35 Free Practice
16:15 – 17:45 Pre-Qualifying

Sunday September 18th
08:30 – 09:30 Qualifying
14:45 – 17:45 Race
____

Information & tickets : http://www.blancpain-gt-series.com/tickets

              > BLANCPAIN GT SERIES HOME     |     > CALENDAR   &nbsp|     > CONTACT

 
 
 

Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup to be decided at the Nürburgring

55 cars will line up for the penultimate round of this season’s Blancpain GT Series at the Nürburgring next weekend (September 17/18). While the overall title cannot be won in the Eifel mountains, the battle for the 2016 Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup will come to its conclusion after three hours of racing around the German track.

 

With two rounds to go in this year’s Blancpain GT Series, McLaren ace Rob Bell has a seven-point lead over Mercedes-AMG duo Maxi Buhk and Dominik Baumann in the overall drivers’ standings. With a maximum of 26 points on offer at the Nürburgring and 34 more up for grabs at the season finale in Barcelona, it is mathematically impossible for the overall drivers’ title to be decided in Germany.

The outcomes of the different Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup competitions will, however, be decided given that the three-hour event in the Eifel is the last of the long-haul races. No fewer than four driver combinations could take the coveted trophy home on Sunday night. Garage 59 McLaren trio Rob Bell, Shane Van Gisbergen and Côme Ledogar lead the standings with 68 points courtesy of their wins at Monza and Le Castellet. However, due to a far from perfect race at the Total 24 Hours of Spa the lead they enjoyed after the French round has dwindled to a mere nine units. Furthermore, Shane Van Gisbergen will be absent at the Nürburgring, due to other commitments. He will be replaced by Duncan Tappy.

It is Bentley Boys Andy Soucek, Maxime Soulet and Wolfgang Reip who lead the chasing pack. Although the #8 Bentley Team M-Sport Continental GT’s drivers are yet to win an Endurance race in 2016, they have come very close on a few occasions, especially at Le Castellet and Spa. For Reip it would be extra special if all pieces would fall into place at the Nürburgring, for the Belgian could become the first driver to successfully defend his Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup overall title.

Four points behind the Bentley trio (and, for the mathematically challenged, 13 adrift of McLaren’s) are Total 24 Hours of Spa victors Alexander Sims, Philipp Eng and Maxime Martin, who are tied on points with Silverstone race winners Buhk, Baumann and Jazeman Jaafar. Martin cannot make it to the Nürburgring, but will be replaced by 2015 Total 24 Hours of Spa winner Nick Catsburg. With the crews that are tied in third driving a BMW M6 GT3 and Mercedes-AMG GT3 respectively, this year’s Endurance Cup contenders are at the wheel of four different cars, a testimony to the competitiveness of the series.

The gaps in the Endurance Cup teams’ standings are even closer, with Garage 59 leading Bentley Team M-Sport by only six points. HTP Motorsport and ROWE Racing are 13 and 15 points adrift, respectively, while Belgian Audi Club Team WRT’s 18-point deficit means they also still have a shot at defending the crown. Equally, a good result for HTP Motorsport could see them clinch the overall teams’ title, since their Hungaroring Sprint victory handed the German squad an 18-point advantage in those standings.

Pro-Am: Can Broniszewski claim the Endurance Cup as well?
Since the Hungaroring Polish driver Michal Broniszewski is certain to win the Blancpain GT Series Pro-Am title, enjoying an unassailable 62-point lead in the overall Pro-Am standings. In the Pro-Am division of the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup things are far from decided, however. Together with his Kessel Racing team-mates Alessandro Bonacini and Andrea Rizzoli (the 2014 Pro-Am Endurance Cup winner) Broniszewski currently has 10 points in hand over ISR trio Franck Perera, Philippe Giauque and Henry Hassid. A win for the Audi drivers means that the Kessel Ferrari must finish on the podium for its crew to claim the title. And even that might not be enough if the ISR boys score the point for claiming pole position.

Am Cup: Endurance Cup is Kessel’s for the taking
With overall Am Cup leader Claudio Sdanewitsch only competing in the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup, the overall Am Cup title fight will be decided at the final event of the season in Barcelona. In the Endurance Am Cup standings Liam Talbot, Marco Zanuttini and Vadim Gitlin already have one hand on the trophy after recording class wins at both the Le Castellet round and Total 24 Hours of Spa. With a 21-point advantage over Pierre Ehret (#333 Rinaldi Racing Ferrari) and Gilles Vannelet, Jean-Luc Beaubelique and Maurice Ricci (#87 AKKA ASP Mercedes-AMG) an eighth place at the finish would be enough for the Kessel Racing drivers to seal both the drivers’ and teams’ Endurance Cups in the Am category.

