Adenau, 21-23 September, 2012
For enthusiasts of modern GT racing, the place to be over the
weekend of 21 – 23 September was Germany’s Nurburgring for
the Blancpain Race Weekend. The event provided races for the
FIA GT1 World Championship and the FIA GT3 European
Championship, The Blancpain Endurance Series, plus the
Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo one make series.
Apart from the races themselves, there were lengthy practice and
qualifying sessions, providing plenty of track action throughout the
weekend. A bonus was the weather, given the vagaries that exist
in the Eiffel region. Although each day started misty and chilly,
the sun usually made an appearance around lunchtime through
broken cloud, and although some looked threatening, the
conditions stayed dry. A further attraction of the weekend, was
the second appearance in the Blancpain Endurance Series of
nine time World Champion motorcyclist, Valentino Rossi, in one
of the Kessel Racing Ferrari 458 GT3s, carrying his hallmark race
number 46. Although the team’s pit garages were fenced off, he
happily came out to sign autographs for the adoring fans who
lined the barriers.
Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo
The Lamborghini version of the Ferrari Challenge series, with
competitors in a colourful array of identical Lamborghini
Gallardos. The 34 drivers in 20 cars, at the Nurburgring
represented nine different countries in a truly international grid,
and provided attendees with some close and exciting racing.
Podium Race 1
1st # 69, Enjalbert/Delhez, Touring Auto 2000 S.R.L.
2nd ?
3rd ?
Podium Race 2
1st # 63, Leimer/Piquet, Autovitesse Garage R. Affolter
2nd # 3, A. Zaugg, Bonaldi Motorsport
3rd # 54 A. Amici, Autocarrozzeria Imperiale S.R.L.
FIA GT1 World Championship & FIA GT3 European
Championship
Due to the relatively low number of starters and the time
constraints of a busy programme, the FIA GT1 World
Championship and the FIA GT3 European Championship
contenders ran on the track at the same time, but with separate
results for each group. In the GT1 group, only two cars made it
onto the podium in each race, the qualifying race winning # 25
Lamborghini of Kox/Rosina, and the # 38 Mercedes-Benz of
Basseng/Winkelhock. In the GT3 category it was a double win for
the # 101 Mercedes-Benz of Buhk/Baumann
FIA GT1 World Championship Podium, Qualifying Race 1
1st # 25, Kox/Rosina, Reiter Engineering, Lamborghini Gallardo
LP560-4
2nd # 32, Vanthoot/Ortelli, Belgian Audi Club Team WRT, Audi
R8 LMS
3rd # 38, Basseng/Winkelhock, All-inkl.com Munich Motorsport,
Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3
FIA GT1 World Championship Podium, Championship Race
2
1st # 3, Vilander/Salaquarda, AF Corse, Ferrari 458 GT3
2nd # 38, Basseng/Winkelhock, All-inkl.com Munich Motorsport,
Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3
3rd # 25, Kox/ Rosina, Reiter Engineering, Lamborghini Gallardo
LP560-4
FIA GT3 European Championship Podium Race 1
1st # 101, Buhk/Baumann, Heico-Gravity Charouz Team,
Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3
2nd # 151, Lyons/Gai, AF Corse Ferrari 458 GT3
3rd # 102, Nilsson/Vahamaki, Heico-Gravity Charouz Team,
Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3
FIA GT3 European Championship Podium Race 2
1st # 101, Buhk/Baumann, Heico-Gravity Charouz Team,
Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3
2nd # 111, Mengesdorf/Proczyk, Rhino’s Leipert Motorsport,
Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4
3rd # 114, Amorim/Campanico, Team Novadriver, Audi R8 LMS
Blancpain Endurance Series
With a 50 car entry list and 45 starters, spanning seven different
manufacturers in three classes, the action on the track promised
to be fast and furious for the 3 hour race, and it certainly was! The
Pro Cup championship leading # 3 Marc VDS Racing BMW Z4
was the victim of an assault by the # 40 Sainteloc Racing Audi
R8, which put it into the barriers and out of the race, meaning that
the championship will be decided in the final round at Navarra in
Spain in October. With the BMW hors de combat, for the most
part of the race it was a duel between the # 75 Prospeed Porsche
of Goossens/Maassen/Henerici, and the Black Falcon Mercedes-
Benz of Cheng/Parisi/Bleekemolen, with the former taking victory
by a scant 0.521sec, the closest finish in the history of the
series. The team also took the win in the Pro-Am class with the
similar # 19 car, driven by Morley/Jans/Edwards, so the Black
Falcon team had plenty to celebrate on Sunday evening.
Pro Cup Podium
1st # 75, Goossens/Maassen/Henerici, Prospeed Competition,
Porsche 997 GT3 R
2nd # 18, Cheng/Parisi/Bleekemolen, Black Falcon, Mercedes-
Benz SLS AMG GT3
3rd # 66, Franchi/Lauda/Kechele, Vita4one Racing Team, BMW
Z4
Pro-Am Cup Podium
1st # 19, Morley/Jans/Edwards, Black Falcon, Mercedes-Benz
SLS AMG GT3
2nd # 34, Hassid/Beltoise, Pro GT by Almeras, Porsche 997 GT3
R
3rd # 12, Demoustier/Tappy, ART Grand Prix, McLaren MP4-12C
Gentlemen Trophy Podium
1st # 58, Desbrueres/Kelders, Exagon Engineering, Porsche 997
GT3 R
2nd # 31, Cabannes/Michal/Thuner, Ruffier Racing, Lamborghini
LP520+
3rd # 98, Brunsted/Bender/Roos, JB Motorsport, Audi R8 LMS
Keith Bluemel
09/2012
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