NEWS
SILVER CUP WIN LOST IN FINAL HOUR AT PAUL RICARD
Apr 13, 2025
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GT World Challenge by AWS Endurance Cup, 6 Hours of Paul Ricard - France
Silver Cup win lost in final hour at Paul Ricard
The first round of the GT World Challenge by AWS Endurance Cup ended in disappointment for the VSR crews after they showed significant potential throughout the first weekend of the season.
VSR had two cars running in the fifty-nine car field - a Pro entry for Marco Mapelli, Sandy Mitchell and Franck Perera and a Silver Cup entry for Michele Beretta, Alessio Deledda and Finlay Hutchison. The weekend opened with two hours of Free Practice which saw the number 163 Pro car finish just outside the overall top ten. In the evening Pre-Qualifying session the 60 car topped the Silver Cup class and was tenth quickest overall.
Beretta, Deledda and Hutchison were on top once again in the Silver Cup qualifying, taking the first pole position of the season for their class. The Pro car was seventh fastest overall, hampered by Perera losing the best laps of his tyres after he was hit and spun around by Gazeau’s Mercedes.
A BoP weight increase for the race was unwelcome news as the teams prepared for the start of the six hour race. Mitchell and Hutchison took the green flag, Mitchell maintaining seventh as Hutchison held on to the lead of the Silver Cup class. An early issue for the 59 McLaren promoted both cars one place up the classification as Mitchell tried everything to pass Guven’s Porsche for fifth whilst holding off Muller. Two short Full Course Yellow periods in the second half hour of the race gave the drivers a brief respite and on lap twenty-five Hutchison pitted for Beretta. As other cars pitted Mitchell found himself in clean air and was the quickest man on track until he stopped on lap twenty-eight for fuel and tyres. With all the first stops completed Mitchell found himself down in fourteenth while Beretta still led the Silver Cup class and ran twentieth overall. During his second stint Mitchell passed Krognes, Kell and Sorenson and closed right up to Engstler in ninth. Beretta pitted on lap fifty-five for tyres and fuel after holding onto the class lead from Maloigne’s McLaren who pushed him hard in the final minutes of the stint. Three laps later Mitchell boxed and handed the 163 Lamborghini to Mapelli who on lap eighty-two passed Engstler’s Lamborghini for ninth. Beretta’s rapid pace saw him pull out over ten seconds over the rest of the Silver Class field as the sun set over Le Castellet. At the halfway point of the race he handed the 60 car over to Deledda and Mapelli pitted the 163 but stayed onboard as full dark descended.
After trouble free stints the cars pitted for the penultimate time on the mark of the fourth hour. Deledda stayed in the 60 Lamborghini for a double stint whilst Perera took over the 163 running ninth overall. With half an hour left of his stint Deledda was caught by Clark’s BMW. The VSR driver held him off in a thrilling battle that lasted five laps before the BMW forced its way past to take the class lead. With an hour left to go Perera pitted the 163 for the final time and a lap later Deledda followed him in. The 60 car had a thirty second time penalty to serve for track limits infringements and slipped back to third in class as the final hour began. Up front Perera was battling for tenth with Bortolotti and as they fought King slipped his Aston Martin past them both to take the last place in the overall points. In the Silver class Hutchison spent his stint fending off the attentions of Legeret and Aka, less than a second behind him. With twenty minutes to go Aka found a way past the Lamborghini but was forced to pit with seven minutes left to reset his stint time. On the final lap Legeret pushed Hutchison off the track, forcing him into a spin which left the Scot sixth in class at the chequered flag.
2025 GT World Challenge by AWS Endurance Cup Calendar
Round 1 Paul Ricard, France 6 hours 12-13 April
Round 2 Monza, Italy 3 hours 31 May – 1 June
Round 3 Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium 24 hours 27-28 June
Round 4 Nurburgring, Germany 3 hours 30-31 August
Round 5 Barcelona, Spain 3 hours 11-12 October
END
