FIA GT3, Zandvoort - Race 2 Report

Christopher Haase started from pole position in the final round of the 2011 season and the 2009 champion showed why at the start. Keeping his line the German was the first to round the Tarzan corner and it quickly became apparent that the #33 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT Audi R8 LMS would be hard to beat. After three laps Haase was already three seconds ahead of three Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3.

Maxime Martin was the first to drop out of the title fight, the #9 Team LMP Motorsport Aston returning to the pit after the first lap. Radiator damage after contact meant Martin was unable to continue and the car was retired. A sad end for its long career in the FIA GT3 European Championship.

After six laps Maxime Soulet also returned to the pit. The #1 Prospeed Competition Porsche, yesterday’s winner, was abandoned with gear box problems. At the front Haase was unable to get any further and the gap remained around 3-4 seconds.

Far behind the race leader Al Faisal, Lunardi and Geddie battled for 21st position. The AF Corse Ferrari was slower than the BMW and Audi, but as the group came out of the Tarzan corner Al Faisal and Lunardi hit each other - allowing the #32 Audi of Greg Franchi to pass them. The next car to hit trouble another car that was on yesterday’s podium, the #38 Scuderia Vittoria Ferrari. After running wide the car returned to the pit where it was retired with a broken splitter.

As soon as the pit window opened Castellacci came in to hand over the #50 Ferrari to Federico Leo. Haase, Rosina and Jäger pitted - whilst the number #12 Mercedes of Stovicek spun into the gravel twice. The #32 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT came in as well - with a smoking left rear wheel requiring some extra attention.

As the pit window closed Hoevert Vos and Christiaan Frankenhout had taken over the #35 BMW and #45 Mercedes. The two Dutchmen went side-by-side, exchanging paint into Tarzan. Frankenhout was unable to pass though and only managed to move up a position into the "S".

After the pit stops Enzo Ide was 7 seconds ahead of the #3 Mercedes and almost 17 seconds ahead of Kolen and Machitski. Further down the field Csaba Walter nearly lost control of his BMW trying to pass Hirschi into turn 1. The move was rewarded though and the #7 gained a position.

Machitski went off the road and dropped out of the top 10, allowing Federico Leo to gain another position. Leo had already passed Kolen and Giauque and by lap 26 he was already in fourth place and on his way to the championship. Just ahead of him Dominik Baumann was behind Gregoire Demoustier, trying to find a place to take second. With the Faster Racing by DB Motorsport BMW’s dropping down the field and only one AF Corse cars in the points the HEICO Motorsport cars were on its way to clinch the Teams’ Championship.

On lap 30 Baumann took second position, as Kolen dropped behind the Need for Speed Team Schubert BMW of Csaba Walter and the Fischer Racing Ford GT of Markus Palttala.

Onto the last lap the gap between Enzo Ide and Dominik Baumann was still 7.334 seconds and Ide cruised to victory. Baumann finished in second place, with Demoustier crossing the line in third place and Federico Leo taking fourth place - enough to secure the championship. HEICO Motorsport Mercedes clinched the Teams’ Championship after the #45 Mercedes took sixth place and the Faster Racing and Schubert BMWs only finished eighth and tenth.

18,000 spectators attended the FIA GT3 European Championship weekend at Zandvoort and word around the paddock is that the series will return here again in 2012. But more news on that when the FIA announces the (provisional) 2012 racing calendars.

MtC