What's sprint series that Endurance — all the action on the track is so rich that it is not time to follow up and to «digest» what is happening every second, if not, then at least every minute exactly.
This is due primarily to the high professional level as the majority of teams and drivers. Judge for yourself: what can be said, even if in the Pro-Am category going by such stars of world motorsport Giancarlo Fisichella?
3-hour race at Monza was not the first race of the season — two weeks ago in Italy on the same track at Misano kicked off a series of sprints. But traditionally opens the season in Monza Blancpain long race and it attracts a lot of teams, drivers and spectators.
At this time, the stands came to 22 thousand people to participate, it was stated 57 crews, and on Saturday's qualification was established a unique record: 31 cars qualified in one second, and the first four participants shared tenths of a second.
Pole position went to Maximilian Buku and Mercedes AMG GT # 84 HTP Motorsport team. Second on the grid was Alex Bunkomb on the Nissan GT-R Team Nissan GT Academy Team RJN at number 23. In the category of Pro-Am first qualified AF Corse and Giancarlo Fisichella, in the Am category of the same car with Rino Mastronardi.
Ferrari 458 Rinaldi Racing, for which in addition to Endurance Series Marco Zifrida and Norbert Sidler acts and Russian pilot Rinat Salikhov, is only 23 positions.
The Endurance this year Rinaldi Racing team will be represented by two cars. On the same green Ferrari 488 under the same tail number appear Pierre Era and already familiar to us from the past year, Steph Vankampenhud (he defended the honor of the team in the 24-hour marathon at the Belgian circuit in Spa).
Another crew of the Russian pilot Alexander Moiseev, Executive Director of Kaspersky Lab Europe (Ferrari 458 team AF Corse # 49 in Am category), will start with 33 positions.
Just a minute after the traditional Monza chaotic start, where all the cars almost immediately mixed in a tight group, taking not only painting, but also lawns, suddenly again reigned in the order, all distributed on their positions, the peloton stretched in a long line, and all, finally, let's go.
The race presented a lot of surprises. Already in the first sector of the first round lead captures Black Pearl team for Ferrari 458 # 66, serving as Pro-Am category! Moreover, they manage to keep the lead until the first change of pilots, and that almost the entire first hour of the race, creating a great time reserve.
Then, during the first half hour of going on a few very important re-shuffle. Marco Zifrid driving a bright green Ferrari # 333 makes a great leap 13 places up. Another little miracle makes Rob Bell # 58 Team McLaren Garage 59. At the first race in Misano other McLaren team at number 59 in general could not start due to technical reasons, and this breakthrough Rob Bell can be considered a kind of rehabilitation. Within a few minutes after the start, he comes into a beautiful fight for the 3rd place with two other candidates — Nissan №23 (Team RJN Lucas Ordonez), Bentley №8 (M Sport Andy SuchEk), and the end of the hour, he confidently holds the 2nd place overall, beating Mercedes team HTP Motorsport Dominik Baumann!
The first accident occurs 25 minutes after the start of the race — so everyone is trying to protect the machine. After the puncture at the Bentley # 7 and slowing it dives under one of the Lamborghini... and loses the hood! But even with all this once again returned to the track.
Following this memorable acts Ferrari # 111 Kesel Racing. First, as a result of contact, it is halfway into the grass, then a heroic effort is selected on the track, almost run over by the wheels of one of the opponents, and then completely if oil fills it, or antifreeze long stretch of the road, and as a result successfully goes the distance.
After the first wave of pit stops the situation in the balance of power on the track has changed significantly. Black Pearl to lead retreated first to third place, and then even further. Lost positions and Rinaldi Racing: Rinat Salikhov received a drive through for crossing the white line at the exit from the pitlane.
What happens next can be called one of the most beautiful GT-battles that have ever seen this series. The entire second stint to follow the change of pilots among themselves for position battle McLaren # 58, which is now managed by Shane van Gisbergen and Mercedes # 84 Maximilian Beachwood. After the pit stop McLaren came out to the first position, but the gap between the rivals was just fractions of a second. Do not changed the situation and the next pitstop. This competition is continued until the finish, but the Mercedes was not able to take over. However, for them and second place — quite appropriate result: they now head the drivers' standings, because Winners Misano Vanthor Lawrence and Fred Vervish (crew Audi # 1 team Belgian Audi Club Team WRT) in Monza were only eighth.
In third place came as a result of the Bentley Boys crew №8 team M-Sport. They have had a difficult start of the weekend, but the sixth place in qualifying helped them earn a podium labor.
the race for the crews have a very unfortunate №98 and №99 ROWE Motorsport team at the BMW M6. Both have not been classified. BMW №99, double medal winner at Misano, Monza has suffered from a serious explosion right front wheel and was forced to retire, do not score any points.
In the category Pro-Am won 488 Ferrari team Kessel Racing — incidentally, they finished fifth in the overall standings, which is a very good result. Black Pearl climbed to 3rd place in the class.
Second place in the category won the Ferrari # 53 Team FA Corse. Giancarlo Fizikela showed absolutely amazing breakthrough during his last shift, not only failing to break into 2nd place 4th in class and 15th to 10th in the overall standings, but also setting a lap record of the race!
The Am category team won Akka ASP on Mercedes AMG GT №87, Rinaldi Racing # 488 became the second, AF Corse Alexander Moiseev — fourth.
Not very successful was the performance of «older» crew Rinaldi Racing — they were only 17-mi in the absolute.
The next race in the Sprint Series will be held on May 7–8 at the British track Brands Hatch.
Photo: Blancpain endurance series
