FFSA GT, Dijon – Race 1 Report

Qualifying
Three in a row for Narac: in spite of extra ballast and smaller restrictors, Raymond Narac claimed his third pole position of the season.

As usual, we had to wait for a few laps before seeing some significant lap times. Lesoudier's #10 Viper was initially quickest, ahead of Police (#16 PSI C5-R) and Jean-Marc Thévenot (#7 Protek Saleen) who was standing in for François Fiat, alongside Dominique Dupuy. So, the second part of the session was going to be decisive to set the final grid for race 1. Narac (#1 Oreca Saleen) set a 1'16''531 but Hernandez (#1 Oreca Saleen) improved on Narac's lap time immediately. The two drivers then exchanged positions, Hernandez being first quickest with 1'15''906, ahead of Bornhauser (#3 Larbre Aston Martin). But In the late stages, Raymond Narac claimed the pole position with a lap time of 1'15''727. In the final lap of the session, Cazenave (#5 SRT Corvette) improved and was second quickest and on the front row alongside Narac. Hernandez was third, Bornhauser fourth, Debard (#4 Tarrès Saleen) fifth and then came Lebon (#17 PSI C6.R), Lesoudier, Balthazard (#8 Luc Alphand C5-R), Police (#16 PSI C2-R) and Thévenot.

Raymond Narac: "The latest decisions which had slowed us down, with our restrictor size changes, made me even more determined than usual. I really wanted to claim the pole position, so I did my best. I'll not be able to keep this pace during the race. So, I am very happy with this third pole in a row. For the race, it will be difficult, above all at the start. Cazenave, with an engne which breathes better than mine, should pass me. However, I won't give up. In the race, we'll have to save the car, the decision will depend on that, on a track which is very demanding for the tyres."

In the GT2 Trophy, Michel Lecourt (IMSA MATMUT Porsche 997) was again quickest though he had a spin. He was ahead of the Estoril Porsche 996 driven by Claude Monteiro and Emmanuel Orgeval (Toyota Biturbo).

In the GT3 Championship, the Sport Garage Ferrari 430s claimed the first three spots on the grid, Michael Petit (above) ahead of Snobeck and Merafina.

Race 1

As Raymond Narac had predicted, Cazenave was the best starter. The #5 SRT Corvette grabbed first ahead of Narac and Bornhauser (#3 Larbre Aston Martin) who had passed Hernandez for third place. Debard (#4 Tarrès Saleen) was in fifth place, ahead of Lebon (#17 PSI Corvette C6.R), Balthazard (#8 LAA Corvette C5-R) and Lesoudier (#10 Red Racing Viper).

Very soon, Cazenave and Narac (above) opened a large gap on their pursuers. Bornhauser was a lonely third, while Hernandez, Debard, Lebon, Balthazard and Police (#16 PSI C5-R) were fighting hard. Police was pushing really hard and passed his opponents one by one. In the traffic, Cazenave tried to escape but as soon as the track was clear, Narac was very close and put the pressure on the SRT Corvette. On the 13th lap, Narac succeeded in passing but Cazenave could stay close behind. They had a 12 second lead on Bornhauser, while Police was still moving up the field: he passed Lebon, Balthazard then Debard. Bornhauser had a puncture (front right) and had to pit (Makowiecki in). Most of the drivers then pitted, while Cazenave stayed longer on the track. He pitted at last (Cayrolle in). After all the driver changes, Ayari (#9 Oreca Saleen) was in the lead, ahead of Cayrolle, Zangarelli (#16 PSI Corvette), Groppi (#1 Oreca Saleen), Thévenin (#4 Tarrès Saleen), Bouchut (#17 PSI C6.R) and Policand (#8 LAA C5-R). Makowiecki was in eighth place.

Behind Ayari and Cayrolle (the pair in traffic, above), the fight was rife. Bouchut was pushing hard, passing Policand, Thévenin, Groppi and Zangarelli. Followed by Thévenin, he was chasing Cayrolle. Within ten minutes of the chequered flag, Cayrolle and Bouchut were neck and neck (below). Bouchut then passed in the Esses.

Thévenin also thought about passing Cayrolle but he had to give up because of the tyres. Policand moved up to fourth place, while Zangarelli had a suspension problem and finished in seventh place.

So Ayari and Narac claimed their third win.

Soheil Ayari (Saleen S7-R, Team Oreca), 1st : “In the late stages, the car was tough to drive, but Raymond made the most important stint, I had only to secure the win. It wasn't easy, the tyres were really worn in the end. I modelled my pace on my contenders, I had to save the car."

In the GT2 Trophy, Balandras and Lecourt had their fifth win in a row at the wheel of the IMSA MAMUT Porsche (above), ahead of the Estoril Porsche 996 driven by the Monteiro brothers; Loger and Mouez (Nourry Compétition Porsche 996) were third.

