The 2007 FIA GT Championship got underway yesterday
at the Zuhai circuit in China. The results seem to suggest "business
as usual" in the new two hour format race as Ferrari took the win
in the GT2 class with Dirk Müller and Toni Vilander in their AF
Corse 430GT. However first across the line was the Porsche 997 GT3 RSR
of one-time Ferrari team BMS Scuderia Italia, driven by Emmanuel Collard
and Matteo Mallucelli but the car failed post-race scrutineering due
to the ground clearance being insufficient. Porsche had also scared
the Ferrari teams by being quickest in the (mostly) wet practice; but
Müller/Vilander denied them in the (dry) qualifying.
AF Corse's second car, driven by Stéphane Ortelli
and Gianmaria Bruni, led the class but was delayed due to a puncture,
finished third on the road and was then elevated to second following
the Porkie's exclusion.
Scuderia Ecosse have new driver pairings for 2007. With Nathan Kinch
switching to the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli, Andrew Kirkaldy now
shares with new business partner Chris Niarchos and Tim Mullen has now
got the quick Thomas Enge. The Scottish team suffered a difficult start
to the season which began when Mullen/Enge blew an engine in practice
and consequently had to start from the back of the grid. They were denied
class pole in qualifying by AF Corse, this being first time they have
been beaten to it since they came into the championship.
Ecosse's quickest driver Andrew Kirkaldy took the class lead at the
end of lap one and held it until lap 23 when he pitted for a routine
stop for fuel, tyres and driver change to Niarchos. The Tech9 Motorsport
Porsche 997 GT3 RSR of Edwards/Machitski then led until they pitted,
where they lost a lot of time with a rear wheel problem; the Collard/Mallucelli
car taking over the lead. On lap 45 the Safety Car was deployed to faciltate
circuit repairs. It stayed out until lap 56. On lap 58 the official
race report states "#63 (Kirkaldy/Niarchos) Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari
off the track and rejoins".
This left the class order: 1. Collard/Mallucelli (Porsche). 2. Muller/Vilander
(AF Corse Ferrari 430GT). 3 Bruni/Ortelli (AF Corse 430GT), 3. Mullen/Enge
(Scuderia Ecosse 430GT). 4. Zani/Busnelli (Ebimotors Porsche 997 GT3
RSR) 5. Kirkaldy/Niarchos (Scuderia Ecosse 430GT). Subsequently all
but the "winning" Porsche were elevated a place following
its exclusion.
So things eventually came out OK for Ferrari but let us hope that Porsche's
performance is not the start of a trend. We should not forget that the
Ebimotors' 996 of Collard/Rockenfeller led for most of the middle hour
in the last round of 2006 in Dubai before developing power-steering
problems.
In GT1 there was no Ferrari interest. Christophe Bouchut and Stefan
Mücke gave Lamborghini their first ever FIA GT win with their All-Inkl.com
Racing Murciélago. Hairdressers everywhere will be celebrating!
Next round: 06/05/07 Silverstone.
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Masers stumbled
and fell... |
...giving Lambo their
first FIA GT win |
Mullen/Enge
were
third in GT2... |
...Muller/Vilander
won |
