NEWS
EUROPEAN LAMBORGHINI SUPER TROFEO - LE MANS RACE REPORT:
MICHELOTTO CLAIMS LE MANS VICTORY FOR VSR
Jun 15, 2024
European Lamborghini Super Trofeo, Round 3 – Le Mans, France
VSR and Michelotto victorious at Le Mans as Frassineti-Zanon and Randazzo-Tribaudini take class podiums
The European Lamborghini Super Trofeo Championship reached the halfway point of the 2024 season with, what turned out to be in the end, a single race at the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans weekend. There was only one change to the VSR line-up with Mattia Michelotto racing alone in the number 6 Pro car.
Two red flags in the sole free practice session meant many drivers headed straight into qualifying without having completed a full-speed lap of the fourteen kilometer long circuit. Qualifying for race one saw Michelotto set the third fastest time, Frassineti qualify second in Pro-Am and Randazzo tenth in Am after losing his two best laps to track limits infringements.
A clean start saw Michelotto hold off a challenge from Lefterov and remain third as the field streamed into the Dunlop curves for the first time. On lap two Randazzo passed Freymuth for ninth in class and Frassineti got involved in a lively battle with Pavlovic. By the time the pit window opened at the end of lap four Michelotto was the fastest on track and gaining on Bonduel and Balthasar. Randazzo pitted first and handed the 66 to Tribaudini. Michelotto stopped a lap later, discounting an additional three seconds for driving alone. He was followed in by Frassineti who passed the 16 car to Zanon. On lap six a puncture eliminated Bonduel and as Michelotto was preparing to pass Riegel for the lead of the race a tyre failure forced the Leipert driver to retire too. A slow zone allowed Orudzhiev to close up to Michelotto and briefly take the lead before the VSR driver re-passed him and pulled away. Michelotto took the chequered flag a handful of seconds ahead of the rest of the field. Zanon came home eighth overall and second in Pro-Am and a joyful day for the VSR crews was completed by second in Am for Randazzo and Tribaudini, the latter passing Han on the final lap.
The grid for Saturday’s race was set in the second qualifying session. Michelotto set the second fastest lap, Zanon took the Pro-Am pole and Tribaudini the Am pole but an organisational decision cancelled the race.
The Super Trofeo drivers return to the track in just over a month when round four will be held at the Nurburgring Grand Prix track.
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