GT Open, Imola - Race Two Report
Niarchos & Mullen Take A First Win For CRS

Chris Niarchos and Tim Mullen gave CRS Racing its maiden win in the International GT Open in the second Imola race. The team, which joined the series this year, is the first British outfit to win a GT Open event. The red-and-white Ferrari beat the Aston Martin Vantage of the Villois Racing driven by Lucas Guerrero-Max Wiser, who reached the podium for the first time with the new Aston GT2. Third was the Kessel Ferrari of Peter-Broniszewski.

In GTS, Luxury Racing took its third win of the season, with Jean-Philippe Dayraut and Johan Boris Scheier, beating - in a heated finale - the Kessel Ferrari of Livio-Bontempelli and the Autorlando Porsche of Deverikos-Gruber.

The race was marred by an awful accident at the start, involving four cars. German GT star Marcel Tiemann suffered a big shunt against the wall and was taken to hospital with what would prove to be serious injuries (see separate news item).

The accident happened when the Villois Aston of Lancelotti collided with the Audi of Tiemann, which was hit the wall head-on at full speed and bounced back into the field, catching the Drivex Porsche of Miguel Amaral and the AF Ferrari of Jack Gerber. The race was immediately red-flagged, and Tiemann was tended to by the rescue and medical teams before being transported to the hospital.

The race resumed with a shortened distance of 30 minutes. Kaffer took the lead ahead of Giammaria, Pilet, Guerrero, Lietz, Bontempelli, Mortimer and Deverikos. On lap seven, Pilet attacked Giammaria and passed him at the chicane but exited wide and collided with the Ferrari when rejoining the track, sending the Ferrari into the gravel.

After the driver changes, it was the Villois Aston Vantage GT2 leading for the first time, just ahead of Mullen, who took the lead on lap 13. Following were Peter, Roda, Bamford (first in GTS with the Ford), Livio, Deverikos and Dayraut with Barba charging up from 13th.

Mullen controlled the final laps with no problem, winning ahead of Wiser and Roda, while in GTS there was a final battle between Livio and Dayraut, which ended with contact and the Frenchman’s victory.

CRS’s masterstroke had been a very early driver change – the pit window being open virtually as soon as the race restarted – as Niarchos explained; “It was an inspired move by the team,” said Niarchos.  “It meant that Tim went out on a clear track and was able to bang in some very quick laps before everyone else pitted.  The net result was that we took the lead so it was definitely a good call.  It’s very rewarding for us to take our first GT Open win and it’s also good to be the first British team to do so.   Let’s hope we can continue the trend next time out.”

Third was Deverikos, ahead of Couceiro and Bamford, while Lancieri, who had a contact with Talkanitsa, was forced to pit with a broken wheel. The car would later be sanctioned for the two incidents it got involved in, with a ten-position grid penalty for the next two races.

Overall Standings after 6 rounds:

1. Barba-Kaffer, 98 p.; 2. Roda-Lietz, 76; 3. Narac-Pilet, 64; 4. Niarchos-Mullen, 52; 5. Toccacelo-Giammaria, 51; etc

GTS Standings after 6 rounds:

1. Dayraut, 36 p.; 2. Gruber-Deverikos, 29; 3. Frezza-Couceiro, 28; 4. Ortelli, Livio-Bontempelli, 26