FIA GT Championship, Adria – Preview
Into The Dark

With so much racing having taken place so far this year, it is something of a surprise that Saturday’s race at Adria is only the third round of 11 for the 2008 championship and is again a two-hour race into the Italian darkness. 27 cars are due to start the race at 19:50, one more than last year.

Karl Wendlinger and Ryan Sharp know how to drive the tight and twisty circuit to maximum effect after taking pole and the win in 2007. “It’s obvious from last year that this track suits us,” said the tall Austrian.” Why should it be any different this year? Anyway, I’m convinced that we’ll play a major role when it comes to fighting for overall victory.

“It’s a very narrow, tight and short circuit. We’ll have to lap the first backmarkers after just a few laps; plenty of traffic will be a matter of course. You really have to mind what you’re doing!”

Christoph Bouchut and Xavier Maassen lead the championship in the SRT Corvette after two rounds, courtesy of their Monza victory, but it is still wide open so early in the season.

Vitaphone Racing Team claimed victory in 2006 when Thomas Biagi and Jamie Davies won in what was then a three hour race and the team once again brings two Maserati MC12s to the circuit for Bertolini/Bartels and Ramos/Negrao.

Fastest Qualifying time in GT1 at the circuit is held by a Saleen SR7 and three examples will be on hand to try and convert that into a victory. Peka Racing didn’t enjoy the best of starts to the season, but are hopeful that their preparation since Monza will pay off in Adria.  “We’ve worked hard on the motor management to get it better,” explained Bert Longin, “and also did an acceleration test. We worked hard on the electronic data of the engine and we also tried to improve the car’s aerodynamics. The average gap with the frontrunners, about 0.7 seconds in Monza, should be smaller in Adria. The results of the testing were good, but a race is always a different matter. It’s impossible to be 100% sure of a good result, but we’re very motivated and we want to improve!”

“The team worked hard and still is very professional”, continued Anthony Kumpen. “We also know that Pirelli did everything possible to make progress on the tyre front and if we take everything in account, Adria should be ok. Everybody, the drivers, the team, Pirelli and all the other partners want to perform well this weekend. We have had a difficult start to the season, but it’s not over yet. There are still eight rounds to go and this weekend, I want to fight for a podium finish. But of course, in a race, certainly on a twisty and narrow track such as Adria, things can go wrong also. But let’s remain positive and fight for the best possible result.”

The big news in GT2 since Monza has been the reinstating of Emmanuel Collard and Richard Westbrook’s victory in the Prospeed Competition Porsche 997 GT3 RSR, after AF Corse lodged a complaint concerning a Prospeed mechanic standing in the wrong place during a stop. This decision means that the duo trail championship leaders Tony Vilander and Gianmaria Bruni by eight points instead of 20.

Although the AF Corse drivers fill the top four places in the points table – and the team came home first and second in 2007 - CR Scuderia will be hoping to make ground and steal some of the headlines after a frustrating Monza; Chris Niarchos in particular chomping at the bit to get behind the wheel once more. “After what feels like an eternity it will be great to be back with the GT2 team this weekend in Adria," said the shy and reserved Canadian. "I am really looking forward to getting back in the car and racing myself after spending most of this year as ‘Team Principal’ rather than driver. It has been fantastic watching the team mature and the results we have achieved so far this year have been extraordinary, considering how new we are. Although I have not driven at Adria before, I feel very fresh and after the time away I am ready to have a fantastic weekend.”

Andrew Kirkaldy, meanwhile, was also hoping for better luck in the car he shares with Rob Bell. “Silverstone was good for us; it was a great start to our international season and we really couldn’t have asked for more. Monza was very disappointing. We never felt that we were on the pace during the weekend and with no stable track conditions it was hard to put things right. We hope we can get everything right at Adria. The Porsches will be strong there but the track suited the Ferrari before so there’s no reason why we can’t go out and get a good result. It would be good to have a dry weekend too.”

Rob Bell and Tim Mullen have an extra incentive to do well this weekend, having had to endure the heartbreak of a late exit from Le Mans last weekend while in a podium position.  

The G2 class is down to just one car; the Belgian Racing Gillet Vertigo of Bas Leinders and Renaud Kuppens.

The race will be broadcast in the UK on ITV4 on Sunday afternoon, but Janos Wimpffen is at the circuit for DSC to keep you abreast of events as they unfold.