Italian GT, Mugello – GT Cup Race Reports
Fireworks In Tuscany
The Italian GT Serie chose the best track available for the solo race of the Cup class, but a rather depleted field of just seven cars entered the race, this time once again partnered by the Maserati one make Trofeo, which swelled the field to a decent number.
The Malucelli team carried out its threat to pull out and was thus absent, as were most of the Ferraris in the field. As a result, the qualifying for race one saw a clean sweep of the top two rows by Porsche. The pole went, with some surprise, to Gagliardini by half a second from Baccani, then - a pleasant surprise - the Russian Kruglyk, switching from Ferrari to Porsche this time. Fourth was Fornaroli. The third row, almost a second back, was all Lamborghini; Stancheris fifth and Livio sixth.
Race 1
Race one on Sunday morning would start under a scorching sun, almost full summer weather; definitely not on the schedule for October the 2nd! The time penalty during the pitstop were likely to have huge effects on the race result, as Sanna-Stancheris would have to stop for 30 seconds, Passuti-Gagliardini for 25,Livio-Piccini for 15, and Mastronardi-Fornaroli for 10.  |
The start was...a non-start, with pretty much everyone n the wrong position; the typical Italian "casino." The second time around was much better, and Gagliardini was able to keep the lead from his teammate Baccani. Third was Fornaroli, while the other positions remained the same. Kruglyk was clearly enjoying his new toy so much that he decided to have a little moment on the grass, but was able to continue without losing any place...well not quite, the "old fox" Livio overtook the Russian Porsche at the outside of the first corner with a very good clean move.
The first laps saw the top three Porsches gradually escaping from the Lamborghini duo, who were still dealing with Kruglyk. Apparently, all the penalties given to the Gallardos were having some effect...but, to the disappointment of your reporter, Stancheris out-powered Kruglyk on the main straight. Did he have some secret weapon under the bonnet of his "bull"?
Absolutely nothing happened on track up until the pit stop window opened - the top six cars were pretty close to each other, so the time penalties, as predicted, turned the order upside down. When the dust settled, the new leader was Monti-(Baccani); Basov-(Kruglyk) was second; but Mastronardi-(Fornaroli) was right on his tale and the expected overtaking move looked to be an easy one.
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Not quite; Basov closed down every tiny bit of space and Mastronardi - clearly thinking of the Championship - decide to wait for a clean shot. What about the Lambos? Well, the time penalties, plus the BOP, struck hard the Italian supercars. Anyway, Piccini-(Livio) was still in front of Passuti-(Gagliardini), while the 2010 Champ Mapelli-(Skryabin), doing his usual super-job, was sixth. Sanna-(Stancheris) was the last car of the class, in seventh.
So the positions were frozen and the race was over? Are you kidding me? The final minutes saw some huge fireworks. A drive through had been given to Monti (reason unknown), while some seconds later Passuti was seen stuck in the gravel; the replay showing an overtaking attempt on Piccini, a contact, and then only dust. Race over for Passuti, while Piccini was able to continue. The safety car was deployed, which was huge luck for Monti, who could serve his drive through without losing too many places. He was now third, while second was Basov. Fourth was Mapelli, fifth Piccini and sixth Sanna.
The race restarted with only two minutes left on the clock, so two laps to go. Mastronardi was safely in the lead and won the race, while Basov, Monti and now Mapelli, were going at it hammer and tongs! There was some contact between the cars, but Monti prevailed for second. Basov finished third - the first podium for the Russian - fourth was Sanna, thanks to a penalty given to Mapelli, while Piccini finished sixth. What a race! And with only seven cars in the class! Could the second one match up? We’d have to wait and see.
Race 2
Monti stole pole from Mastronardi by just 24 thousandths of a second! Sanna was third, but almost one second back. Passuti was fourth, then Piccini, Basov and a very disappointed Mapelli. The "hotter" drivers would be starting this late afternoon race - the third to last in the series - and the title chase was still pretty much open. The time penalties are pretty well spread this time, which augured for a great race.  |
The start, this time, was a good one with status quo existing at the first corner, while at the second one Mastronardi and Monti had an "Italian tête à tête" but both were able to continue, with some black marks on their bumpers. Third was Passuti, who got Sanna during the first lap, then Piccini and Mapelli, while Basov was the last car in the class.
Mapelli was on fire and outbraked Piccini (!!) for fifth place. Piccini tried to respond on the main straight, but he couldn't find any top speed from the (old) 430; perhaps team Malucelli made the wrong decision to skip the race...
Monti and Mastronardi spent the next part of the race very close to each other, while Passuti was playing a waiting game in third, but only two seconds back. Meanwhile, Sanna was able to regain the place lost to Mapelli, but the missing car was the white Lambo of Piccini...some moments later the live TV showed the car stationary in the pit lane with undefined technical troubles. But it was not the end of the world - bearing in mind that the drivers can score only 12 results out of the season's 16 races, and pretty much everyone would have to drop at least two scores.
The second part of the race began with two three-car trains. The first three Porsches were doing the hard work and would battle for the podium spot, while the lonely remaining Lambo, the Ferrari and the Russian Porsche would race for the lower places.
The black Lambo of Sanna was clearly struggling for grip in the corner, but still had the top speed on the main one-kilometer straight; but Basov was on fire and overtook Sanna with a very brave braking manoeuvre on the Lambo.
Mapelli needed no invitation and put the nose of his Ferrari in, only to find the right side of the black Gallardo. The result was a fast trip into the gravel for both, but it appeared that no heavy damage had been done to the cars.
The mandatory stop saw a huge mistake by Passuti - he didn't stop in time (a minute too late) and a received a two minute penalty; a very unforgivable mistake by him, especially with the Championship on the line. So the new leader was Baccani-(Monti), but the dramas were not over. Fornaroli punctured his right rear, (probably due to the contact on the first lap with Passuti) and lost a huge amount of time. Was that all? Well, no...because Baccani had a right rear puncture too! So who was the new leader? Of course, the Russian Transsiberian pair! Basov was the new leader, but the third Russian present Skryabin-(Mapelli) was now second! Wow, what a race! Stancheris-(Sanna) was now a very, very lucky boy in third place, while Gagliardini was fourth with a two minute penalty on his tail.
We repeat, was that all? Apparently yes, the final minutes saw no more dramas and we'll salute a very good win by one of the few non-Italian pairs in the Championship. Basov-Kruglyk crossed the line first in only their second race with the new car, while Mapelli-Skryabin finished second and Sanna-Stancheris third. Passuti-Gagliardini could easily have won the race, but Passuti's mistake cost them dearly. Mastronardi-Fornaroli finished fifth, one lap down.
The points championship saw two new leaders. Sanna and Stancheris have 157; Malucelli-Pierleoni are still second with 142; Fornaroli-Mastronardi have 139; and Piccini-Livio have 133. All these pairs have already scored 12 results. Passuti-Gagliardini have 126 (they already have three points to drop). All these pairs can win the title at the big finalé in Monza.
It was perhaps a small grid, but boy oh boy what a race we saw! Can it get better than this? Well, perhaps the aliens can decide to land in the Monza's park and have some fun...we joke, but it’s not often that we find a championship with six possible winners in the last round.
Gabriele Tosi
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