Côme Ledogar (#58 Garage 59 McLaren): "Spa was not our best race, maybe we tried too hard to compensate the difference in lap times. I'm afraid we could see the same scenario at the Nürburgring, but - as always - we will do our utmost best to the maximum out of the car. By focusing solely on the task ahead and not spending too much in watching what the competition does, we could get a good result."

Wolfgang Reip (#8 Bentley Team M-Sport Continental): "I am very privileged to have been in a team that can compete for the title for the second year running. Both my team of 2015 and Bentley this year have shown to be able to run at the front. Unfortunately for us, we have been unlucky at some races, otherwise we could have travelled to the Nürburgring with a more advantageous situation. Considering the level of the competition, we can have only one aim in the Eifel and that is to win."
____

Click here for the provisional entry list

____

Provisional Timetable 

Saturday September 17th
09:00 – 10:00 Bronze Test 
11:05 – 12:35 Free Practice
16:15 – 17:45 Pre-Qualifying

Sunday September 18th
08:30 – 09:30 Qualifying
14:45 – 17:45 Race
____

Information & tickets : http://www.blancpain-gt-series.com/tickets

Broniszewski first of 2016 champions with two Blancpain GT Series rounds remaining

Broniszewski first of 2016 champions with two Blancpain GT Series rounds remaining

06/09/2016, International, Motorsport - Road Racing, Blancpain GT Series (Motorsport), Article # 19285099
 
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Broniszewski first of 2016 champions with two Blancpain GT Series rounds remaining

With just two rounds remaining in the 2016 Blancpain GT Series - one round of the Endurance Cup at the Nürburgring and the season finale at the Sprint Cup race in Barcelona - things are hotting up nicely in the different title fights. But one man and one team are already certain of a championship crown this season: Michal Broniszewski and Kessel Racing will be handed the trophies for the overall 2016 Pro-Am champions at the end-of-year prize giving ceremony.

Broniszewski's and Kessel Racing's titles are obviously closely linked, since the 44-year-old Polish driver entered the 2016 season at the wheel of the Swiss squad's #11 Ferrari 488 GT3. With an impressive start to the season - Broniszewski won the opening three rounds of 2016 - the former bike racer immediately established an important gap in the points standings, a gap which the competition was unable to close during the rest of the season, especially since 'Broni' added two more wins to his tally at Le Castellet and the Nürburgring Sprint meeting.

Not that it was all plain sailing in 2016. The Silverstone round and Total 24 Hours of Spa proved to be a real challenge for the Kessel Racing crew, but thanks to a determined drive the #11 Ferrari still managed a points finish in both events. Since Broniszewski had different team-mates in the Sprint Cup (Giacomo Piccini) and Endurance Cup (Alessandro Bonacini and Andrea Rizzoli) he is the only driver in the Pro-Am category to have scored championship points at every round, resulting in a 62-point lead with two rounds remaining. 2016 has proven to be a very successful year for Michal Broniszewski who was also crowned Blancpain GT Sports Club champion earlier this season.

The title fight in the other overall categories of the 2016 Blancpain GT Series is still wide open. In the overall category 13 drivers still have a theoretical chance of clinching the title. After a miserable Sprint round at the Hungaroring Rob Bell's lead has been reduced to only seven points over AMG-Team HTP Motorsport drivers Maxi Buhk and Dominik Baumann. That means that whatever happens at the Nürburgring Endurance race, the drivers' title fight will go down to the wire at the season finale in Barcelona. HTP Motorsport could conquer the teams' title at their home race however, since the squad enjoys an 18-point lead over Garage 59 with two rounds to go.

In the Am category former team-mates Claudio Sdanewitsch and Stéphane Lemeret are likely to decide among themselves who will end 2016 on top, with Sdanewitsch now having a 10-point lead over the Belgian. 10 other drivers still have a theoretical chance of taking the trophy home.

Sdanewitsch and Lemeret's performances at the start of the season resulted in AF Corse claiming the teams' trophy in the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup Am category, for now the only title fight that has been decided in both the Sprint Cup and Endurance Cup. All others will be decided during the respective final rounds of the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup (Nürburgring, 17-18 September) and Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup (Barcelona, 1-2 October).

Michal Broniszewski (2016 Pro-Am Blancpain GT Series champion): "It is a great feeling to have won this title, especially since it was not easy to win it. I started the season without any big expectations, because over the course of a season too many things can happen. I had some good weekends this season, but the nicest one was the Brands Hatch weekend. I competed in both the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup and the Blancpain GT Sports Club and at the end of the weekend I had three wins and one second place. A unique result."

_____

Next round Nürburgring - Endurance Cup - 17-18 September

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Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup title race hotting up in Hungary

Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup title race hotting up in Hungary

18/08/2016, International, Motorsport - Road Racing, Blancpain GT Series (Motorsport), Article # 19054709

 

 
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Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup title race hotting up in Hungary

A bumper grid of 72 drivers and 36 GT3 cars comprising eight different manufacturers takes to the Hungaroring next weekend (August 26-28) for the penultimate round of 2016’s Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup.