In the GT3 category, the pole man Michael Petit (#74 Sport Garage Ferrari 430) had some troubles: first a drive through, then a spin...Merafina, at the wheel of another Sport Garage Ferrari, had an off but the third Ferrari 430GT driven by Dany Snobeck and Christopher Campbell (above) took the win, ahead two First Racing Lamborghinis (Giroix / Navarro and Dubreuil / Amadou).
Claude Foubert

Result
1 NARAC R / AYARI S ORECA SALEEN S7-R GT1 1h00:35.007 1:17.049 / 4
2 LEBON Y / BOUCHUT C PSI EXPERIENCE CORVETTE C6-R GT1 1h00:41.434 6.427 1:16.708 / 23
3 CAZENAVE L / CAYROLLE E SRT CORVETTE C5-R GT1 1h00:44.684 9.677 1:17.039 / 2
4 BALTHAZARD G / POLICAND J LUC ALPHAND AVENTURES CORVETTE C5-R GT1 1h01:14.252 39.245 1:18.058 / 31
5 HERNANDEZ B / GROPPI L ORECA SALEEN S7-R GT1 1h01:14.672 39.665 1:17.327 / 30
6 BORNHAUSER P / MAKOWIECKI F LARBRE COMPETITION ASTON MARTIN DBR 9 GT1 1h01:31.319 56.312 1:17.938 / 31
7 POLICE J C / ZANGARELLI M PSI EXPERIENCE CORVETTE C5-R GT1 1h01:35.383 1:00.376 1:18.471 / 5
8 DUPUY D / THEVENOT J M PROTEK SALEEN S7-R GT1 1h01:51.545 1:16.538 1:18.372 / 23
9 LESOUDIER G / BELTOISE A MIRABEAU MTO CHRYSLER VIPER GTS-R GT1 1h01:08.799 1 Trs 1:19.492 / 4
10 CORMORECHE D / PORTA O TARRES TEAM CHRYSLER VIPER GTS-R GT1 1h01:46.473 1 Trs 1:20.577 / 23
11 SNOBECK D / CAMPBELL C SPORT GARAGE FERRARI 430 GT3 GT3 1h01:04.058 2 Trs 1:21.449 / 5
12 NAVARRO N / GIROIX F FIRST RACING LAMBORGHINI GALLARDO GT3 1h01:17.372 2 Trs 1:21.534 / 5
13 LECOURT M / BALANDRAS R IMSA PERFORMANCE MATMUT PORSCHE 997 RSR GT2 1h01:30.556 2 Trs 1:21.723 / 26
14 DUBREUIL B / AMADO U FIRST RACING LAMBORGHINI GALLARDO GT3 1h01:39.774 2 Trs 1:22.505 / 22
15 MONTEIRO M / MONTEIRO C ESTORIL RACING PORSCHE 996 RSR GT2 1h00:39.188 3 Trs 1:23.087 / 3
16 PETIT M / VANNELET G SPORT GARAGE FERRARI 430 GT3 GT3 1h00:47.321 3 Trs 1:20.422 / 2
17 PEYROLES A / MOUREU D PILOTAGE PASSION DODGE VIPER GT3 1h00:53.736 3 Trs 1:22.677 / 2
18 LECLERC A / TUCHBANT D FIRST RACING LAMBORGHINI GALLARDO GT3 1h01:05.409 3 Trs 1:22.529 / 30
19 BALLAY P / SCHEIER J B THIERRY BOUTSEN RACING FERRARI 430 GT3 GT3 1h01:18.440 3 Trs 1:22.740 / 33
20 CLAIRAY G / LAURIN J G C R DODGE VIPER GT3 1h01:48.457 3 Trs 1:24.207 / 23
21 MOUEZ E / LOGER D NOURRY COMPETITION PORSCHE 996 RSR GT2 1h00:39.413 4 Trs 1:23.989 / 32
22 BRIGAND E / VICAIRE J G C R DODGE VIPER GT3 1h00:41.148 4 Trs 1:23.349 / 4
23 LELIEVRE F / POLETTE P IMSA PORSCHE ROUEN PORSCHE 996 CUP GT3 1h01:29.076 4 Trs 1:26.505 / 33
24 DEBARD E / THEVENIN O TARRES TEAM SALEEN S7-R GT1 54:10.864 5 Trs 1:17.169 / 28
25 PERROUD F / GERARDUZZI D TEAM MONGEARD PORSCHE 996 CUP GT3 1h01:02.465 5 Trs 1:27.061 / 32
26 BRANDELA R / STEPEC T RED RACING PORSCHE 996 RSR GT2 1h01:44.084 5 Trs 1:24.313 / 2
27 BACHELIER J M / MALLEGOL Y FERRARI DEALER TEAM GB FERRARI 430 CHALLENGE GT3 1h02:02.068 6 Trs 1:27.503 / 3
28 OUDIN J P / RUFFIER J C RUFFIER RACING DODGE VIPER GT3 1h02:04.434 6 Trs 1:23.548 / 29
29 BAUDOIN M / LAFARGUE P RUFFIER RACING PORSCHE 996 RS GT2 1h01:18.836 7 Trs 1:29.244 / 2
30 BEROUJON C / MERAFINA W SPORT GARAGE FERRARI 430 GT3 GT3 40:22.591 21 Trs 1:21.364 / 3
31 ADAM J Y / ZACCHIA S LARBRE COMPETITION FERRARI 550 Maranello GT1 33:48.112 22 Trs 1:18.296 / 19
32 YVON R / BRIERE B HEXIS RACING ASTON MARTIN DBRS 9 GT3 32:42.661 23 Trs 1:22.124 / 9
33 RODRIGUES M / RODRIGUES J HEXIS RACING ASTON MARTIN DBRS 9 GT3 28:03.990 25 Trs 1:22.372 / 2
34 MAILLET AVENEL N / PRIGNAUD G RED RACING CHRYSLER VIPER GTS-R GT1 27:18.824 26 Trs 1:22.812 / 6
35 CABANNES G / SOURD M RUFFIER RACING DODGE VIPER GT3 9:10.198 39 Trs 1:22.770 / 3