FIA GT1, San Luis – Race Reports
Bartels & Bertolini Take The Title As Hexis Takes The Wins Frederic Makowiecki and Yann Clairay, in the nr9 Hexis AMR Aston Martin DB9, took a dominant win in the Qualifying Race in Argentina, finishing 13 seconds ahead of Richard Westbrook and Thomas Mutsch in the nr5 Matech Competition Ford GT Matech after starting from 10th on the grid. Third place went to the Marc VDS Ford GT of Maxime Martin and Bas Leinders after they charged up the order from 12th at the start of the race to record their second top three finish of the season. While the top three teams celebrated, it was all smiles in the Vitaphone Racing Team pit. Despite finishing in 12th place, Andrea Bertolini and Michael Bartels were crowned the 2010 FIA GT1 World Champions after the nr7 Young Driver AMR Aston Martin DB9 of Tomas Enge and Darren Turner failed to finish in the top three. Vitaphone also secured the Team's World Championship. The first of the day’s two races got underway with Stefan Mücke in the nr8 Young Driver AMR Aston Martin on pole position. Yann Clairay in the nr9 Hexis Aston also got a good start, pulling ahead of Mücke with the German tucking in behind at the first turn. However there was contact between the two cars with the nr8 Aston suffering front-end damage and pulling into the pitlane to retire from the race. The nr10 Hexis Aston of Jonathan Hirschi also spun in avoidance but Hirschi managed to recover and rejoin in ninth place. It was a good start for the Fords with Nicolas Armindo jumping up into second place at the end of the opening lap in the nr6 Matech Ford, Thomas Mutsch up to fourth from tenth on the grid in the nr5 Ford and Bas Leinders up to eighth in the nr40 Marc VDS Ford. On the next lap Mutsch made up another place by passing Dominik Schwager in the nr38 All Inkl Lamborghini. The Safety car was deployed on lap 2 when the nr24 Reiter Lamborghini of Christopher Haase locked up under braking moving across into the side of the nr1 Vitaphone Maserati of Michael Bartels. Bartels continued but the Lamborghini was stranded on the side of the track. Racing resumed on lap 6 with Clairay maintaining his lead over the two Matech Fords. However, before the end of the lap, the nr6 Ford slowed and stopped on the main straight with an electrical problem, promoting the nr5 Ford and nr38 Lamborghini into second and third respectively. Further back Jonathan Hirschi was moving back up the field, overtaking the nr40 Marc VDS Ford for fifth place on lap 8. The pit window opened on the next lap with the leaders all coming in to change drivers and tyres. After the pits the order was shaken up, with Frederic Makowiecki in the lead at the wheel of the nr9 Hexis Aston, and with Clivio Piccione in the nr10 Aston in second ahead of Peter Dumbreck in the nr23 Sumo Power Nissan and Richard Westbrook in the nr5 Matech Ford after a slow pitstop. Westbrook was all over the rear wing of the Nissan as Dumbreck defended at every turn. On lap 15 Piccione ran wide and Dumbreck had to back off allowing Westbrook, Maxime Martin in the nr40 Ford and Frank Kechele in the nr25 Reiter Lamborghini to overtake him. Before the end of the lap Westbrook moved up to second as he swept ahead of the nr10 Aston Martin at Turn 19. Meanwhile, Makowiecki continued to extend his lead as the cars behind squabbled over the minor top three places, with Martin moving ahead of Piccione's Aston for third. The Belgian driver then set the fastest lap of the race as he tried to get on terms with Westbrook’s Ford. At the chequered flag Frederic Makowiecki claimed his second Qualifying Race win of the 2010 season, with the two Ford GTs 13-seconds further back. On the wall the whole Vitaphone Racing Team went wild as Andrea Bertolini took the chequered flag in 12th place to claim the 2010 FIA GT1 World Championship title for himself, Michael Bartels and the Vitaphone team. Later on Sunday, the Hexis Aston Martin No.9, starting from pole, scored a dominant victory in the Championship Race at San Luis. Second was the Matech Ford GT No.5 of Richard Westbrook and Thomas Mutsch with the sister Hexis Aston Martin No.10 of Clivio Piccione and Jonathan Hirschi. First and third for Hexis secured them second place in the teams' championship behind the Vitaphone Maserati team which clinched both titles following the Qualifying Race results earlier in the day. It also meant that Aston Martin won the SRO Trophy for manufacturers. The Championship Race also settled the squabbles for second and third in the drivers' and teams' points battle. Mutsch finished second in the drivers' championship behind newly crowned World Champions Andrea Bertolini and Michael Bartels, with Makowiecki third and Darren Turner and Tomas Enge in the Young Driver Aston Martin No.7 fourth. In the teams’ title, Reiter took third place behind Vitaphone Racing Team and Hexis AMR. For the Hexis Aston No.9 it was a dominant weekend on the magnificent Potrero de los Funes. Having won the Qualifying Race, they eclipsed the field by over 15 seconds at the flag, scoring more teams point in one weekend than any of the previous nine of the FIA GT1 World Championship.  |
