GT and GT4 Winter Series: Title fights tighten at Aragon

For the primary GT race of the weekend, SR Motorsport’s Moritz Wiskirchen led the early phases from pole place. Additional again, Konrad Motorsport’s Carrie Schreiner and Juta Racing’s Eimantas Navikauskas collided, damaging the right-rear of Navikauskas’ Audi. Moments later, at Flip 10, the Lithuanian racer spun on his personal, seemingly due to injury together with bodywork rubbing on the tyre.

This meant Jonas Karklys was promoted to second for Staff Engstler, whereas Charles Dawson was now working third for AKM Motorsport, making his GT3 debut within the group’s Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo.

Behind them, a wonderful battle for fourth befell between two GT3 automobiles – Thomas Andersen’s Razoon Porsche and Simon Orange’s JMH McLaren – and a pair of Cup 4 Lamborghinis. After loads of dicing within the early phases, the Tremendous Trofeo-spec Lamborghinis of Shota Abkhazava and Jerzy Spinkiewicz broke away from the GT3 machines, having a terrific tit-for-tat scrap for the category lead.

Finally Spinkiewicz discovered his well beyond and, a few laps later, a late-braking Andersen collided with Abkhazava. The ART-Line driver continued, however the likelihood to mount an extra problem to Spinkiewicz had handed. Andersen needed to retire the 992 GT3 R attributable to suspension injury.

Additional forward, Dawson challenged for second place in the direction of the tip of the race, nevertheless, an error at Flip 1 on the ultimate lap launched Karklys from his clutches.

Wiskirchen crossed the road to win by 9 seconds, scoring a most rating of 20 factors because the group regarded to salvage its general title defence. Karklys completed second forward of Dawson, with Spinkiewicz ending fourth and first inside Cup 4 for UNIQ Racing. The Cup 1-winning Ferrari of Cristiano Maciel completed fifth general, whereas Calle Bergman gained the Cup 2 class for Porsche Cup equipment.

Race 2:

The second race of the weekend was held within the early afternoon of Sunday and, sadly, one automobile wouldn’t make it to the pre-grid. A problem with the right-front brake left Luca Engstler stranded on the sighting lap, and the Engstler Motorsport Lamborghini needed to wait till the pitstop race for extra motion.

This left the stage open for polesitter Simon Birch, who dominated proceedings from lights to flag. He finally gained the race by 22 seconds over Juta Racing’s Jonas Gelzinis, who celebrated his birthday with a go to to the general podium. Cup 4’s victor Spinkiewicz completed third general.

The circuit was slippery after in a single day rain and, whereas the highest three had clear races, the identical couldn’t be stated for others. Ryan James had a second underneath braking for Flip 16, spinning and accumulating Przemyslaw Bienkowski’s PTT Racing’s Porsche 992 GT3 Cup. Each automobiles suffered main injury, however the drivers walked away.

Maciel gained the Cup 1 class as soon as extra, whereas A-Workx Motorsport’s Ahmed Arif Alkhoori topped the Cup 2 class. The Emirati driver was within the midst of his inaugural weekend in racing, which means he had taken class honours in his second-ever motor race.

Race 3:

Clutton and Orange impressively gained the third race

Photograph by: Gedlich Racing

The 55-minute pitstop race was shortened to 50 minutes owing to timetable constraints, and Razoon’s Andersen lined up on pole. The GT3 Professional class Engstler Lamborghini of Karklys began second, and was this time capable of take the beginning.

As the sphere ran in the direction of the primary nook on the opening lap, Maciel misjudged his braking. The Ferrari 296 Problem made contact with Dawson’s AKM Mercedes, damaging each automobiles and ending the race for each events. The protection automobile was deployed to retrieve the Maciel Ferrari.

After the restart, Karklys took the lead, and set about constructing a niche on the entrance.

Because the race neared half-distance, it started to drizzle across the circuit. As tyre modifications can’t be made in the course of the necessary cease, and a tyre swap have to be a part of a two-minute go to to the pits, it was not a simple resolution to maneuver to wets.

Lots of the automobiles on slicks struggled, barring Marcus Clutton, who took over the Orange by JMH McLaren and started lapping faster than anybody else on the dry climate rubber. Quickly, Clutton led the race.

Many, together with the Engstler Motorsport group, elected to pit for wets. Nevertheless, because the race entered its last minutes, the rain had stopped, and the slicks had as soon as once more turn out to be the tyre of alternative. Clutton’s dominant drive allowed he and Simon Orange to safe the victory general, forward of Cup 1 winners Andreas Sorensen and Mikkel Mac. Alessio Ruffini and Milos Pavlovic completed third and took the Cup 4 win, after a powerful last stint from Pavlovic.