The championship’s one-hour Qualifying and Main Races, staged at Hungary’s 14-turn, 4.381km Formula 1 venue for the first time, could be crucial to deciding not only who scoops the various drivers’ and teams’ Sprint Cup titles but also the overall Blancpain GT Series crown, which tallies the results of all 10 Sprint and Endurance Cup meetings.

Last month’s Total 24 Hours of Spa, the Blancpain GT Series’ blue riband event, did not count towards the Sprint Cup points. However, it most certainly gave its winners a timely confidence boost heading into the summer break.

Alexander Sims and Philipp Eng had only scored one podium finish this year before triumphing in the Ardennes, but they will be hoping that victory acts as a springboard this weekend when the Rowe Racing BMW pair look to improve on their current seventh place in the Sprint Cup standings.

The men they and everyone else are chasing remain Rob Bell and Alvaro Parente whose consistency and victory at the previous Sprint Cup round in Germany aboard the Garage 59 McLaren 650S helped them to establish a slender three-point lead over WRT Audi duo Christopher Mies and Enzo Ide.

Bell will also have one eye on the overall Blancpain GT Series standings this weekend; the Briton currently enjoys a comfortable 35-point advantage over nearest rivals Maxi Buhk and Dominik Baumann. However, a good result for the HTP Motorsport Mercedes-AMG crew at the Hungaroring would also help them cut their 22-point deficit to Bell in the Sprint Cup title race.

Elsewhere, Michal Broniszewski and Giacomo Piccini’s five class wins from six starts has helped the Kessel Racing pair to establish a 26-point lead over Morgan Moullin Traffort and Jean-Luc Beaubelique in the Sprint Cup’s Pro-Am category. But with a maximum of 34 on offer this weekend - one for pole, eight for winning the Qualifying Race and another 25 for the Main Race - the chasing AKKA ASP crew remains very much in contention.

Things are a little more clear cut in the Am Cup where Claudio Sdanewitsch and Stéphane Lemeret can wrap up the Sprint Cup class title this weekend thanks to their 53-point lead over Christian Hook and Steve Parrow.

This weekend’s 36-strong entry features several changes to that of July’s Sprint Cup round in Germany. Stephen Earle and David Perel make their first short-format appearance of the season in their Am Cup-entered Kessel Racing Ferrari 488, while last season’s Blancpain Endurance Series championship-winning #23 Nissan GT-R will be driven by Lucas Ordonez and Mitsunori Takaboshi.

 

Drivers Quotes

Alexander Sims, #99 Rowe Racing BMW M6 GT3: “It was very satisfying to win such a big race like Spa, especially as we did not expect it. But it has not changed BMW’s approach for the rest of the season, either. Honestly, we are taking every race as it comes and just trying to score solid points as and when the car and track allows. I am not sure the M6 will be particularly well suited to the Hungaroring given that it works best through fourth and fifth gear corners, and there are not many of those in Hungary. But, equally, we thought the same before racing at the Nürburgring last time out and achieved two top-10s there. Something similar would be great.

Giacomo Piccini, #11 Kessel Racing Ferrari 488 GT3: “You never know what can happen in motor racing so we are definitely aiming to wrap up the Pro-Am drivers’ title in Hungary. It will be much easier if it is in our back pocket heading to Barcelona. I expect the Ferrari to be competitive, as it has been throughout the year, and we will be aiming to win. Both Michal and I love the car and team, which is probably why we have been so consistent and fast this season. Plus the Hungaroring is one of my favourite circuits; it is twisty and technical, but also very tough to overtake around. Qualifying is therefore really important as ideally we would like a few cars between ourselves and our class rivals.

_____

Provisional Entry List

 ____ 

Provisional event timetable

Friday 26 August
10:00 - 10:40: Free Practice 1 (Bronze & Silver drivers only)
10:40 - 11:20: Free Practice 1
14:40 - 16:00: Free Practice 2

Saturday 27 August
11:45 - 12:00: Qualifying 1
12:07 - 12:22: Qualifying 2
12:30 - 12:40: Qualifying 3
17:15 - 18:15: Qualifying Race

Sunday 28 August
09:20 – 09:40 : Warm up 
12:30 - 13:30: Main Race

_____

Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup info
• 2x free practice sessions
• 1x 55min qualifying session divided into three segments. Pole in each class receives one point
• 1x 60min qualifying race. Top-six finishers in each class receive 8, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1 points
• 1x 60min main race. Grid decided by qualifying race finishing positions. Top-10 finishers in each class receive 25, 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1 points
• Driver and tyre changes must take place between 25 and 35 minutes in both races
• The Hungaroring is the fourth of five Sprint Cup rounds and eighth of 10 Blancpain GT Series events being staged in 2016

              > BLANCPAIN GT SERIES HOME     |     > CALENDAR   &nbsp|     > CONTACT

 
 
 

Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup title race hotting up in Hungary

A bumper grid of 72 drivers and 36 GT3 cars comprising eight different manufacturers takes to the Hungaroring next weekend (August 26-28) for the penultimate round of 2016’s Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup.

