Despite heavy, sudden rain in the last ten minutes of the race, it was the #47 Teo Martin BMW of Fran Rueda and Andrés Saravia that took victory in GT Open’s first race of the weekend yesterday at Paul Ricard.
Rueda, who started the #47 BMW M6 GT3, had the best getaway among the frontrunners when the lights went green, and was helped into second place by contact at turn three between Andrea Montermini (#11 RS Racing Ferrari) and Rik Breukers (#25 Imperiale Lamborghini) – Breukers found himself facing the wrong way, and re-joined towards the back of the 23 car field.
Pole-sitter Michele Rugolo (#71 Luzich Racing Ferrari) held his lead through the opening sector, however, on the first run out of the Mistral Chicane, Rueda got a better run down the second half of the Mistral Straight, completing a move for the lead around the outside of Turn 10, Courbes des Signes.
Rueda soon began gapping Rugolo, who was experiencing pressure from the other Luzich Racing Ferrari, the #51 of Marco Cioci. On Lap 3, Cioci made it past at the Mistral Chicane. Rueda already had over two seconds between himself and Cioci.
Meanwhile, Andrea Montermini came into the pits for an unscheduled stop with just ten minutes of the race – seemingly, the #11 RS Ferrari was worse for wear after Montermini’s earlier contact.
Elsewhere, David Perel was challenging Rugolo for third in the #333 Rinaldi Ferrari.
With 28 minutes of the race completed, the pit window opened; Fran Rueda and Marco Cioci entered the pits nose-to-tail, while Perel managed to pass Rugolo for third on the approach to turn one – his impressive stint left teammate Vadim Kogay in a good position to challenge for PRO-AM honours, but ultimately, some mistakes from Kogay – including a spin – undid Perel’s work.
Due to the incredible success of Mikkel Mac and WEC-obligated absentee Alessandro Pier Guidi in the #51 Luzich Ferrari last time out at Estoril, their pitstop was some 30 seconds longer than that of the leading #47 Teo Martin BMW. Cioci handed over to Mac, who found himself too far away to mount any serious challenge on Rueda’s teammate Andrés Saravia, who maintained the lead thanks to a pitstop that was unhindered by results seconds.
Meanwhile, in PRO-AM, Alexander West had taken over the #71 Luzich Ferrari from Michele Rugolo, and was still leading the class. However, Tom Onslow-Cole had taken over the #20 SPS Automotive Mercedes, and made it past the Ferrari driver in the closing minutes, before the race devolved into various dramas.
Firstly, yellow flags began to wave at the final turn with just eight minutes left to run. The cause was defending champion Giovanni Venturini, whose #63 Imperiale Lamborghini had ground to a halt on the track. The stationery Huracan was recovered without a safety car, however, heavy rain started to fall just seconds later at the end of the Mistral Straight.
Conditions immediately became treacherous, and since the entire field was on slicks, the decision was made to deploy the safety car. The race never returned to action.
As such, Andrés Saravia took the win in the #47 Teo Martin BMW. Fernando Rees finished second in the #12 Ombra Racing Lamborghini. Mikkel Mac was closing in fast on Rees before the rain fell, but the safety car meant that the Dane in the #51 Luzich Ferrari had to settle for third.
Juan Cruz Alvarez finished fourth in the #3 Teo Martin BMW, ahead of the PRO-AM top two, Tom Onslow-Cole and Alexander West.
AM honours went to the #74 HTP Motorsport/MS Racing Mercedes of Alexander Hrachowina and Martin Konrad. The latter driver took the car to the flag at an extremely cautious speed – since no one could overtake the Austrian driver thanks to the safety car, no risky driving was necessary!
Today will see more action from Paul Ricard, with qualifying at 09:40 CEST, and the second race at 14:15 CEST.
