The Superstars GT Sprint finale was at Vallelunga this weekend. MTM Motorsport topped off a great season with a tremendous result with their Audi R8 LMS in Italy.
MTM’s lead driver, Thomas Schöffler, arrived at Vallelunga as the driver’s championship points leader. He was again joined by Johan Kristoffersson, after their double victory at Imola last time out.
The MTM pairing qualified third for race one and sixth for race two.
Race one saw them finishing in eighth place. This result was enough to ensure that Thomas Schöffler was crowned as the 2013 GT Sprint champion, with one race to spare. The second and final race of the day yielded a ninth place classification, closing off the 2013 GT Sprint season. It has been a great season for MTM Motorsport and their Audi R8 LMS with Thomas Schöffler as champion. Photo credit:Audi Sport Communication / Media
A top three finish in round 15 at Vallelunga was more than enough for Audi's Gianni Morbidelli to wrap up his record fifth Superstars title. Andrea Larini highlights his Audi debut with nailbiting win
RACE REPORT
Former Formula 1 driver Gianni Morbidelli clinched the 2013 International Superstars Series title with a restrained drive in the season finale at Rome's Piero Taruffi. Audi Sport Italia's star made sure that RS 5s remain unbeaten in the tin-top league reserved to big and loud V8 sedans: Sweden's Johan Kristoffersson claimed the 2012 crown in a sister car operated by KMS. Unflappable as ever, Morbidelli entered race one with a 33-point edge over arch-rival Thomas Biagi, and he treated his first match point with astonishing coolness--even if his stomach must have been filled with a ball of twisted nerves. As BMWs were on their way to their first 2013 1-2 success, Morbidelli spent most of the Noon race snapping at Biagi's rear bumper, putting the rival under a relentless pressure that--possibly--produced an unexpected twist on the next-to-last lap when the AMG Mercedes driver suddenly pulled over at Rome corner--even putting the title-bidding twosome at risk of a collision. Morbidelli's P3 finish put an end to the title chase that had had him and Biagi swap tables' lead after Vitantonio Liuzzi enjoyed a brief one-round lead as by-product of his win in Monza opener. Race two was not as lucky for Morbidelli, whose effort was hindered by brake problems, but Andrea Larini took the relay posting his second career Superstars win in only his second outing in a RS 5 Audi.
On Saturday, Morbidelli's opposition got bogged down in practice by a damp circuit, therefore BMWs and AMG Mercedes could not build an edge on his beefy (due to both BOP provisions and success ballast) RS 5 car. Morbidelli claimed an unexpected front row spot next to polesitter Giovanni Berton, as Biagi clinched P4. Under a bright sky, race one saw M3s skyrocket ahead as Berton and team mate Max Mugelli took the lead without being bothered until the checker. Biagi quickly claimed P3 as Liuzzi had his hands full with Four-ring drivers. Morbidelli challenged the former F.1 driver on lap two, but it wasn't until lap three that the Camozzi Audi had a firm grip on P4. However, Liuzzi was meant to have an Audi guy as travel companion, as Andrea Larini took over from Morbidelli, triggering an entertaining battle that lasted until lap six, when Larini made the most of his freshly-discovered four-wheel-drive manoeuvrability in the mixed section. Up front BMWs were unchallenged, but Morbidelli sitting in P4 had eyes only for the best placed AMG Mercedes until Biagi's car let go, handing him over his 10th 2013 Top3 finish place. Larini, who had made a brilliant Audi debut on Saturday on wet posting the fastest time in the first free practice, wound up fourth, ahead of Liuzzi.
