Tommaso Lovati and Davide Larini took their maiden win in the GT Cup Europe in Race 1 this afternoon in Barcelona. The young Italians put a perfect performance in their first outing with a Porsche, having joined Burgers Motorsport HWM after the demise of their previous team. Adaptation to the new car and environment proved quick.
By finishing second, Ludovico Longoni and Pietro Armanni, in the ZRS Motorsport Porsche, made an excellent operation in their title bid, as they reduced to 11 the point gap with Ian Rodriguez-Luca Franca (FAEMS Team), today 9th owing to the heavy handicap to serve.
Lars Zaenen and Gonçalo Fernandes took another overall podium in the Q1 Trackracing Porsche, while fourth overall was Cosimo Papi in the Ebimotors Porsche, who took his maiden win in Am ahead of Vandierendonck-Brauns (Q1) and Fran Viel Bugliotti (GDL Racing).
Diego Nunes and Peter Ferter, who led part of the race in thE LMR Motorsport Porsche, secured the win in Pro-Am ahead of Davide Scannicchio-Fabio Babini (Tsunami RT) and Stienes Longin-David Saelens (Q1)
THE RACE – Paul Meijer sits on the pole, for the fifth time out of five this season. The Dutchman keeps the advantage at the start, ahead of Franca, who from row 2 has passed Lovati, then Longin, Longoni, Nunes, Papi, Zaenen and Luvisi. At the end of first lap, though, the safety-car is deployed to allow recuing the Lambo of Privitelio which has stopped at first corner.
At the restart, in lap 4, things do not change much and by lap 10, just before of the opening of the driver change, Meijer has an advantage of 8 seconds on Franca and Longin, and 10 on Lovati and Nunes. Follow Longoni, Papi, Zaenen, Luvisi and Bugliotti.
After all pit stops, in lap 15, Ferter is in the lead, five seconds ahead of Larini, van den Hengel and Fernandes, with Saelens, Armanni and Papi right behind, and Martinelli, Brauns and Bugliotti further away. Championship leader Rodriguez is 12th.
Three laps later, Ferter has a 3-second advantage on Larini and Fernandes, while Saelens is passed by Armanni in the lead of the chasing group, which includes Papi, van den Hengel, Brauns, Martinelli, Babini, Bugliotti and Rodriguez.
The final laps are lively and full of action. Larini passes Ferter in lap 20 and takes the lead, while Armanni takes second two laps later, with Papi (first in Am),and Brauns also passing the Brazilian, who retains the win in Pro-Am.