French GT

FFSA GT - Nogaro - Weekend Report

© Olivier Beroud - olivierberoud.com

The FFSA GT Championship got underway at Nogaro in the South West of France. On the Circuit Paul Armagnac the traditional Easter races hosted this years FFSA GT season opener and the difficult weather conditions meant it was unclear before the weekend who would be able to do well this weekend. What was clear is that it would be a Corvette vs Saleen battle.

On Saturday the qualifying session for the first race of the season took place and it was the Selleslagh Racing Team Corvette C6.R (Hernandez/Ayari) that secured the first pole position of the year (1:30.210), far away from the competition. The Nourry Competition Porsche 996 GT3 RSR (Mouez/Loger) caused an upset by clocking the second fastest time of the session, 2.109s behind the Corvette, but ahead of all the other GT1 cars. The second row was formed by the Tarres Team Saleen S7R of Thevenin/Debard and Dayraut/Lebon in the DKR Engineering Corvette C6.R.

During Sunday’s qualifying session, which took place in good weather conditions, the order was restored and it was the Thevenin/Debard Saleen which took pole position for the race on Monday in a time of 1:23.991. Larbre Competitions Saleen S7R (Bornhauser/Bouchut) was just over a tenth of a second behind the Saleen. The second row was formed by the DKR Engineering and Selleslagh Racing Team Corvette C6.Rs.

While on most circuits Easter Sunday means no racing the action at Nogaro continued after qualifying as the first one hour race of the weekend was scheduled for 4.10 pm local time. Star of the first race was the Larbre Competition Saleen. Having started from eighth place in race one it was Bornhauser who really went for it and when he handed over the car to Bouchut during the mandatory pit stop the team was already back in second place. Bouchut was able to continue the good work of Bornhauser and eventually crossed the line, winning the race. Behind him the Tarres Team Saleen and the SRT Corvette battled it out for the other podium places and crossed the line in second and third, the Saleen less than two tenths of a second ahead of the Corvette.

The second race on Monday was marred by bad weather. It was Dayraut in the DKR Engineering Corvette C6.R that had the best start of the race, coming from third place he was already leading coming out the first corner. Despite contact with the SRT Corvette, which caused Ayari in the SRT car to go off and to lose a lap, Dayraut was still leading the race as he handed over the Corvette to team mate Lebon. Towards the end of the race one of the GT3 Ferrari 430s went off as well, bringing out the safety car. The Larbre Competition Saleen of Bornhauser/Bouchut took advantage of the caution period to full close the gap to the DKR Engineering Corvette, but a backmarker prevented the Saleen from an attack on the leader and as a result it was Lebon who crossed the line in first place, 1.5 seconds ahead of the Larbre Saleen.

In the GT3 category it was First Racing Lamborghini Gallardo of Tuchbant and Leclerc that won on Sunday, while the Le Revelois Dodge Viper of Rosier/Morel won the second race on Monday.

Race 1 - Championnat de France GT et GT3

1. Larbre Competition (Bornhauser/Bouchut) - Saleen S7R - 1:00:20.577
2. Tarres Team (Thevenin/Debard) - Saleen S7R - 1:00.30.165 + 9.588
3. Selleslagh Racing Team (Hernandez/Ayari) - Corvette C6.R - 1:00.30.329 +9.752
7. First Racing (Tuchbant/Leclerc) - Lamborghini Gallardo GT3 - 1:01.37.934 + 1 lap

Race 2 - Championnat de France GT et GT3

1. DKR Engineering (Dayraut/Lebon) - Corvette C6.R - 1:00.17.277
2. Larbre Competition (Bornhauser/Bouchut) - Saleen S7R - 1:00:18.830 +1.553
3. Tarres Team (Thevenin/Debard) - Saleen S7R - 1:00.58.895 + 41.618
4. Le Revelois (Rosier/Morel) - Dodge Viper GT3 - 1:01.37.934 + 52.851

All pictures by Olivier Beroud (olivierberoud.com).