Four hours into the final DESDER Indianapolis 8 Hour race, the #12 AF Corse USA Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo has taken the lead before half-distance, overhauling the #34 JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO which has controlled the prior two hours of running under cloudy skies at Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course.
The battle for the lead turned after the two Pro class leaders made their most recent pit stops. After a heroic job to hold the lead, Michai Stephens brought the #34 Mercedes-AMG in from the lead ahead of Nicklas Nielsen in the #12 Ferrari. After both cars changed drivers and left the pits, Frederik Schandorff was able to get the Ferrari’s tyres up to temperature quicker than Maxime Martin could in the AMG, and overtook Martin into turn seven to take what would become the overall lead of the race.
Schandorff currently leads by more than 11 seconds. As they run, AF Corse USA’s Matías Pérez Companc would not only win the race alongside Schandorff and Nielsen, but he’d also take the winner-take-all battle for the GT World Challenge America Pro class championship.
Second in the Pro class isn’t so good for Stephens’ and Mikaël Grenier’s bid to win the GT World America championship, but it is good enough for Martin to win the Intercontinental GT Challenge Drivers’ Championship after title rival Luca Stolz suffered a devastating setback before he could ever get into the #80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG.
In Lin Hodenius’ opening stint, the #80 Mercedes-AMG was mixing it up in the midfield when he first made contact with the #69 Archangel Motorsports McLaren of Todd Coleman at turn seven and did a half-spin, before getting back on course – only to encounter a spinning #13 Kellymoss Porsche of Todd Parriott in his path.
Hodenius slammed into the Porsche, inflicting terminal damage on the #80 Lone Star AMG. Stolz is now out of contention for the IGTC Drivers’ title, and reigning IndyCar Series champion Álex Palou was also taken out before he could get in the car for his guest appearance.
The #29 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 EVO that started on pole position now runs third overall.
A recent pit stop from the #32 GMG Racing Porsche has put Laurin Heinrich in the #31 Wright Motorsports Porsche up into the Pro-Am class lead, fourth overall – which would give his co-drivers Dave Musial Jnr and Ryan Yardley the GT World America Pro-Am title as they run.
But the #32 GMG Porsche should be a factor in the second half of the race: The Buc-ee’s car is running on an alternate strategy to the Pro-Am leader – and currently holds the fastest lap of the race via Riccardo Pera. The #69 Archangel Motorsports McLaren 720S GT3 Evo is running fifth, followed by the #91 Herberth Motorsport Porsche in sixth, and the #9 TR3 Racing Mercedes-AMG in seventh.
Another car on an alternate strategy is the #28 RS1 Porsche, which has led portions of the race thanks to strategy and the driving of its two Dans: Danny Dyszelski, and Daan Arrow (Pijl), now running in eighth.
The #120 Wright Motorsports Porsche is the last car on the lead lap, ninth overall, after fighting to get its lap back following first-lap contact with the #86 High Class Racing Porsche and subsequent repairs. The #8 McCann Racing Porsche is the first car off the lead lap in 10th, followed by the #99 Random Vandals Racing BMW in 11th overall, currently being driven by Indy 500 champion Marcus Ericsson.
Three cars are currently out of the race, including the #6 Dollahite Racing Ford Mustang GT3 Evo – which led from the completion of the first lap, until the end of Alex Sedgwick’s impressive opening stint at the wheel. Not long after driver/manager Scott Dollahite got aboard, the left front suspension failed as he went through the chicane down Hulman Boulevard, ending the day for Dollahite, Sedgwick, and Christopher Mies.
With the Dollahite Ford out, JMF Motorsports’ #27 Mercedes-AMG emerged as an early contender for the Pro-Am victory. But just after two hours had elapsed, Jason Daskalos grabbed fifth gear and felt his car grind to a halt, knocking him out of the class lead and the #27 Mercedes-AMG out of the race.
Porsche is poised to clinch the IGTC Manufacturers’ Championship with five cars in the overall top ten.
As they run, the #163 AF Corse USA Ferrari is currently leading the Am class in 16th overall, ahead of the #11 Mad Joker Racing Mercedes-AMG.
Images © SRO Motorsports America
