FIA GT1 World Championship, Zolder - Championship Race Report

All-Inkl.com Münnich Motorsport repeated their performance of the Qualifying Race in today's Championship Race. The Lamborghini Murcielago of Marc Basseng and Markus Winkelhock won the second race of the weekend, while the Lamborghini of Nicky Pastorelli and Dominik Schwager retired early in the race. As a result of their double win Basseng and Winkelhock are now leading the championship.

On Saturday things went wrong in turn 1, this time things went wrong even before going into turn 1. On the straight the Sumo Power GT Nissan GT-R of Ricardo Zonta moved to the left, sending the DKR Corvette into the Sumo Power GT Nissan of Jamie Campbell-Walter. All three cars spun, with the two Nissans hitting the wall. They were out on the spot. Dominik Schwager parked his Lamborghini on the side of the track on the first lap with a drive train issue, another early retirement for the #37 Lamborghini.

Three laps later things went wrong again, this time at turn 2. Marc VDS Racing Team driver Marc Hennerici clipped the front of the JR Motorsports Nissan GT-R of Peter Dumbreck. The Scot spun and was then hit hard by the Belgian Racing Ford GT of Mathias Beche. The #9 Ford GT ended up in the gravel trap, while a damaged Nissan returned to the pit. Both cars were also out of the race.

Eight laps into the race and with pole sitter Marc Basseng (Lamborghini) leading Mike Hezemans (Corvette) and Alex Müller (Aston Martin) the Safety Car was deployed and marshals and rescue teams started to clean the track and get rid of stranded cars.

On lap 14 the race was restarted and it was Basseng who reacted well. Into turn 1 the Lamborghini had already created a small gap to Hezemans, who Müller right behind him.

As the pit window opened the race leaders stayed out for the first lap, Hezemans and Müller came into the pit one lap later, but they were beaten by the Hexis AMR crew that was able to bring the #4 Aston Martin DBR9 back out on track in front of the Corvette and Young Driver AMR Aston.

At the end of lap 18 Basseng came in for his mandatory pit stop. The All-Inkl.com Münnich Motorsport team executed a clean pit stop and Markus Winkelhock returned the car to the track a few seconds clear of Andrea Piccini, Tomas Enge and Nick Catsburg. Piccini knew he had a fast Aston Martin and went after the Lamborghini, leaving the Aston of Tomas Enge and the Corvette of Nick Catsburg behind. Further down the field Fred Makowiecki was passed by two other Aston Martins, those of Stef Dusseldorp and Stefan Mücke, on the straight, relegating the Ford GT to eighth in class, just in front of his team mate Bas Leinders.

With fifteen minutes remaining in the race Winkelhock had enough and after a fast lap he was already two seconds clear of Piccini. The following laps Winkelhock was able to increase his lead over Piccini and Enge and it became clear that the other teams required a miracle to win this one.

The two Young Driver AMR cars came under pressure in the last ten minutes with Nick Catsburg closing in rapidly on Tomas Enge and Fred Makowiecki closing in on Stefan Mücke.  Makowiecki's teammate Bas Leinders spun his Ford GT, allowing Michael Krumm in the sole remaining JR Motorsports Nissan GT-R to move into ninth place. He quickly caught up with Makowiecki and Mücke and got himself into the fight for seventh place.

As Enge had to focus on the Corvette in his rear-view mirror Piccini got away and was now in a vacuum between Winkelhock and Enge. With just over a minute left on the clock Catsburg's Corvette was unable to keep up with the Aston Martin of Tomas Enge anymore and dropped back and fell right into the claws of Peter Kox in the Swiss Racing Team Lamborghini Murcielago.

Markus Winkelhock remained unthreatened and secured All-Inkl.com Münnich Motorsport's second win of the weekend after 37 laps. Andrea Piccini crossed the line in second place, just over nine seconds behind the Lamborghini. Young Driver AMR finished third, over fifteen seconds behind the race winner.

Peter Kox meanwhile did just enough to beat the Exim Bank Team China Corvette of Nick Catsburg. The battle between the two Dutchmen was decided on the finish line, Kox finishing just 0.025 seconds ahead of Catsburg.

Marc Basseng and Markus Winkelhock are now the FIA GT1 World Championship leaders. Hexis AMR remain on top in the Teams Championship.

The next round of the FIA GT1 World Championship will take place at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão, Portugal.

MtC