In addition, the three-hour race scale allows you to enjoy not only the cars and speed, but also tactics and strategy teams.
The second phase of Endurance on the track at Silverstone and fourth overall in the calendar of the series Stephen Rattelya demonstrated that this year is likely to surprise on the race will not be. The same leaders who were observed in the three previous events, except, perhaps, the winner of the qualification — the crew at number 16 on the Lamborghini Huracan team GRT Grasser Racing Team. Of the three previous stages of the team only once appeared in the top ten, and this happened on the first Endurance at Monza, but now the crew is kept steadily in the top 10 leaders in the number of points in 4 stages.
The first free practice races started at the British track on Friday, and a number of accidents on this day is hard to explain except by the fact that it was Friday the 13th. One of the practices completely out of the blue «lays» on pitvoll your Jaguar GT3 experienced team of Emil Frey Racing, and one of Bentley miraculously manages to dodge Jaguar lost control. A series of missions and contacts, and continues on Saturday and also all of the blue. However, the Endurance series has always been famous unpredictability of what is happening, if only because that race out a sufficient number of crews category «Pro-Am» and «Am», at the wheel which are sometimes the most real «lovers».
But sometimes the exact opposite. Thus, the second place overall on the grid at Silverstone took the crew of the Pro-Am category at the Audi R8 LMS ISR team, which is also very good performance at the last race at Brand's Hatch, finishing the sprint on the 2nd and 5th places.
Third place went to legally Rowe Racing Team crew at number 99 on the BMW M6 GT3 — Maxim Martan difficult to oppose something, when he is behind the wheel. But one of the favorites of the series Belgian Audi Club WRT and crew №1 Vanthor brothers and Frederic Vervisha was classified only 11th. Unsuccessful was the qualification for the Ferrari crew # 333 Rinaldi Racing, in which the Endurance races, in addition to Marco Zifrida and Norbert Sidler participated and Russian Rinat Salikhov: only 33th position. The second crew Rinaldi Racing # 488, acting Am category, generally showed the 49th result in overall and 6th in the category. Kaspersky motorsport # 49 consisting of Alexander Moiseev, Garry Kondakov and Ricardo Ragazzi rose slightly higher and was the fourth in its category.
But as you know, the race can bring a lot of surprises.
The first accident occurs already in the 3rd minute of the race, and then immediately followed by yellow flags. Not too much accident leads to problems in two of its participants — Lamborgini # 100 and # 23 Nissan. Liquidation of consequences from Lamborghini is not too successful, and it returns to the pits.
Technical problems arise then both crews Bentley Boys, which leads to a great loss of time heroes Maxim Sula and Andy bitches last race. The lag in the 10 laps after his return to the track makes the fight for the podium unrealistic for them.
In the first third of the race, before the pit stops to change drivers, constant battle for first place is between the owner of the poles №16 and «pro-amovskoy» Audi # 74. Literally on the tail of them hanging two Mercedes GTR Racing team. Bright green the Ferrari, the race at the wheel which started Marco Zifrid, wins back a few positions and now rises to 26th place.
After the first change of drivers layout changes. Now leading the Audi # 1, committed a great leap from 11th place to first, followed — Mercedes # 84 Maximilian Beachwood Dominik Baumann and Dzheyzmena Jafar. Unfortunately, Ferrari # 333 in technical problems that have been identified during natural pitstop for new and badly run-car, and the car remained in the garage.
But the other Ferrari with the Russian pilots of the team Kaspersky Motorsport at the very beginning takes the lead in the category, and continues to hold it during the race.
Well, after all the race played out like clockwork. The battle for victory was between the two main contenders — Maximilian Buck and Lawrence Vanthorom. At some point, Beech already carried Vanthoru 5 seconds, when after another accident on the road traveled Safety Car, «eaten up» all the advantage. 22 laps of the race in the last third of it passed under the safety car, and after restart Audi prepared for the attack — but there it was. Beech on Mercedes AMG GT3 simply not provided any unique opportunities for overtaking and finished first, albeit with a margin of less than a second.
This is under the safety car session mixed all the cards for the crew Kaspersky Motorsport, who had gone to his final pitstop just before the release of her on the road. Thus, they lost several positions and finished only fifth.
In the end, the victory won in the category Am crew Rinaldi Racing # 488 Pierre Era and Steve Vankampenhuda. What we congratulate them!
So successfully launched Audi # 74 Pro-Am category at the end of the race completely «blown away» — in the end only 19 th place overall and 3rd in class.
Now the results of the four stages of the overall lead in the class winning team STD Racing, and its two pilots head table Individuals. In second place — Belgian Audi Club Team WRT, at the third — Garage 59.
The next step in Endurance format will take place at Paul Ricard June 24–25, and we hope to offer you out «live» reportage.
Photo: Blancpain GT series
