French GT Championship: Title for First Racing!
End of season atmosphere at Magny Cours where the 11
th and 12th races
of the French GT Championship were scheduled. For the First Racing
crew of David Tuchbant / Antonie Leclerc in the #54 Lamborghini
Gallardo GT3 extreme tension was order of the day. The two French
drivers were among the top favourites to take the GT3 Championship.
Acting as wing men were team mates Briche / Dubreuil and three other
Gallardos from Ruffier Racing with Ruffier / Peyroles, Cabanne / Helary
and Miloe / Miloe at the wheel.
While the title candidates carefully and coolly picked their way around the
circuit at Nevers, Briche / Dubreuil and Ruffier / Peyroles turned heads by
posting top times initially in free practice and then also in qualifying. In
first qualifying on Saturday, which determined the starting grid for the
race in the afternoon, Ruffier / Peyroles claimed third position in the GT3
class in their Gallardo. Tuchbant / Leclerc would start the 60 minute race
from sixth position.
The race itself evolved into a hard but clean fight. Bruno Dubreuil and
Julien Briche led the way for the Lamborghini camp. They triumphed over
the powerful Ford GT and Ferrari 430 and won by 2.9 seconds from the
following competition. Tuchbant / Leclerc took fifth position in the race
that ended in darkness and, in doing so, kept the championship battle
alive going into the final race of the season on Sunday. Ruffier / Peyroles
also came home in the points in 8th place.
The result of the twelfth race made a correspondingly impressive
impression on the championship. Arnaud Peyroles and James Ruffier
took a fantastic seventh place overall and finished the 41 lap race ahead
of the technically superior and faster GT2 cars. David Tuchbant / Antonie
Leclerc completed the perfect podium in second place. This podium finish
also gave the First Racing drivers the French GT3 Championship for
themselves and Lamborghini.
The fight for the championship runner-up spot was decided in favour of
Lamborghini drivers over the final metres. Victory on Sunday pushed
Ruffier / Peyroles past the Ferrari of Moreau / Parisy to give them the
runner-up spot! As a result, both customer teams were able to place a car
at the top of the championship standings.
A total of four Lamborghini Gallardo teams were classified in the top-ten
of the championship at the end.
Final standings after 12 races:
1. Tuchbant / Leclerc Lamborghini Gallardo 196 points
2. Ruffier / Peyroles Lamborghini Gallardo 176 points
3. Moreau / Parisy Ferrari 430 170 points
4. Briche / Dubreuil Lamborghini Gallardo 150 points
5. Jakubowski / Campbell Ferrari 430 150 points
6. Morel / Rosier Dodge Viper 126 points
7. Brandela Ferrari 430 80 points
8. Ballay / Scheier Ferrari 430 72 points
9. Lorgere Roux Ferrari 430 62 points
10. Cabanne / Helary Lamborghini Gallardo 48 points