The championship’s one-hour Qualifying and Main Races, staged at Hungary’s 14-turn, 4.381km Formula 1 venue for the first time, could be crucial to deciding not only who scoops the various drivers’ and teams’ Sprint Cup titles but also the overall Blancpain GT Series crown, which tallies the results of all 10 Sprint and Endurance Cup meetings.

Last month’s Total 24 Hours of Spa, the Blancpain GT Series’ blue riband event, did not count towards the Sprint Cup points. However, it most certainly gave its winners a timely confidence boost heading into the summer break.

Alexander Sims and Philipp Eng had only scored one podium finish this year before triumphing in the Ardennes, but they will be hoping that victory acts as a springboard this weekend when the Rowe Racing BMW pair look to improve on their current seventh place in the Sprint Cup standings.

The men they and everyone else are chasing remain Rob Bell and Alvaro Parente whose consistency and victory at the previous Sprint Cup round in Germany aboard the Garage 59 McLaren 650S helped them to establish a slender three-point lead over WRT Audi duo Christopher Mies and Enzo Ide.

Bell will also have one eye on the overall Blancpain GT Series standings this weekend; the Briton currently enjoys a comfortable 35-point advantage over nearest rivals Maxi Buhk and Dominik Baumann. However, a good result for the HTP Motorsport Mercedes-AMG crew at the Hungaroring would also help them cut their 22-point deficit to Bell in the Sprint Cup title race.

Elsewhere, Michal Broniszewski and Giacomo Piccini’s five class wins from six starts has helped the Kessel Racing pair to establish a 26-point lead over Morgan Moullin Traffort and Jean-Luc Beaubelique in the Sprint Cup’s Pro-Am category. But with a maximum of 34 on offer this weekend - one for pole, eight for winning the Qualifying Race and another 25 for the Main Race - the chasing AKKA ASP crew remains very much in contention.

Things are a little more clear cut in the Am Cup where Claudio Sdanewitsch and Stéphane Lemeret can wrap up the Sprint Cup class title this weekend thanks to their 53-point lead over Christian Hook and Steve Parrow.

This weekend’s 36-strong entry features several changes to that of July’s Sprint Cup round in Germany. Stephen Earle and David Perel make their first short-format appearance of the season in their Am Cup-entered Kessel Racing Ferrari 488, while last season’s Blancpain Endurance Series championship-winning #23 Nissan GT-R will be driven by Lucas Ordonez and Mitsunori Takaboshi.

 

Drivers Quotes

Alexander Sims, #99 Rowe Racing BMW M6 GT3: “It was very satisfying to win such a big race like Spa, especially as we did not expect it. But it has not changed BMW’s approach for the rest of the season, either. Honestly, we are taking every race as it comes and just trying to score solid points as and when the car and track allows. I am not sure the M6 will be particularly well suited to the Hungaroring given that it works best through fourth and fifth gear corners, and there are not many of those in Hungary. But, equally, we thought the same before racing at the Nürburgring last time out and achieved two top-10s there. Something similar would be great.

Giacomo Piccini, #11 Kessel Racing Ferrari 488 GT3: “You never know what can happen in motor racing so we are definitely aiming to wrap up the Pro-Am drivers’ title in Hungary. It will be much easier if it is in our back pocket heading to Barcelona. I expect the Ferrari to be competitive, as it has been throughout the year, and we will be aiming to win. Both Michal and I love the car and team, which is probably why we have been so consistent and fast this season. Plus the Hungaroring is one of my favourite circuits; it is twisty and technical, but also very tough to overtake around. Qualifying is therefore really important as ideally we would like a few cars between ourselves and our class rivals.

_____

Provisional Entry List

 ____ 

Provisional event timetable

Friday 26 August
10:00 - 10:40: Free Practice 1 (Bronze & Silver drivers only)
10:40 - 11:20: Free Practice 1
14:40 - 16:00: Free Practice 2

Saturday 27 August
11:45 - 12:00: Qualifying 1
12:07 - 12:22: Qualifying 2
12:30 - 12:40: Qualifying 3
17:15 - 18:15: Qualifying Race

Sunday 28 August
09:20 – 09:40 : Warm up 
12:30 - 13:30: Main Race

_____

Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup info
• 2x free practice sessions
• 1x 55min qualifying session divided into three segments. Pole in each class receives one point
• 1x 60min qualifying race. Top-six finishers in each class receive 8, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1 points
• 1x 60min main race. Grid decided by qualifying race finishing positions. Top-10 finishers in each class receive 25, 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1 points
• Driver and tyre changes must take place between 25 and 35 minutes in both races
• The Hungaroring is the fourth of five Sprint Cup rounds and eighth of 10 Blancpain GT Series events being staged in 2016