The Tuscan driver and the freshly-crowned champ teamed up on row three for race two. Larini started well, whilst on the opening lap Morbidelli was boxed in behind the swift BMWs. As the Camozzi Audi battled it out with the M3s Larini was closing the gap from the leading pair of Chevys, passing by Mimmo Schiattarella on lap 2. The former single-seater driver was also leapfrogged by the No. 45 Audi a couple of laps later, as Larini was posting the fastest lap and catching up with Francesco Sini's Camaro. Obviously the Audis had Sini's number, and the Abruzzi-based driver was spending a fair amount of time looking in the mirrors. He was doing so at the hairpin when Larini rolled the dice going on the inside of him: he succeeded, but Morbidelli got the upper hand on both claiming the leading spot. Morbidelli looked set to clinch a record seventh success, but it was not meant to be so, as he developed braking trouble that forced him to slow down, in order to finish the race. Larini, who inherited the lead, was on his way to a surprise but deserved win in spite of a dearth of mileage in the German car, but he had to stay focused until the checker, as race one winner Berton was staging a comeback race closing in on the leading Audi, whose driver kept his cool to the finish line denying the BMW rival a sweep by a mere 0.4s. Larini--Nicola's junior brother--had posted his maiden Superstars win at home circuit Mugello, in mid-2012. Morbidelli limped home in seventh place, but his post-race time was already booked hoisting silverware and doing interviews, rather than mulling over the unfortunate outcome of race two...
INTERNATIONAL SUPERSTARS SERIES
Sunday, October 13, 2013.
Round 15 - Vallelunga, I:
1. Giovanni Berton (BMW) 16 laps, 27:39.604s average speed 141.8 kph;
2. Max Mugelli (BMW) + 3.268s;
3. GIANNI MORBIDELLI (AUDI RS 5) +6.934s;
4. ANDREA LARINI (AUDI RS 5) +11.908s;
5. Vitantonio Liuzzi (AMG Mercedes) +22.776s.
INTERNATIONAL SUPERSTARS SERIES
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Round 16 - Vallelunga, I:
1. ANDREA LARINI (AUDI RS 5) 16 laps, 27:53.960s average speed 140.6 kph;
The French FFSA GT Tour headed to Ledenon this weekend, for the penultimate round of the 2013 season. A total of five Audi R8 LMS and ultra cars were on site, coming from Sainteloc Racing and Team Speed Car.
Audi teams dominated last time out at Never-Magny-Cours, pole position for Sainteloc Racing and double race victories for Team Speed Car in both race 1 and race 2. The two Audi Sport customer racing teams were eager to perform well again, however it was a difficult weekend for the Audi R8 LMS ultra.
Race 1
The victorious duo at Nevers Magny-Cours last time out, Dino Lunardi and Vincent Abril, were the best ranked Audi drivers during the first race at Lédenon. Their #36 Audi R8 LMS ultra from Team Speed Car finished in ninth place after an eventful 1-hour race. Their sister car #009 finished twelfth with Pascal Destembert and Jimmy Antunes.
It was a much harder race 1 for Sainteloc Racing. The #83 Audi R8 LMS ultra of Emmaunel Rodrigues and Gilles Lallement finished in sixteenth place, third in the Coupe de France GT class, open for Gentlemen drivers. The #82 Audi R8 LMS ultra of Marc Sourd and Mathieu Jaminet failed to finish. Unfortunately the #42 Audi R8 LMS ultra of David Hallyday and Gregory Guilvert was damaged and did not start the race.
Up ahead it was a 1-2 Ferrari 458 GT3 finish. The #20 car from Sofrev ASP won the race in front of the #27 machine from Sport Garage. Third was the #8 McLaren MP4-12C from Sebastien Loeb Racing. Race 1 results can be seen here.
Race 2 The second race, held on Sunday, was slightly better for Team Speed Car. Dino Lunardi and Vincent Abril battled very well against their rivals from McLaren, Ferrari and Porsche. The two drivers came home in sixth place, driving their #36 Audi R8 LMS ultra. The two drivers finished fourteen seconds behind the race winning McLaren.
The two Sainteloc Racing Audi R8 LMS ultra cars were outside of the top 10. The #83 car of Emmaunel Rodrigues and Gilles Lallement finished in nineteenth place. The sister #82 Audi R8 LMS ultra of Marc Sourd and Mathieu Jaminet again failed to finish. The car retired after only two laps into the race.
