FIA GT – Bucharest - Saturday Morning Report
Rainy Day in Bucharest – Plenty Of Saturday Drama
© Janos Wimpffen

A minor comment in yesterday’s report noted that May is a rainy month in Romania. Much of the month’s quota came during the evening yesterday, making scurrying for the hotel and dinner through potholed streets a bit dicey. Today started with a light but steady rain during the F3 session, then various spits and splats surrounded by muggy cloudy conditions.

Just before last night’s rain this reporter was rewarded with several laps, including three flyers, around the circuit in the Dodge Viper pace car. The severe bumpiness of the circuit is immediately evident, even on the lightly sprung non-race version of the V10 powered car. The other issue is that the width of the course varies from comfortably wide to tunnel-vision narrow. All the chicanes are extremely tight, don’t even think about going through two abreast. Run off areas are adequate nearly everywhere but many are located at relatively blind areas, making re-entry to the race surface problematic.

The circuit has that distinct point-and-squirt nature emblematic of street circuits. Although it is by no means a fast track, there are three segments where ample torque can get you zipping along quite quickly. The first is from the exit of the principal chicane, the second is on the long, rather sweeping area on the Izvor side of the circuit, and the third is the finishing straight. This last section is somewhat problematic as it includes the pit entrance area that acts similar to a very quick chicane.

TV coverage of the race will probably include many shots of the grand boulevard leading away from the semi-circular paddock area. That boulevard is ringed by a combination of offices and flats, and many of the balconies have been filled with spectators getting a good, if distant, view of the action. The overall organization of the event has been excellent, quite a tribute given the complexities of putting on an event of this scale. However, there has been one gaping hole as the there are questions about the marshalling—more anon.

Again, nothing quite matches the press facilities. Although the Parliament Palace looms over all of Bucharest, it is actually a long hike from the paddock. The press room, one of 1000 rooms in this incredible building, has 18 crystal chandeliers and would be large enough to host a G8 press conference. Indeed, you could probably put all of Liechtenstein and San Marino inside the building.

There is a sizable crowd here, with each of the many grandstands about 30 percent full, not bad considering the weather and also that there is a political drama unfolding as well. Romanian president Traian Basecu has been suspended for corruption by the opposition dominated legislature. His fate, impeachment or not, goes to a referendum, which is underway today.

The FIA GT teams took to the track for the first time this morning and ran a remarkably clean session. Yesterday’s first GT3 period was halted three times and the afternoon practice was punctuated by nearly unending spins. Horst Felbermayr, Sr. was the only driver to spin in the first GT session, but he managed to avoid any of the barriers  - that his very own company had leased to the circuit.

Mike Hezemans was the first to claim top spot with a 1:21.716 on the still quite damp surface. Lieb was next (in the old 996, second overall for a GT2 car - before Felbermayr’s off), followed by Andrea Bertolini at 1:22.490. Most teams remained quite cautious, simply gathering data rather than going for speed. The No. 1 Maserati was one of those content to just reel off a handful of so-so laps.

FIA GT3 qualifying was next. Richard Williams (No. 5 Trackspeed Porsche) set the early standard at 1:31.466, followed by Romain Bera (No. 44 Matech Ford GT) taking to the top at 1:30.821. Erik Janis (No. 15 S-Berg Gallardo) moved up the charts, finishing the rise at 1:30.139 before Williams answered with a 1:26.5. He and Janis traded top spot over several laps with Williams best at the flag with a 1:25.278. With two of Tech 9’s Porsches in the top four, this circuit, as expected, restored the balance that was missing (in Porsche terms) at Silverstone.

After a break came the second qualifying period, which steadily degenerated over its 20 minute (by the running clock) length. Stephane Daoudi (No. 34 JMB Ferrari) was quick at the start with a 1:31.791 but Henri Moser in the No. 38 Kessel Ferrari bettered that with a 1:24.166. Tom Haines (No. 3 Tech 9 Porsche) and Julien Rodrigues (No. 25 Hexis Racing Aston) also ran quickly, but several seconds down on Moser.

The session began to turn to farce when a rear wheel departed Ed Morris’ No. 30 Damax Ascari. He came to an easy stop but the wheel kept going, passing a car or two before coming to rest amongst its friends at the nearest tire wall. The car had stopped in an awkward spot, necessitating a red flag.

Remember what I said about the chicanes being single file? No sooner was the session restarted when four GT3 cars decided to test this theory. They represented four different marques—speaking for the diversity of the series. None of the drivers were hurt although Adrian Wilmott (No. 29 Damax Ascari) was a bit shaky climbing out.

There were still 8 minutes left on the clock after this second stoppage and perhaps unwisely, the organizers decided to restart the session once more. In what should have been the last flying lap, the No. 12 First Racing Lamborghini blew its gearbox and deposited a mass of oil at the exit of turn 2/3 chicane complex. Ben Collins (No. 33 Berlanga Ascari) arrived on the scene with no flags displayed and promptly spun on the oil, clouted both walls and the crippled Gallardo. Jaromir Jirik in another Lamborghini (No. 15 S-Berg Racing) was right behind and got involved in the mess. All three cars were destroyed, while poor Ben Collins is in hospital with possible broken ribs and other injuries, while Jirik suffered injuries to his leg. Both are being x-rayed: we wish them well.

This made for a chastened GT1 / GT2 group as they were next out, for their second free practice. Mike Hezemans (No. 5 Carsport Corvette) turned out the first flyer at 1:19.982, soon bettered by Andrea Bertolini (No. 11 Playteam Maserati) at 1:18.087. Enrico Toccacello (No. 22 BMS Aston) was next at 1:20.353, then teammate Jamie Davies No. 23) at 1:20.948. Christophe Bouchut (No. 7 Reiter Lamborghini) soon jumped to third with a 1:20.191.

Emmanuel Collard (No. 97 BMS Porsche) early on set quick time in GT2 with 1:22.168 with Tim Mullen (No. 62 Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari, 1:22.579) and Paolo Ruberti (No. 52 Edil Cris Ferrari, 1:22.800) next. Jarek Janis (Eric’s brother) jumped to the top of GT2 with a 1:21.916 in the No. 63 Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari. As the session slipped past 20 minutes (of 80 total minutes), Christian Montanari (No. 2 Vitaphone Maserati) took over third spot with a 1:18.415 while Matteo Cressoni (No. 53 Edil Cris Ferrari) set fast time in GT2 with a 1:20.070.

Bertolini (1:17.063), Montanari (1:17.759), and Hezemans (1:18.070) improved their times over the next 20 minute period, while Michele Rugolo rose to the top of GT2 with a 1:20.070 in the No. 53 Edil Cris Ferrari. Then we had the first and thus far only interruption in GT1 / GT2 when Stephane Ortell tagged the wall at the end of the front straight with the No. 51 AF Corse Ferrari. Both driver and car seem ok.

The restart coincided with a spot of rain and also a permanent yellow flag now at the site of the earlier GT3 incident. This hampered improvements although Bertolini found a clean route once the rain stopped and reeled off a 1:16.251. Emmanuel Collard reestablished top position in GT2 with a 1:19.373. Sean Edwards was another to show some late improvement with a 1:19.624, good enough for third in class for the No. 99 Tech 9 Porsche.