Mugello, Gai-Fischella (Ferrari 488) win race-1 and the driver from Milan gets the lead of GT3

Stefano Gai, Zampieri-Altoè and Bar Baruch will play their last chances for the final win tomorrow in race-2, while the other titles have already been won by Pietro Perolini (Super GT Cup) and Davide Di Benedetto (GT Cup).
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Stefano Gai and Giancarlo Fisichella (Ferrari 488) won race-1 of the 7th and closing round of the Italian GT Championship that is underway in Mugello. Scuderia Baldini 27 pairing has proceeded the BMW M6 GT3 (BMW Team Italia) of Comandini-Koebolt by 0.607s and the Audi R8 LMS (Audi Sport Italia) of Baruch-Treluyer by 12.740s. The win scored today, the fourth of the season, handed Stefano Gai the lead of the provisional GT3 classification. At the eve of the closing round of the season the Ferrari driver is 5 points clear of Zampieri-Altoè (Lamborghini Huracan) and 15 of Bar Baruch.

The Super GT Cup and GT Cup titles have already been assigned meanwhile. In the class reserved to the Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo, Pietro Perolini (Antonelli Motorsport) celebrated the title by winning race-1, as did Davide Di Benedetto (Porsche 991-Island Motorsport), sided by Vincenzo Sauto in the occasion, was second in the race behind team mates Merendino-Lazarevic and claimed the Italian title in the single-make configuration series. Race-2 (56 minutes + 1 lap) is scheduled for tomorrow at 14,10 and will be broadcast live on Raisport, on the Facebook page of the championship and on www.acisport.it/CIGT.

Race-1: A deeply sought after win was obtained by Gai-Fisichella, the only result that could still keep Stefano Gai in the games for the GT3 title. The victory was built by Fisichella in the first stint. He was not particularly effective at the start but then put in a bold performance completing very nice overtaking moves on Zampieri first and Koebolt then. Gai rejoined after the pit stop in P2 behind the Chinese Liang, who took over from Mapelli, always on top in the first stint, but he did not have any problem finding his way past him with nine laps remaining. Once in the lead, Gai controlled the race leading a great Stefano Comandini at the flag, who took over from a great Koebolt. The young Dutch driver put in an incredible start from P8 to P3, laying the foundations for a podium finish.

Baruch-Treluyer ended third at the end of a comeback race started from the fourth row of the grid. The 12 points secured allow the young Israeli to stay in the title fight, even if the 15 points gap to Gai are difficult to fill for the young Audi Sport Italia’s driver.

Zampieri-Altoè ended at the feet of the podium. Despite the pole position, the Antonelli Motorsport pairing had to serve 25s handicap time at the pit stop but will enjoy 5s handicap less than the Ferrari drivers tomorrow. Postiglione-Basz (Lamborghini Huracan) ended behind them, as the Italian managed to keep the pace of the leader Mapelli, butt Imperiale Racing’s driver had to serve 25s at the pit stop slipping down to the back, but closing ahead of teammates Bortolotti-Giammaria and Liang-Mapelli.

Piccioli-De Castro (Lamborghini Huracan-Ebimotors) were eighth and closed ahead of Pietro Perolini (Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo-Antonelli Motorsport), who was the first of Super GT Cup and winner of the Italian title. The 27 years old from Crema hit the big target at his second season, thanks to six wins including the one scored today ahead of teammates Sartori-Di Fant.

A good tenth place and victory in GT Cup was scored by Merendino-Lazarevic (Porsche 991-Island Motorsport), who lead teammates Di Benedetto-Sauto and La Mazza-Nicolosi (Porsche 991-Ebimotors). The 15 points obtained in this way elected Davide Di Benedetto the new Italian Champion of the class reserved to the single-make configured cars.

Spinelli-Veglia had tough luck and stopped on lap 12 due to a contact between Spinelli and La Mazza that forced Antonelli Motorsport’s pairing to pit.

RACE 1 CLASSIFICATION

GT3 CLASSIFICATION

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