Frederick Schandorff and Michele Beretta took their third win of the season in Race 1 at the Hungaroring, ahead of teammates Yuki Nemoto-Baptiste Moulin in what was the third 1-2 of the season for the Lamborghinis of Vincenzo Sospri Racing.
The Danish-Italian pair retook the lead in the standings, by 4 points, from the Lechner Racing Porsche, today third with Andy Soucek and Ben Barker, a last-minute placement for an unwell Al Faisal Al Zubair.
In Pro-Am, three different brands climbed to the podium, with class leaders Brendan Iribe-Ollie Millroy (Inception McLaren) extending their lead and beating the Reno Racing Honda NSX of Jens Reno Moller-Marcus Paverud and the Olimp Racing Mercedes of Marcin Jedlinski and Karol Basz.
Giuseppe Cipriani, with the Mercedes of Il Barone Rampante, took his second Am win of the season, reinforcing his leadership in the class standings.
At the start, under intense heat, Loris Spinelli (AKM Mercedes) kept the advantage of his first-ever pole, ahead of the two VSR Lambos of Schandorff and Nemoto, but all three were under investigation for the starting procedure (they would escape with a fine), while Soucek was fourth ahead of Millroy, Paverud, Twerhaser, Dinan and Krupinski. In Am, Antonelli preceeded Cipriani and Valera.
Gaps grew steadily in the initial laps, with Spinelli 7 seconds ahead by lap 7, Nemoto third, 8 seconds behind and Soucek and Millroy at 9 seconds from the leader.
The situation stabilized up to the pit stops, which started on lap 17.
On lap 22, there was contact between Font and Antonelli, who both spun, leaving P1 in Am to Cipriani (the Spaniard would receive a 5-second penalty). Spinelli, Nemoto and Millroy were the last of the top cars to stop, with Giraudi having a slight contact with the Porsche of Janosz after unsafe release, punished with a 5-second penalty.
After all driver changes, Beretta led with 7 seconds over teammate Moulin, then Giraudi, Barker, Iribe, Moller, Foley and Basz. On lap 28, Font was again in the spotlight as he spun and hit the wall trying to pass Cipriani.
The final laps saw the two VSR Lambos running very close and almost fighting until the flag, with Ben Barker taking third, ahead of Iribe, Moller and Basz, the three first in Am, while Cipriani wins in Am.
Second win and extended lead for Blazek-Lisowski (A&P Racing PTT Tech Support)
Maciej Blazek and Mateusz Lisowski took their second win of the season in a lively race in the heat at the Hungaroring. The Polish pair at the wheel of the Porsche of A&P Racing Team PTT Tech Support has further reinforced its leadership (+33 points) in the overall standings of the GT Cup Open Europe.
Newcomers Tomasz Magdzierz and Daan Pijl, in the second ALDA Motorsport Porsche, took second and the Polish success was completed by the third position of Maciej Darmetko-Artur Janosz (Q1 by EMG Motorsport), who led in the first part of the race.
Poleman Artur Janosz (Q1 by EMG Motorsport) took a perfect start, unlike Tamasz Magdzierz, his first-row mate, who slipped through the order. Janosz built a 10-second advantage in the first 10 laps, leading ahead of Antoszwski, Blazek, Karpi, Magdzierz and Bozzoni.
The situation would not change much up to the driver change, with Janosz being the last to stop, when he had a 18-second advantage. The Pole was touched while getting to his stand by the Mercedes of Giraudi, released a little bit hastily.
Darmetko would keep the advantage at the beginning of his stint but would not resist the return of Mateusz Lisowski, who took the lead in lap 29. Daan Pijl was also in great shape in the second stint and the Dutchman gained two positions, with great moves, to finish second overall. Darmetko closed in third ahead of Dwernicki, while Eugenio Pisani won the CAME Racing Team family duel for fifth ahead of Am winner “Mark Speakerwas”.
