NEWS
ITALIAN GT ENDURANCE - IMOLA RACE REPORT:
PODIUMS KEEP VSR IN OVERALL AND PRO-AM TITLE HUNTS
Sep 08, 2024
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Italian GT Endurance, Round 3 – Imola, Italy
Podiums keep VSR drivers in the hunt for Overall and Pro-Am titles
Imola hosted the penultimate round of the Italian GT Endurance Championship this weekend. The only change in the VSR line-up was Zanon joining the 66 Pro-Am car alongside Michelotto and Stadsbader. In the 19 Pro entry Cazzaniga, Di Folco and Liberati continued and the 63 Pro-Am Lambo was again raced by Guidetti, Moulin and Tribaudini.
Strong showings in Saturday evening’s qualifying session saw the 19 start from pole position with Liberati on board for the first stint. The two Pro-Am cars lined up on row five, having qualified third and fourth in Pro-Am. In the 63 Tribaudini took the start and Michelotto was behind the wheel of the 66. The track was wet and rain was falling at the start of the three hour race which began with three laps behind the Safety Car. Liberati held on to the lead when the track went green and Tribaudini and Michelotto were quick to pass Deledda, Ponzio and Van Berlo to run fifth and sixth by lap eight. At ease in the tricky conditions Liberati had a four second lead before the Safety Car was called out to retrieve Fascicolo from the gravel. Racing resumed just as the first of five pit windows opened and at the restart Tribaudini took fourth and the Pro-Am lead from Ferrari as Michelotto battled with Van Berlo. On lap twelve Tribaudini pitted for Guidetti but a technical problem bought the 63 to a halt on it’s out lap. Three laps later Liberati and Michelotto pitted for Di Folco and Zanon, both cars discounting time penalties from their Mugello success. The cars rejoined the race in third and fifth with Leclerc’s Ferrari between them.
On lap sixteen a four lap Safety Car period closed the field up as the rain worsened. Racing resumed but only for a few corners before a heavy crash on the straight bought out the Red Flag. The race restarted behind the Safety Car after a lengthy delay and the second pit window opened almost immediately. Zanon pitted for Stadsbader and three laps later Di Folco was in for Cazzaniga. The last of their Mugello success penalties discounted the cars rejoined in fifth and sixth places. Another Safety Car, this time for a beached Ferrari, closed the pack up once more just before the Pit Window opened. At the restart Stadsbader passed Cazzaniga but then as the rain worsened was one of the many drivers to fall victim to the suddenly worsening rain. Under Full Course Yellow Cazzaniga pitted for Di Folco and moved up to third and Stadsbader bought the damaged 66 back to the garage for Zanon who rejoined in eighth place, third in Pro-Am.
Just after the race hit the hundred-minute mark the Full Course Yellow was transformed into a Safety Car period which then became the second and final Red Flag.
Third place overall for Cazzaniga, Di Folco and Liberati means they head into the final round with more points than any other car. A class podium for the 66 car leaves Stadsbader second in the Pro-Am standings.
The finale of the Italian GT Endurance Championship will be held at Monza at the end of October.
END