The #009 Audi R8 LMS from Team Speed Car, driven by Pascal Destembert and Jimmy Antunes, did not start the race. The same case for the #42 Audi R8 LMS ultra of David Hallyday and Gregory Guilvert, the Sainteloc Racing car was not able to take part in either of the two races.
Race victory went to the #8 McLaren MP4-12C from Sebastien Loeb Racing. Second was the #1 Porsche 997 GT3 R from Pro GT By Almeras, ahead of the sister #2 car. Race 2 results can be seen here.
The GT Tour series will head to Paul Ricard in southern France for the season finale, October the 26th and 27th.
Zhuhai in China played host to the penultimate GT Asia round this weekend. Absolute Racing fielded a trio of Audi R8 LMS ultra cars.
The three regular Absolute Racing Audi R8 LMS ultra cars took part in round five of the 2013 GT Asia season at Zhuhai, the only three Audi cars in the field this weekend. All three cars are entered under the team/entrant name of Team R8 LMS ultra, which represents Absolute Racing’s three customer teams: J-Fly Racing (Audi #7), Team Hong Kong Racing (Audi #98) and Tunewear Racing (Audi #888).
Absolute Racing’s regular driver line-ups were again behind the wheel of the three cars this weekend. Jeffrey Lee and Marchy Lee were driving the #7 J-Fly machine, Philip Ma and Cong Fu Cheng in the #98 and Francis Hideki Onda and Alex Yoong in the #888.
Qualifying for the first race saw the #888 as the highest Audi in fifth place, followed by the #7 in ninth and the #98 in tenth. The grid for race two yielded Audi #7 in sixth followed by the #98 in ninth and #888 rounding out the top ten in tenth.
Race one was held on Saturday, with the highest Audi being that of Philip Ma and Cong Fu Cheng in the #98, as they finished fifth. They were followed home by their teammates in the #7 Audi in eighth. The #888 Tunewear Audi unfortunately retired from race one. The first Zhuhai race of the weekend was won by Mathew Solomon and Mika Häkkinen, on his return to racing, in the #36 Erebus Mercedes-Benz SLS GT3.
The second and final race was held on Sunday. Francis Hideki Onda and Alex Yoong brought the #888 R8 LMS ultra home as the top placed Audi, taking fifth place by the finish. They were followed by their teammates in the #98 Audi, who finished eighth. The #7 Audi R8 LMS ultra unfortunately retired from the second race, which was won by Li Zhi Cong in the Asia Racing Team Porsche 911 GT3 R. Absolute Racing, with the team name of Team R8 LMS ultra, are still leading the GT Asia team's championship points standings.
The finale of the 2013 GT Asia season will be taking place at the prestigious Macau Grand Prix, being run together with the Macau GT Cup on November 17.
The Bathurst 1000 was held at Mount Panorama this weekend. Two DTM superstars joined the 2013 Bathurst 1000 grid and scored a very good result.
One of the two international DTM drivers was non-other than Audi Sport factory DTM driver, and two-time DTM champion, Mattias Ekström. Mattias Ekström was joined by BMW’s Andy Priaulx, the multiple WTCC champion and current BMW factory DTM driver. The pair were behind the wheel of the Xbox One Holden Commodore wild card entry, entered and run by Triple Eight Race Engineering.
Priaulx had competed at Bathurst before, but for Ekström it was his rookie debut at Mount Panorama and in an Australian V8 Supercar.
The pair showed good pace during the weekend and qualified eighteenth. The race itself saw both drivers leading the race at different stages of the proceedings amongst the pitstop cycles. By the end of the race the DTM pair rounded out the top ten by placing tenth, in what was a very exciting race. The 2013 Bathurst 1000 was won by Mark Winterbottom and Steven Richards from the Ford Performance Racing team, closely pursued by the Triple Eight Holden of Jamie Whincup and Paul Dumbrell. The Australian V8 Supercars will now be heading to round twelve at the Gold Coast 600 in two weeks time. As for Ekström and Priaulx, they will be returning to Europe for the finale of the 2013 DTM season at Hockenheim next weekend, back behind the wheel of their DTM machinery.