BMW wins eventful Total 24 Hours of Spa after epic finish

BMW wins eventful Total 24 Hours of Spa after epic finish

01/08/2016, International, Motorsport - Road Racing, Blancpain GT Series (Motorsport), Article # 18823234
 
TOTAL 24 HOURS OF SPA HOME    |    > CALENDAR    |    > CONTACT
 
 

Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup - Total 24 Hours of Spa

BMW wins eventful Total 24 Hours of Spa after epic finish

For the second year running, it was a BMW that won the highlight of the Blancpain GT Series, the Total 24 Hours of Spa. The #99 Rowe Racing BMW of Maxime Martin, Alexander Sims and Philipp Eng ran a faultless race, even resisting a sudden downpour 30 minutes from the end to take their most prestigious win of the year. The adverse weather conditions did influence the other podium positions, though: the #8 Bentley Team M-Sport Continental which ran second for much of the second half of the race, dropped to fourth in the end. A late Full Course Yellow pit stop gave the #88 AMG-Team AKKA ASP Mercedes-AMG the necessary boost to claim the runner-up spot, finishing five seconds ahead of the #28 Audi Sport Team WRT R8. It also secured victory for Mercedes-AMG in the Intercontinental GT Challenge. Pro-Am Cup honours were taken by the #76 IMSA Performance Porsche which ran a faultless race, while the #888 Kessel Racing Ferrari won the battle of the Prancing Horses in the Am Cup. In the National Group there was no stopping the #911 RMS Porsche and Audi won the Coupe du Roi for a third consecutive time.

It wasn’t long before it was clear that the 69th running of the Total 24 Hours of Spa was going to be an unpredictable, yet extremely hard-fought endurance race. During the first safety car intervention, following a two-car crash on the Kemmel Straight, several teams spread their tactics over different cars which prompted a flurry of lead changes. No fewer than seven different brands led the race at one point or another.

At the first points scoring opportunity after six hours the #99 Rowe Racing BMW lead from the #6 and #1 Audis, but the competition was not far behind. However, there was no #28 Audi Sport Team WRT R8 among them, for there had been contact between that car’s driver René Rast and the #114 Emil Frey Jaguar of Jonathan Hirschi. The Audi squad needed three laps to repair the damage to the #28 car, which recovered during the second half of the race to take third.

During the night hours the two Continental GT3s of the Bentley Team M-Sport came to the front, occupying first and third spots halfway through the race and giving them important points for the championship. In second was the #6 Audi Sport Team Phoenix R8 ahead of the #99 Rowe Racing BMW in fourth, which was still on the lead lap.

With the #7 Bentley Team M-Sport Continental GT3s losing considerable time due to power steering problems, three of those four cars continued to challenge each other for the lead throughout the morning hours. That three-way fight became a duel when the #6 Audi Sport Team Phoenix R8 went up in flames. Flailing rubber from a right rear puncture cut the oil lines of the Audi and triggered a fireball, but driver Christopher Mies escaped unharmed.

With intermittent rain hitting the Ardennes track during the closing stages of the race, the drivers of the remaining #8 Bentley and #99 BMW struggled adapting to the ever-changing conditions. Because the Bentley had to serve several drive-through penalties throughout the race, it was expected to be half a minute short at the end. The late race downpour changed the leaderboard even more, with the Bentley switching to rain tyres under green. At the same time several cars aquaplaned off at the Bus Stop chicane, instigating a Full Course Yellow-situation. The cars in third, fourth and fifth all pitted during that period, which brought them out ahead of the Bentley. It appeared the #86 AMG-Team HTP Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 would inherit a podium position, but in the final minutes it was deemed the car had been released from its pit box in an unsafe manner and driver Maxi Götz was handed a drive-through penalty that demoted him to fifth. Felix Rosenqvist in the #88 AMG-Team AKKA ASP Mercedes-AMG GT3 climbed to second, and although Laurens Vanthoor in the #28 Audi Sport Team WRT R8 did his utmost to pass the Swede, the Audi-driver had to settle for third.

At the front there were no real worries for Alexander Sims in the new BMW M6 GT3, who took the win under the cheers of the Rowe Racing team and his co-drivers Philipp Eng and Maxime Martin. For Martin it was a very emotional win, for with this victory he follows in the footsteps of his father (and four times Spa-winner) Jean-Michel Martin.

