A record 29 cars will travel to Circuit Paul Ricard this weekend for round three and the halfway mark of the 2016 Blancpain GT Sports Club campaign.
The former F1 venue in southern France attracted a then-record entry last season and has once again pulled in a formidable line-up comprising seven different manufacturers and 12 models of balanced GTE and GT3 cars.
Circuit Paul Ricard’s 2015 benchmark was eclipsed at the start of this year by the 27 machines that competed at Misano. Two more this weekend, which comprise a new team, drivers and cars, emphasises the growing popularity of a series reserved for purely amateur drivers.
Standing in the way of 28 of them is double Brands Hatch race winner Michal Broniszewski who once again combines his Blancpain GT Series commitments with those of the Blancpain GT Sports Club this weekend. His Kessel Racing-run 458 Italia GT3 is one of 13 Ferraris taking part, the most of any manufacturer.
“Of course we are hoping to do the same as last time and record maximum points.” said the Pole. “However, the 458 I am racing this weekend is different to the one I used at Brands Hatch and you never know what differences there might be or the affects they will have on performance.
“Brands Hatch’s results have given me a lot of motivation to complete the season after missing Misano. We are not far off leading the championship, which could be possible after this weekend. With the Endurance Cup and Blancpain GT Sports Club races taking place on different days it is not difficult to compete in both. Perhaps a few years ago it would have been but modern GT3 cars are less physically demanding to drive, so getting up for Sunday’s qualifying session after racing into the night on Saturday will be fine.”
AF Corse remains the busiest team with no less than five of Maranello’s finest entered, one of which features Overall championship leader Mario Cordoni who will be eager to bounce back from a troubled weekend at Brands Hatch last month. The Italian certainly needs to be at his very best if he is to defend the five-point advantage he currently enjoys over Broniszewski.
Porsche won both Circuit Paul Ricard races last season and the marque returns to Blancpain GT Sports Club this weekend with father and son Mentos Racing duo Augusto and Egidio Perfetti. The latter, driving a new-generation 911 GT3 R, should provide stern opposition to Cordoni and Broniszewski.
Iron Cup points leader Stephen Earle scored his maiden class victory last time out at Brands Hatch and will likely need another this weekend if he is to keep reigning class champion Martin Lanting, who finished third and fourth overall at Circuit Paul Ricard last season, at bay. The Kessel Racing and AF Corse Ferrari drivers are currently separated by 12 points, with a total of 33 on offer during Sunday’s Qualifying and Main Races.
Elsewhere, Audi is once again well represented with no less than six R8 LMS ultras - three of which are run by Sainteloc Racing - scheduled to compete, while four Mercedes - comprising two SLS GT3s and the same number of new-generation AMG GT3s - are sure to provide a thunderous V8 soundtrack.
The increased entry sees a number of other fresh and familiar faces heading to France this weekend. Home favourite Pierre Hirschi is back with his BMW Z4 GT3 after missing Brands Hatch, while X Bionic Racing Team’s Cedric Leimer gives the Lamborghini Huracan GT3 its first Blancpain GT Sports Club outing. There is also a second Ferrari 488 GT3 on the grid courtesy of new Iron Cup racer Klaus Dieter Frers and the Artega Rennsport squad.
All of this weekend’s sessions will be streamed live on the Blancpain GT Sports Club website while Motors TV also has live coverage of both races on Sunday.
And don't forget the Blancpain Ultracar Sports Club will also be at Circuit Paul Ricard this weekend, featuring the likes of McLaren's P1 GTR, the Porsche 911 GT1 and Pagani Zonda R.