Michael Bartels; “This championship is not comparable with the last few championships. We have one or two teams we were up against but this year we had a top level of drivers and teams pushing us all the time. We had new rules to adapt to and we had to redevelop the car for the 2010 regulations. We probably won’t realize it today, but when we are back in Europe it will sink in that it is something special. In the last few races with the lead we had it was expected that we would win, but we had to make sure we didn’t make any crazy mistakes because mathematically we could have thrown it away. We were not fighting for the last metre to the chequered flag but we still had to bring it home. It was like in 2007 in Zolder, where we had to finish third to win the championship by two points. This was more under control but it was a big team effort right from the beginning. In Abu Dhabi and Silverstone we were not so competitive but we kept our minds focused and concentrated and we took our chances when they came. “We always collected our points and when we had our chances we won races. We made one or two less mistakes than our rivals and if you do that you are there. The Qualifying and Qualifying Races were really important. In the middle of the season when we had our run and we collected a lot of points on Saturday, that was the key because they were free of charge – no weight. After a victory in the Championship Race and you pick up (success ballast) weight for the next race you are not so competitive. “One of the advantages we had as drivers was that me and Andrea we know each other so well, we know when to push and when to take it easy and bring the car home. We have a blind understanding between us. Neither is jealous of the other where one is quickest and the other way around. We do our job in a very disciplined style and we get rewards.”  |
Andrea Bertolini; “It was really long season with two races each weekend. The team was very focussed, they check every detail, they are very professional about what they do and this makes the job for Michael and me that little bit easier because we know when we get in the car everything will work the best it can. It’s a really exciting format. It’s one of the nicest championships I have been involved with. It is a really top class show. To win this championship with the new format is very satisfying. Even when we had weight like 40 kilos we scored points and kept our challenge going. For me, working with Maserati is like being with a family. They give me the motivation just like I had with my time with Ferrari.  |
"It has been a pleasure again to work with the Vitaphone team. They are a great group every member of the team is very motivated to do the best job they can. They deserve this championship for being professional for the whole season and doing a great job to have the car well prepared and for their great work in the pit stops. Now I want to get home to my wife and my son who I haven’t seen for 16 days and celebrate with them.” Fred Makowiecki; “It has been a great weekend for Hexis and the Aston. The car was really strong on this circuit, which is quite tricky and new for a lot of the drivers and the teams. I got a good start and just tried to keep a good pace going and we were lucky enough to build a lead and keep it until the end. I have to thank all the guys at Hexis as they did another great job this weekend and for the whole season.” Yann Clairay; “Fred did a fantastic job – this is the perfect result to end the season. Overall I think it’s a beautiful championship because you have the best drivers in GT and the best cars. The format is good with two races. I like the Qualifying format of Q1, Q2 and Q3. I am looking forward to next year." Thomas Mutsch; “It was a really pleasing end to the season for me to finish second in the race today and to finish second in the drivers’ championship. I am really pleased for Matech that we were able to finish on a high. I knew I had a hard job to do to finish second in the points. When I looked at the prognosis for all the drivers and which cars were strong at which circuits there were are a lot of possibilities coming to Argentina so to drive so strongly this weekend is a nice feeling. “The championship is very competitive – nice brands, professional teams and we visit some historic circuit and some brand new ones. I hope to be back next year.” Richard Westbrook; “We didn’t quite have the legs this weekend. Certainly the Aston was the car to have around here. Well done to Thomas for second place in the drivers’ championship. It just shows that when we have a clean race and he is not being pushed around he can compete with the best.” Clivio Piccione; “I tried to do the best I could to keep the car on the track which was quite difficult with lots of close racing in the early part and some dust on the track surface in some areas. I was concentrating on bringing the car back in good shape for Jonathan (Hirschi) so he could finish the job for us and he did.” Jonathan Hirschi; “We had a great car for the last race. It was tough for the last 10 minutes because I had to push really hard as the Lambo (Reiter Lamborghini No.25) was quite strong behind me. It is a great result for Hexis. We are a young team, but we proved we can be competitive.” Final Classifications: FIA GT1 World Championship for drivers 1 Michael Bartels 138
1 Andrea Bertolini 138
2 Thomas Mutsch 119
3 Frédéric Makowiecki 105
4 Tomas Enge 104
4 Darren Turner 104
5 Marc Hennerici 99
6 Frank Kechele 95
7 Alexander Margaritis 84
8 Ricardo Zonta 75
9 Michael Krumm 71
9 Peter Dumbreck 71
10 Yann Clairay 65
Etc. FIA GT1 World Championship for teams 1 Vitaphone Racing Team 195
2 Hexis AMR 177
3 Reiter 155
4 Young Driver AMR 147
5 Matech Competition 135
6 Sumo Power GT 130
7 Triple H Team Hegersport 84
8 Marc VDS Racing Team 62
9 All-Inkl.com Münnich Motorsport 28
10 Swiss Racing Team 5 SRO Trophy for Manufacturers 1 Aston Martin 305
2 Maserati 270
3 Ford 189
4 Lamborghini 169
5 Corvette 131
6 Nissan 127 | 