Pro-Am Cup: IMSA Performance Porsche reap the rewards

In Pro-Am Cup the opening hours were just as exciting as the fight for the overall lead. There were plenty of lead changes, but at the six-hour mark the full points went in the direction of the #44 Oman Racing Team Aston Martin. The second and third Pro-Am cars, the #100 Attempto Racing Lamborghini and the #89 AKKA-ASP Mercedes-AMG GT3, finished less than fifteen seconds behind. During the night hours the drivers of the #74 ISR Audi set some impressive stints, ultimately taking the lead in the category and even entering the top-10 overall at the halfway mark. They lost their advantage on Sunday morning, however, as the #76 IMSA Performance Porsche’s more efficient pit strategy made for an impressive climb up the order that would turn into a one lap victory margin. It was the first win for French quartet Patrick Pilet, Maxime Jousse, Raymond Narac and Thierry Cornac since they started their Blancpain GT Series campaign at the beginning of the 2016 season. Porsche factory driver Pilet adds this Pro-Am Cup win to his two runner-up spots overall in 2010 and 2013, one of which he shared with Narac.

The #74 ISR Audi struggled to hold on to second for a while, but during the final hours they kept their nearest competitor, the #666 Barwell Motorsport Lamborghini Huracan GT3, at bay. For the Barwell team it was the third consecutive time they finished on the Pro-Am Cup podium in the Total 24 Hours of Spa.
Pro-Am Cup overall standings leader Michal Broniszewski had a difficult race to say the least - he was hit by another car at La Source hairpin among others - but by scoring points after six and twelve hours and taking fifth at the finish he retains his comfortable lead in the standings.

Am Cup: Reliability decides the outcome

In the Am Cup the #49 Kaspersky Motorsport Ferrari looked set to dominate the race. At the six-hour mark the white and green 458 GT3 had a clear lead before mechanical gremlins struck. After having led the class for 200 laps, the car had to be retired. That cleared the stage for an epic fight between the #888 Kessel Racing Ferrari and the #52 AF Corse Ferrari, a duel that was decided when Rino Mastronardi in the latter was hit by another car some three hours from the end. Liam Talbot, Marco Zanuttini, Vadim Gitlin and Nicola Cadei were able to evade such drama in the Kessel car, and were rewarded with the category’s most prestigious victory of the year. Together with their win at the Paul Ricard Blancpain 1000km, the trio have an almost unassailable lead in the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup Am standings.

Coupe du Roi: Audi takes it again

For the third consecutive time Audi was awarded the Coupe du Roi. The prestigious trophy is awarded to the manufacturer that performs best in the overall, Pro-Am and Am categories. With three, two and one car scoring points in each of the respective categories, Audi ended up with 109 points, seeing off Ferrari (92) and Lamborghini (74).

National Group: RMS dominates from the start

The experienced driver quartet of the #911 RMS Porsche 991 GT3 Cup - Fabrice Notari, Jean-Marc Bachelier, Yannick Mallegol and Howard Blank - had little trouble in dominating their class. They quickly managed to get a couple of laps advantage over their competitors, and even though they suffered a puncture, their lead never came under pressure.

Intercontinental GT Challenge: Mercedes-AMG takes championship lead

By finishing first (#88 AMG-Team AKKA ASP) and fourth (#86 AMG-Team HTP Motorsport) of the cars entered in the Intercontinental GT Challenge, Mercedes-AMG took the manufacturers' championship lead. In the drivers' standings Laurens Vanthoor added second place points to his third place finish at the Liqui Moly Bathurst 12 Hour, meaning the Belgian is now on top of the drivers' standings. That means that the inaugural season of the Intercontinental GT Challenge will go down to the wire in the Sepang 12 Hours.

First place in the Am Cup went to Thierry Cornac in the #76 IMSA Performance Porsche, who beat Henry Hassid and Philippe Giauque in the #74 ISR Audi.

 

Drivers quotes

Maxime Martin (#99 Rowe Racing BMW M6 GT3): “It is difficult to describe. This is the seventh victory for my family at the 24 Hours of Spa and it feels amazing. I have tried to win this race a few times before and come quite close in the last few years but today was our day, or at least our weekend. It was the perfect weekend with no mistakes and no regulation breaches. For me it is quite an emotional victory; it is just amazing.”

Felix Rosenqvist (#88 AMG-Team AKKA ASP Mercedes-AMG): “We had a smooth race at the beginning and seemed to make the right decisions during Full Course Yellow periods and when the weather changed. But then our luck turned and we dropped down from P3 to P5 or six. I thought more or less the podium chance was over after that. So I jumped in the car for the last two hours and treated it like a sprint race, pushing every lap like a qualifier to see where we ended up. Luckily all that craziness happened in the end, and I was also a bit lucky during my excursion at the Bus Stop in the rain.

Rene Rast (#28 WRT Audi R8 LMS GT3): “After the Safety Car period I was pretty much at the end of the queue. Then, on the second lap after the green flag, I was actually braking for Turn 12 when I was hit on the rear-left by a Jaguar. I do not know what it destroyed but we got a puncture and also had to make some repairs to the car that lasted six or seven minutes. That was the point our race turned.

