Andrew Thompson had a strong debut with the Lamborghini Gallardo
GT3 last weekend in Brno. For the first time, the British driver sat behind
the steering wheel of this car, but was able to follow the high pace of the
FIA-GT3 competitiors. In second free practice Thompson and co-driver
Martin Rich were second fastest in the big GT3 field of 38 cars.
Erik Janis took the first pole position for Lamborghini in the 2007
European Championship Season in the first qualifying session, which
decided the starting grid for Saturday’s race. The young Czech driver was
more than 1.4 seconds fasters with his S.Berg Racing Gallardo than the
following cars. In second qualifying it was Andrew Thompson who
demonstrated some brilliant work in the Gallardo cockpit. Being three
tenths of a second faster than the other drivers in his group, he captured
the second pole for Lamborghini this weekend in Brno.
These two teams were also in the top positions in the first race on
Saturday. Erik Janis caught a good start and began to built up a big gap
immediately but he was unfortunately not able to profit from this gap. Due
to a big accident, race control sent out the safety car and Janis got
caught by the field again. His co driver Jaromir Jirik drrove the second
half of the 60 minutes race and finished fourth with the #15 S.Berg
Gallardo in the end. Just two positions behind were Andrew Thompson
and Martin Rich who collected their first points in the Gallardo.
Guest driver, head of the ADAC GT Masters, Christopher Haase, drove
the European Championship races together witch Dutch resident Marius
Ritskes. Under the banner of First Racing, they finished the first race in
14th position.
Result Race 1:
1. Peyrolles / Ruffier Corvette Z06
2. von Gartzen / Piri Corvette Z06
3. Vannelet / Moser Ferrari 430
4. Janis / Jirik Lamborghini Gallardo
5. Skula / Matzke Corvette Z06
6. Rich / Thompson Lamborghini Gallardo
7. Frassineti / Alessi Aston Martin DBRS9
8. Forsten / Soulet Ford GT
Jaromir Jirik and Erik Janis finished the second race on Sunday on the
podium. Jirik drove the first part of the race and made an early stop,
following a different strategy to most of the other competitiors. Janis
made his way back to the top and overtook Vannelet / Moser in their
Ferrari just on the last lap. With this move, the Czech drivers from S.Berg
Racing were third in the final classification. After this result, they now are
fifth in the Championship.
Andrew Thompson also had a strong first half of the race. The British
racing driver got himself accustomed to the Gallardo and improved his
Saturday result in Brno. After sixth position on Saturday, Thomspon and
Rich finished fifth on Sunday. Haase and Ritskes again came home in
14th position.
Result Race 2:
1. Piri / von Gartzen Corvette Z06
2. Ruffier / Peyrolles Corvette Z06
3. Janis / Jirik Lamborghini Gallardo
4. Moser / Vannelet Ferrari 430
5. Thompson / Rich Lamborghini Gallardo
6. Soulet / Forsten Ford GT
7. Ludwig / Berberich-Martini Corvette Z06
8. Matzke / Skula Corvette Z06
International GT Open: Victorious in Brands Hatch
With Ferrari, Aston Martin, Dodge and Marcos, the two Lamborghini
Teams of de Castro / de Baranda and Cioci / Geri had strong competition
at the British meeting of the International GT Open at Brands Hatch.
But Angel de Castro defended the honour of Lamborghini in the first
qualifying and took pole position for the first race with a gap of three
tenths of a second in the GTS class. Marco Cioci in the #61 car was the
best Lambroghini driver in second qualifying with fourth place on the grid.
Marco Cioci and Ferdinando Geri finished the first 35 lap race on the
podium, Angel de Castro / Saind de Baranda came home in fifth position.
The latter pair also set the fastest GTS lap time with a time of 1:30.835
minutes. Ferdinando Geri completed the Gallardo success with the best
class top speed in sectors one and three.
Result Race 1:
1. Petrini / Wiser Aston Martin DBRS9
2. Romanini / Lancieri Aston Martin DBRS9
3. Cioci / Geri Lamborghini Gallardo
4. Marchetti / Romagnoli Dodge Viper
5. de Castro / de Baranda Lamborghini Gallardo
In Warm-Up on Sunday morning, Cicoi and Geri were second fastest in
class and showed again the great potential of the Gallardo. But in the 24
lap race it were their team mates de Castro and de Baranda, who had the
better run. The two Iberian drivers won the second race of the meeting in
front of the Ferrari team Faulkner and Petrobelli with a gap of 2.8
seconds. Cioci / Geri again had the best race lap and crossed the finish
line in fifth position.
Result Race 2:
1. de Castro / de Baranda Lamborghini Gallardo
2. Faulkner / Petrobelli Ferrari 430
3. Romangnoli / Marchetti Dodge Viper
4. Wiser / Petrini Aston Martin DBRS9
5. Cioci / Geri Lamborghini Gallardo
French GT: Further success for First Racing
After a short break, First Racing continued their efforts in the French GT
Championship. Bruno Dubreuil and Ulric Amadu drove the #70 Gallardo
at the 65th Grand Prix of Albi and finished in sixth position in the first race
in front of GT3 competitiors with Ferrari, Dodge and Porsche cars.
Unfortunately their team mates David Tuchbant and Antoine Leclerc had
to retire after only 10 laps.
On Sunday, Dubreuil and Amadu had their big moment. They not only
finished in 11th position overall within the field of fast GT1 and GT2 cars,
but they also won the GT3 class.
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