GT4 Winter Sequence: Three winners in three races, as Elite extends benefit

GT4 featured three totally different winners however Elite stays in a powerful place

Photograph by: Gedlich Racing

Within the GT4 Winter Sequence, the first objective for Elite Motorsport and general factors chief McKenzy Cresswell was growing the championship benefit.

Within the first race, the other occurred, because the SR Motorsport group claimed the spoils. Enrico Forderer drove an impressive race within the group’s Mercedes-AMG GT4, profitable by only a second over Cresswell. A 32-point deficit between the pair was now down to simply 25.

The general rostrum was rounded out by Baudouin Detout, as Racing Spirit of Leman lastly claimed its first podium of the season with its Aston Martin Vantage AMR Evo.

Joachim Bolting gained the PRO-AM class, because the eccentric German moved up from AM by dint of sharing with Plusline Racing Staff’s Peter Terting. Michael Sander took the win within the Cayman Trophy.

Race 2:

Race two was a markedly totally different race than the primary, thanks in no small half to the heavens opening in a single day above Motorland Aragon. With a shift in situations got here a shift within the pecking order, because the SR Motorsport Mercedes regarded far much less compliant within the arms of Jay Mo Hartling.

The alternative may very well be stated for the W&S Motorsport Cayman of Alon Gabbay, who made quick work of ascending from sixth on the grid to the race lead. Gabbay set about constructing a niche, driving away from all-comers together with second-placed Tom Lebbon within the Elite McLaren Artura.

A late security automobile was triggered to gather the AM class W&S Motorsport entry pushed by Daniel Blickle. This didn’t trigger a problem for Gabbay, who nonetheless secured his first win of the season. Lebbon completed second forward of Härtling, clawing again three factors of the championship lead cushion for Elite.

SVG Motorsport’s Owen Hizzey thrived within the rain as soon as once more to take the PRO-AM win and fourth general. He completed simply forward of Cedric Fuchs, who additionally used the tough situations to his benefit within the Cayman Trophy class.

Race 3:

Cresswell and Lebbon’s lead had been lower after the primary two races, however victory within the enduro boosted their title bid

Photograph by: Gedlich Racing

Elite Motorsport’s Cresswell and Lebbon began from pole for the 60-minute pitstop race. Cresswell carried out the opening stint and, regardless of an early problem from RAFA Racing by Race Lab’s Callum Davies, he quickly stormed away on the entrance.

Forderer, who shared the entrance row with Cresswell, discovered himself as little as sixth on the finish of the primary lap. With the situations nonetheless considerably greasy, and low ambient temperatures, the Mercedes appeared to battle for grip early on. Nevertheless, he quickly started transferring up the order, and handed the automobile over to Hartling in fourth place, behind the Race Lab McLaren of Charlie Hart, and second-placed Detout.

The trio then battled for a lot of the second stint. Shortly after dropping two positions within the struggle, Detout had a spin courtesy of what appeared to be a small concern with the brakes. Nevertheless, he gathered up the automobile and continued, ending fourth.

Hart settled for third after an intense sparring match with Hartling. On the entrance, Cresswell and Lebbon finally held a 15s lead, dominating the third race and lengthening Cresswell’s factors benefit to 35.

Marc Elman and Hizzey secured the PRO-AM victory after Bolting and Terting amassed 45s of track-limit penalties, whereas Luisa Kahler claimed the Cayman Trophy win for herself and Sander. Kahler fought all through the ultimate half of the race with fellow SR Motorsport driver Fuchs.

Barcelona: Titles to be determined as deluxe entries take the beginning

Within the GT Winter Sequence, 4 groups from 4 courses enter the weekend with a major alternative to struggle for the title. On 158 factors, AF Corse’s Maciel and Rui Aguas lead the general standings from the Cup 1 class. With three Cup 4 podium finishes at Motorland, Auto Sport Racing’s Ruffini and Pavlovic are in a powerful second general within the factors on 150.

Defending champion SR Motorsport sits third on 144 factors, and can hope for sturdy GT3 class outcomes for Wiskirchen and Kenneth Heyer at Barcelona. Wileco Motorsport’s Calle Bergman and Manz Thalin, the Cup 2 leaders, are simply two factors adrift in fourth.

Within the GT4 Winter Sequence, solely SR Motorsport can dethrone Elite’s Cresswell within the general title struggle. Forderer and Hartling will want a powerful weekend, and a dip in fortunes for Cresswell and Elite, who’re but to complete off the rostrum this season.

Each GT grids from the GEDLICH Racing Winter Sequence will function deluxe entries this coming weekend at Barcelona. The likes of Schubert Motorsport, PROsport Racing and NM Racing Staff are becoming a member of each grids, and extra main groups from round Europe are seizing the prospect to race on the residence of the Spanish Grand Prix on 8-9 March.