Patrick Pilet (#76 IMSA Performance Porsche 911 GT3 R): “I rate this victory very highly because, honesty, when we arrived here we did not expect to be that quick and consistent. Overall we were not the quickest on track this year but also made no mistakes. The car only ever needed fuel and tyres at the stops, while my team-mates also did a great job, especially Max [Jousse] who was competing in his first 24-hour race. Thierry [Cornac] and Raymond [Narac] have more experience but they also drove very well.

Liam Talbot (#888 Kessel Racing Ferrari 458 Italia GT3): “It is a long race and you never know what will happen so cannot afford to get ahead of yourself. We were happy for the race to come to us and it did when the Kaspersky Ferrari retired.

Howard Blank (#911 RMS Porsche 911 GT3 Cup): “Racing against faster cars is something we are used to from competing against prototypes and alike, so we had an idea of how to be careful. Sometimes it would be nice if the GT3s were a little less aggressive but I think we did reasonably well against them.”
 

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Click here for the provisional results Main Race

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Next race: Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup - Budapest - Hungaroring - 26-28 August

This image supplied by local resident Quentin Deweert.

SRO Motorsports Group shapes the future of GT racing

SRO Motorsports Group shapes the future of GT racing

30/07/2016, International, Motorsport - Road Racing, Blancpain GT Series (Motorsport), Article # 18800177
 
 
 
 
 
 
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SRO Motorsports Group shapes the future of GT racing

At his annual press conference during the Total 24 Hours of Spa, Founder and CEO Stephane Ratel unveiled the plans of the SRO Motorsports Group for the near future. The existing SRO Series will all continue with some minor tweaks, but several new series will be added to the existing portfolio.

Due to the ever growing success of the Blancpain GT Series, the biggest championship for GT3 cars on the motorsport planet, Stephane Ratel was happy to announce that not only had the number of entries increased in 2016, but that there had also been significant growth in the world-wide fan base. The successful formula of ten races - five in the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup and five in the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup - will continue in 2017, with only minor changes to the existing calendar. Zandvoort will make a welcome return, the Nürburgring round in September becomes a sprint event and the season finale in Barcelona will be a three-hour race next year.

The highlight of the 2017 Blancpain GT Series season will of course be the Total 24 Hours of Spa, which celebrates its 70th edition next year. The endurance classic is also included in the second season of the Intercontinental GT Challenge, the premium global championship for GT cars. Together with the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour, the Total 24 Hours of Spa and the Sepang 12 Hours, there will also be fourth round added to the calendar in 2017. Laguna Seca will have the honour of hosting the first Intercontinental GT Challenge round in the United States, during the month of October.

Speaking of America, ever since the SRO Motorsports Group acquired a shareholding in WC Vision, there have been significant efforts from the management and the partners to improve and streamline the Pirelli World Challenge. To reduce costs and bring the series more in line with SRO’s other GT series, the revised 2017 calendar will have ten rounds. Similar to the format of the Blancpain GT Series, those ten rounds will be split up in five Sprint events for one driver - all as a privileged partner of IndyCar - and five SprintX events, in which two drivers will share the same car. That means that drivers can aim for a title by competing in either Sprint or SprintX, but can also have a go at the overall title by competing in all ten rounds.

With the success of the Blancpain GT Series and the Pirelli World Challenge it was only logical that the SRO Motorsports Group should launch a top-notch Asian GT championship. The newly created Blancpain GT Series Asia will have six rounds in 2017, with a season finale during the Sepang 12 Hours. Competitors in the Blancpain GT Series Asia will take part in the first two hours of the race as the final round of their championship. It is SRO's ambition to bring to Asia what has made the success of the Blancpain GT Series in Europe: a globally acclaimed Balance of Performance, high level TV production and media coverage, a strong support programme, dedicated timing services, significant prize money and high level team and driver hospitality and catering services.

All these global initiatives do not change the fact that the SRO Motorsports Group keeps a mindful watch on GT racing in Europe, effectively the roots of the company. As ever, the British GT Championship has produced some spectacular racing this season and will certainly do so next year as well. The interesting mix of GT3 and GT4 cars in races of varying formats has proven to be a successful formula, in part due to the ever-growing interest in the GT4 category.

That interest is now growing in other European countries as well, especially since more and more manufacturers are now proposing specific GT4 machinery in their catalogues. The introduction of a new BMW M4 GT4 earlier this week serves as a good example. That is why the SRO Motorsports Group will introduce a second GT4 Cup next year. The existing Competition 102 GT4 European Series will be transformed into the GT4 Northern Cup, with an almost unchanged calendar. In addition, there will be a new GT4 Southern Cup, which will also carry the prestigious name of 'Championnat de France FFSA GT', after reaching an agreement with the French Motorsports Federation FFSA. This series will include six events, five in France and one in Barcelona. Both GT4 Cups will avoid clashes with the Blancpain GT Series, except for the weekends when they are part of the same meeting.

