The Italian GT Championship is unstoppable as it prepares to hit the track at the Imola circuit this weekend for the second round of the Sprint series. Indeed, there will be 56 cars registered at the Enzo and Dino Ferrari circuit: 24 in the GT3 class and 32 in the GT Cup.

GT3 - With the leadership of Michelotto-Stadsbader (Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo2-VSR), the top class of the Italian series arrives at the circuit near the Santerno river with great anticipation and several new entries that further elevate the championship's level. Among these is the reigning Formula E world champion, the Briton Jake Dennis, who will replace Max Hesse at the wheel of the BMW M4 GT3 of BMW Italia-Ceccato Racing Team, partnering with Jens Klingmann. The latest additions to the GT3 class also include Paolo Ruberti and the American Thor Haugen with the Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020 of Pellin Racing.

Trailing the provisional leaders by five points are the representatives of Tresor Audi Sport Italia, Delli Guanti-Mazzola (Audi R8 LMS), who will race alongside their teammates Cola-Moncini, while in third place, after the two races in Misano, is the second Lambo of VSR driven by Cazzaniga-Di Folco. The Lamborghini lineup is completed by Moulin-Fabi (VSR) and the two cars of Imperiale Racing driven by Bartholomew-Denes and Fascicolo-Rogalsky.

Blattner-Marschall (Porsche GT3 R-Fach Auto Tech) will not be defending their first place in GT3 PRO-AM, making the Imola race a prime opportunity for Malvestiti-Ebrahim (BMW M4 GT3-BMW Italia/Ceccato Racing Team) and Moulin-Fabi to overtake their German rivals in the standings.

In GT3 AM, McGee-McIntosh (Mercedes AMG GT3-Antonelli Motorsport) will try to maintain their first place from the attacks of Magnoni-Ciglia (Honda NSX GT3-Nova Race), Marazzi-Buttarelli (Ferrari 296 GT3-Rossocorsa), and Venerosi-Baccani (Porsche GT3 R-Ebimotors).

The Ferrari lineup is completed by the 296 GT3s of Di Amato-Boguslavskiy and Ferati-Nurmi (AF Corse), as well as the Easy Race car driven by Enzo Trulli and the returning Lorenzo Bontempelli, while the 488 GT3s will be driven by Coluccio-Postiglione (Best Lap) and Colavita-Maggi (Double TT Racing).

Rounding out the rich lineup of the top class are the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 of Di Giusto-Alatalo (L&A Infinity), the two Honda NSX GT3s of Scarpetta-Simonini and Jelmini-Berto (Nova Race), and the second AMG GT3 of Antonelli Motorsport driven by Wiebelhaus-Sandrucci.

GT CUP - The number of entries has increased in the class reserved for single-make configuration cars, which at Imola features new teams with the Lamborghini Huracan ST Evo2 from Target Racing, including Ali-Giannoni and the Chinese driver Han Huilin, who will race alone. Additionally, Luciano Privitelio will compete with the Lambo from Rexal Villorba Corse-HC Racing, while Double TT Racing debuts a second 488 Challenge Evo2 for Locke-Ercoli.

In the 1st Division reserved for Ferrari and Lamborghini, the PRO-AM standings are led by cousins Giacomo and Matteo Pollini (Lamborghini Huracan ST Evo2-Giacomo Race), ahead of a fierce group of Lambo drivers including Mainetti-Scionti (DL Racing), Zanon-Tribaudini (VSR), and Fontana-Gattuso (DL Racing). The lineup of Huracans is completed by the MM Motorsport team car driven by Messina-Raffetti.

The Ferrari lineup features five 488 Challenge Evos: Pierantoni-Di Fabio (Easy Race), two from Best Lap driven by Pegoraro-Patrinicola and Bucci-Croccolino, as well as those driven by Belgian Gilles Renmans (Double TT Racing) and Lovati-Trentin (Mertel Motorsport). Other Huracans will be fielded for Messina-Raffetti (MM Motorsport), Niskanen-Kosic (LEMA Racing), Milner-Hancock (RS Historics) and Ibrahim Badawi (DL Racing).

In the AM category, after the two races in Misano, the leadership is held by Oliva-D’Auria (Lamborghini Huracan ST Evo2-HC Racing), ahead of Casè-Borelli (AF Corse) and their teammates Clementi Pisani-Randazzo, who are tied in the standings with Dalokay-Tagliapietra (DL Racing).

There are two Ferrari 488 Challenge Evos from Best Lap to be driven by Carboni-Mari and Naldi-Simonelli, as well as two fielded by Pinetti Motorsport for Stefanin-Vullo and Briselli-Segattini. One 488 each will be driven by La Marca-Verzelli (Mertel Motorsport), while CRM Motorsport will field a Lamborghini Huracan ST Evo2 for Carminati-Pellegrini.

In the 2nd Division, which features Porsche 991 and 992 models, the duels that characterized the first two races in Misano will be renewed. Palma-Navatta (Raptor Engineering) lead the PRO-AM standings, ahead of Pisani-Zerbi (SP Racing). In the AM category, after their two debut victories on the Adriatic coast, Liana-Polverini (ZRS Motorsport) are the favorites at Imola, with SP Racing’s Fabiani-Zanini and Abbati-Grisi in pursuit.

The program - The second weekend of the season will start on Friday with the first free practice session from 10:30 to 11:20 (GT3) and from 11:30 to 12:20 (GT Cup), while the second session will take place from 16:30 to 17:20 (GT3) and from 17:30 to 18:20 (GT Cup). Saturday's schedule includes two official practice sessions from 9:50 to 10:30 (GT3) and from 11:30 to 12:10 (GT Cup), followed by GT3 race-1 at 16:20 and GT Cup race-1 at 18:40. On Sunday, GT3 race-2 is scheduled for 14:20 and GT Cup race-2 at 16:30. All races, lasting 50 minutes plus 1 lap, will be broadcast live on Acisport TV (SKY 228) and live-streamed on all the championship's social media platforms. Raisport will broadcast race-1 on a delayed basis on Saturday, June 1st at 23:50, followed by the live broadcast of race-2 on Sunday at 14:20.

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RACE-1 GT3’S START IN MISANO

 

RACE-1 GT CUP’S START IN MISANO