Ferrari Triumphs at Watkins Glen
Watkins Glen, 23rd August 1998.

The Ferrari 333SP of Gianpiero Moretti won the Watkins Glen 6-Hour race, the fifth round of this season's US Road-Racing Championship.

Moretti, driving with Didier They and Mauro Baldi, has thus achieved the triple of the most prestigious sports car races to be held in the USA; this success following on from those in the Daytona 24 Hours and the Sebring 12 Hours. For the Italian gentleman driver this win had a special significance, given that just yesterday Moretti had announced he was retiring from racing. "It is fantastic to end my career with victory at Daytona, Sebring and now Watkins Glen", said Moretti. "I could not have asked for more."

The race was a close run event. The Maranello machine crossed the line just 656 thousandths of a second ahead of its regular rival this season, the Ford Riley & Scott Mk111 of James Weaver, Butch Leitzinger and Elliot Forbes-Robinson. The early stages were very difficult for the Ferrari, which was one lap down on the leaders. Then it began to climb back and with only one hour to go Theys passed the Porsche 911 GTi of Thierry Boutsen, Bob Wollek, Rick Jones and Ralf Kelleners. The Belgian driver was at the wheel for the final part of the race and had an enthralling duel with the Ford, which tried all it could to retake the lead.

"I was under a lot of pressure towards the end," said Theys after the win, which he dedicated to Moretti. "I could see the blue and white Ford in my mirrors getting ever closer. The team did a great job, especially in getting us unlapped."

The second F333SP entered, that of Dollahitte-Davies-Bourbonais finished tenth, 11 laps down.

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