Former champion shines in difficult conditions in Magny-CoursBontempelli-Gattuso (Kessel Ferrari) take second win in GTS

RACE 1 Magny-Cours, 14 May 2011

Andrea Montermini and Emanuele Moncini gave today in Magny-Cours its firstvictory in the GT Open to both the Ferrari 458 and the Villorba Corse. It tookonly three races for the new outfit to clinch victory. Former GT Open championMontermini already showed the good form of the squad in qualifying by takingthe pole in the morning.

This was critical for Montermini to avoid the confusion occurred at first corneddue to the slippery track, when Ayari (JMB), Peter (Kessel), Gené (SunRed) andFrezza (Vittoria) collided, with only the last one being able to retake the track.Bamford (RPM Ford) and Ramos (Edil Cris) continued for a short while but alsofell victims of the pile-up.

The incident allowed Montermini to take a good advantage over Firman,Bontempelli and Ceccato, a gap that Moncini kept and even increased after thedriver change.

Second position, on home soil, was for the Luxury Racing Ferrari of RalphFirman and Ange Barde, while Andrea Ceccato and Alvaro Barba took third onthe Autorlando Porsche, while championship leaders Frezza-Lopez (VittoriaCompetizioni) closed in sixth position.

The GTS cars had a brilliant race, with Lorenzo Bontempelli and Stefano Gattuso(Kessel Ferrari 458) dominating and taking their second win of the year, on topof an excellent fourth position overall, ahead of Stefano Bizzarri-Andrea Rizzoli,on the 458 of AF Corse, second for the third time on a row. Gianluca Roda-FabioBabini (Autorlando Porsche) took third in the category, after a strong fight withundersteering.

Overall Standings: 1.Frezza-Lopez, 40 p.; 2.Barba-Ceccato, 39; 3. Montermini-Moncini, 37; 4. Bizzari-Rizzoli, 34; 5.Bontempelli-Gattuso, 31SGT: 1. Frezza-Lopez, 18 p.; 2. Ceccato-Barba, Montermini-Moncini, 16; 4. Ramos-£Giammaria, 12; 5. Firman-Barde, 11GTS: 1.Bizzarri-Rizzoli, 24 p.; 2. Roda-Babini, 22; 3. Bontempelli-Gattuso, 20; 4. Gruber, 10; 5. Rees-Pirri, 7