Those meetings will also include several rounds of the Blancpain Sports Club, which includes the Blancpain GT Sports Club for Bronze drivers and the Blancpain Ultracar Sports Club for exclusive hypercars. The latter gets a new sibling in 2017, in the form of the GT1 Sports Club, which will showcase some of the iconic GT1 machinery that graced the SRO events during the early years of this century.

Curbstone Track Events, SRO Motorsports Group’s partner for ultimate track driving opportunities for both supercar and race car owners, will increase its number of track days in 2017. Spa-Francorchamps will have 15 event dates, Le Castellet four and Brands Hatch and Nürburgring will be added to the calendar. In cooperation with the SRO Race Centre by MMC at Le Castellet, Curbstone Azur will continue its activities in the South of France.


Stephane Ratel (Founder and CEO SRO Motorsports Group): "I am delighted to confirm that all the series organised by the SRO Motorsports Group show a clean bill of health. Not only teams and drivers want to be part of modern GT racing, but an ever increasing number of race fans thoroughly appreciate the spectacle that is on offer. As the SRO Motorsports Group, we will do our utmost best to provide them with the best GT racing in the world for years to come."

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Click here for the 2017 calendars

Mercedes-AMG takes pole for 2016 Total 24 Hours of Spa

Mercedes-AMG takes pole for 2016 Total 24 Hours of Spa

30/07/2016, International, Motorsport - Road Racing, Blancpain GT Series (Motorsport), Article # 18800149
 
 
 
TOTAL 24 HOURS OF SPA HOME    |    > CALENDAR    |    > CONTACT
 
 

Mercedes-AMG takes pole for 2016 Total 24 Hours of Spa

Clemens Schmid, at the wheel of the #85 HTP Motorsport Mercedes-AMG, has claimed pole position for the 2016 Total 24 Hours of Spa, the highlight of the Blancpain GT Series and Intercontinental GT Challenge. The Austrian beat his Mercedes-AMG colleague Felix Rosenqvist (#88 AMG-Team AKKA ASP Mercedes-AMG) by a mere 0.009 of a second. Fastest time in the Pro-Am Cup went to another Mercedes-AMG, the #56 Black Falcon car driven by Dani Juncadella.

 

Sunny conditions greeted the 20 fastest drivers participating in the Superpole session of the 2016 edition of the Total 24 Hours of Spa. With those 20 cars only separated by eight tenths of a second after Thursday's qualifying session, the Superpole was expected to be an exciting affair.

By lapping in 2m18.223s Maro Engel in the #.00 AMG-Team Black Falcon Mercedes-AMG was the first to beat the quickest time of Thursday evening. But that was not enough to claim pole position, for Clemens Schmid beat last year's pole time at the wheel of the #85 HTP Motorsport Mercedes-AMG thanks to his 2m18.025s. And, almost immediately after, Felix Rosenqvist - a Spa 24 rookie - lapped within 0.009s of the Austrian's time.

Dani Juncadella (#56 Black Falcon Mercedes-AMG), Maxi Götz (#86 AMG-Team HTP Motorsport Mercedes-AMG) and Shane Van Gisbergen (#58 Garage 59 McLaren) were the last three drivers on track, trying to get the best starting position for the Belgian endurance classic.

The Spanish Black Falcon driver was about to set a quick lap time, but was then distracted by a car on its slowing down lap and Juncadella missed his braking point in the final chicane. Than bad luck struck the fastest man of Thursday's qualifying, Shane Van Gisbergen. The McLaren driver slowed down on track, causing a yellow flag situation. That impacted most on Maxi Götz whose final flying lap - which would have been fast enough of pole - was subsequently cancelled as a result of the caution. He therefore completes a top-six solely comprising Mercedes-AMG machines.

With other cars under investigation, the official grid for the 2016 Total 24 Hours of Spa will be published on Saturdaymorning.

Clemens Schmid (#85 HTP Motorsport Mercedes-AMG): “I out-braked myself at the Bus Stop on lap one, which was a wake-up call for the second lap! I made a small mistake through Pouhon but was really happy with the rest. However, it is a long race; we still have 24 hours to go.”

Felix Rosenqvist (#88 AMG-Team AKKA ASP Mercedes-AMG): “I think a qualifying format like the Superpole shootout is my kind of thing and really fun. It was a dream come true, actually! My run was a bit similar to Clemens’ in that I tried to set my fastest on the first lap so worked the tyres very hard during the out-lap. However, I made a big mistake at the chicane and had to go again. It is great for my team to be pushing at the front in their first year.

Dani Juncadella (#56 Black Falcon Mercedes-AMG): “You do not expect to find a car at the last corner during a Superpole session. I was not blocked but when you are on a fast lap and flat-out something like that makes a difference and I out-braked myself. It looked like a really good lap because I had the reference from yesterday. Anyway, pole position probably was not possible today. Maybe a bit higher on the grid would have been good but starting in the top-10 is nice, and obviously first in class was the objective.

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