Gai-Rugolo (Ferrari 488) claimed the victory in race-2 at the fourth round of the Italian GT Championship held at the circuit of Mugello. The Black Bull Swisse Racing lineup proceeded the Lamborghini Huracan driven by Agostini-Zampieri (Antonelli Motorsport) and its sister car driven by Schirò-Cioci. In the other classes, the victories went to Gentili-Cassarà (SGT3), Benucci-Niboli (GT3), Desideri-Necchi (Super GT Cup), Pisani-Palazzo (GT Cup) and De Castro (GTS). The fourth victory of the season confirmed Gai on top of the Super GT3 PRO classification at 108 points. He proceeds Malucelli and Cheever (91), Frassineti and Beretta (85), Agostini and Zampieri (84), Schirò (83). The championship will now take a summer break and will resume from Imola next September 10th.
SUPER GT3: A well-deserved victory was taken by Gai-Rugolo, after the fourth place in race-1 in the debut race of the driver from Veneto with Black Bull Swisse Racing. At the start Rugolo did not get away well and slipped down to the fourth place from the starting P2 following Frassineti, Comandini and Zampieri, while Cioci installed himself in fifth place leading Baruch, Malucelli, Treluyer and Gentili. The race was run at a high pace and Comandini at the worse of it as on lap three he was trying to defend his second place and had a contact with Zampieri being forced to pit to replace a wheel. The race was neutralized by the safety car at lap six as the car of Ishikawa was beached and Zanpieri at the restart was fairly aggressive on Frassineti, who managed to fend off his attacks. The group was packed and the pit window opening on top of the time handicaps increased the uncertainty of the race. When all cars were back on track, Rugolo’s co-equiper Gai took the lead as Agostini, Beretta, Palma, Ghirelli, Cassarà, Schirò and Cheever followed, while Cerqui got some places back. On lap 18, Agostini had a moment spinning when trying to close in on Gai, but managed to keep P2. Schirò managed to take P4 on lap 23, after taking Ghirelli and Palma, as the latter slipped down to P7. Beretta also had to give his place away to a very aggressive Schirò and at the flag, Black Bull Swisse Racing pairing claimed the victory leading Agostini Zampieri and Schirò-Cioci. The fourth place went to Treluyer-Ghirelli who led Malucelli-Cheever, Baruch-Palma and Cassarà-Gentili, that were the first non-pro, leading classification leaders Cerqui-Comandini.
GT3: Benucci-Niboli took a solid win also in race-2. At the start, Baccani got the lead followed by Magli, Niboli and Colajanni, but positions did not change up to the pits due also to the deployment of the safety car. After the pit stops, Bonucci got the most of the smaller handicap time and took the lead from Del Castello, to La Mazza and Venerosi, this was also the podium. Venerosi and Baccani confirmed their place on top of the classification at 117 points, leading Benucci (88).
SUPER GT CUP: After the bad luck of race-1, Desideri-Necchi bounced back in race-2, taking a good win that allowed the driver from Rome to perform a big leap forward in the classification. At the start, Vainio took the lead proceeding Basz, Necchi, Liang Jia, Cazzaniga, Bonacini Benvenuti and Sartori, positions did not change until the drivers change. Desideri, who took over from Necchi got the lead after the pit stops, followed by Tujula, Ortiz, Pastorelli, Demarchi, Takashi and D’Amico, but Ortiz and Tujula had a contact at lap 16. The Finn had the worse outcome slipping down to the back, while Pastorelli got P3 leading Takashi and Demarchi. Imperiale Racing’s driver could not defend the last step of the podium in the penultimate lap and Desideri-Necchi crossed the line first procceding Liang Jia-Ortiz and Takashi-Basz. The fourth and fifth position went to the two pairings of Imperiale Racing, Bonacini-Pastorelli and Benvenuti-Demarchi, that proceeded race-1 winners D’Amico-Cazzaniga, Vainio-Tujula and Sartori-Perolini. Liang Jia-Ortiz are the new classifications leaders at 99 points, leading Desideri (90), Tujula and Vainio (89).
GT CUP: Pisani-Palazzo secured a double win in this class. After the victory of race-1, the Sunday race saw Siliprandi Racing’s lineup taking the lead in the second stint after an early lead by La Mazza followed by Pisani. Palazzo who took over from Pisani, had the best of Nicolosi in the second stint, taking the Porsche 997 of the Mantova-based team to the top step of the podium. Eugenio Pisani confirmed his lead of the classification at 125 points, while his co-equiper Palazzo is second at 103.
GTS: Sabino De Castro secured a double win after shining in race-2. This result made him the new leader of GTS. Ebimotors’ driver took an early lead from Magnoni, to Pizzola, Spiridinov, Marchetti and Arrigosi. Pizzola got past Magnoni on lap two, but positions did not change until the pit stops. Maino put in a stunning second stint taking over from Arrigosi, installing himself in P2, ahead of Spiridinov, Neri, Marchesi and Magnoni. Top positions did not change all the way to the chequered flag and the Porsche Cayman run by Ebimotors for De Castro and Maino-Arrigosi, ended on top, while Spiridinov- Veronesi rounded out the podium. The fourth place went to Neri-Pizzola, that led Marcetti-Marchesi and Luca Magnoni, who got stuck in the gravel trap at the last lap.
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