Nick Moss and Joe Osborne took a superb win in Race 1 on a warm Saturday afternoon at Paul Ricard.
The British duo of the Optimum Motorsport McLaren took its third GT Open win, the first since they race in the Pro class and are now leading the overall standings, six points ahead of Leo Pulcini-Benja Hites (Oregon Team Lambo), who managed only eighth.
It was a lively and fiercely-fought race, especially in the second stint. Eventually, Marcin Jedlinski-Karol Basz took second and the pro-Am win in their Olimp Racing Audi, ahead of Murat Cuharadoglu-David Fumanelli (Kessel Racing Ferrari).
Kevin Gilardoni-Glenn Van Berlo (Oregon Team Lambo) and Ydexter Müller-Yannick Metttler (SPS Mercedes) completed a top-5 with five different brands represented.
Alex Hrachowina-Martin Konrad (Mann-Filter Team Landgraf Mercedes) took their second win of the year in Am.
Before the race, the #73 Ferrari of Kessel Racing, in which Axcil Jefferies took P2 in qualifying was sanctioned with the cancellation of all its times, because an irregular gurney. At the start, poleman Christodoulou pulled slightly away followed by Kranz, Van Berlo, Hites, Baud, Moss and Cipriani. At the end of lap 1, Jefferies, who started last was already in P16 and in lap 4, he had reached P7.
At the top, Christodoulou managed a 4-second advantage on Van Berlo and Hites, but on lap 8 the safety-car was forced to intervene to allow the rescue of the Aust Audi of Steiner, stopped on the straight after a technical problem and losing oil, on which Cipriani spun. The restart took place three laps later, with Christodoulou keeping the lead but Kranz being passed by the two Lambos of Van Berlo and Hites.
The pit stop window opened on lap 14 and the period saw a contact between Pulcini and Mettler as soon as they took over from their teammates, with the Lamborghini spinning.
After all changes, Gilardoni was in the lead, narrowly in front of a group comprising Fumanelli, Osborne, Basz and Zieman who fought hard for three laps, exchanging positions almost constantly.
Osborne emerged from the fight and on lap 24 caught and passed Gilardoni for the lead. The Swiss soon had to defend himself from Basz and Fumanelli, who continued to be involved in a fierce duel. Another intense battle was keeping busy Mettler and Reema Juffali for 7th, right after Jens.
The last couple of laps were still lively with Fumanelli and Gilardoni fighting until the end. First, the Italian passed the Swiss on the penultimate lap, although cutting a corner right after, then in the last lap, the Swiss attempted to outbrake his rival on the inside, touching the Lambo and getting a 5-second penalty. Konrad, Hollings and Stanley took the podium in Am.
