FIA GT Championship

FIA GT round 7 – Paul Ricard preview

© Planetlemans – Frank Feenstra

With the seventh round, taking place at the Paul Ricard HTTT, the 2009 FIA GT Championship is drawing steadily towards an exciting conclusion. With everything still to play for, the titles are wide open in both GT1 or GT2. Although this is the second time that the FIA GT Championship has raced at the Paul Ricard HTTT circuit, the 2009 event will be a much different event than that in 2006.

With the seventh round, taking place at the Paul Ricard HTTT, the 2009 FIA GT Championship is drawing steadily towards an exciting conclusion. With everything still to play for, the titles are wide open in both GT1 or GT2. Although this is the second time that the FIA GT Championship has raced at the Paul Ricard HTTT circuit, the 2009 event will be a much different event than that in 2006.

The beautiful and challenging circuit, instantly recognizable in photos due to its dramatic striping – which is also part of the safety features, slowing the cars down – has recently ended ten years as a test-only track, and has opened its gates to the public. With new grandstands along the pit straight, and a viewing area at the spectacular double Beausset right-hander, the many spectators should be treated to an excellent weekend of Motorsport action.

The 2009 FIA GT Championship had a first taster of the circuit back in April, when the official media and test days were held at the circuit. Thanks to those tests – and to the results of the race back in 2006 – the circuit has gained a reputation as being a perfect Corvette track. It will be interesting to see if the 2009 edition lives up to expectations. On the last visit, the PK Carsport Corvette of Kumpen, Hezemans and Longin claimed the win. Kumpen and Hezemans are currently in the joint lead, while Longin won the previous round. All three will be looking to repeat their previous performance… In GT2 back in 2006, Ferrari 430 GT2 cars finished in the top six places, with Andrew Kirkaldy winning for Scuderia Ecosse, ahead of his team-mate Tim Mullen. Both drivers, now with CRS Racing, would dearly love to secure their first win of the season, and to further strengthen their team’s position in the fight for third in GT2.

After the thrills of the sixth round, at the new Autodromo Internacional Algarve in Portugal, the situation could hardly be closer, in both GT1 and GT2, and the battle looks sure to go down to the final chequered flag. But could the long straights and tricky corners of the Paul Ricard HTTT circuit create some surprises ?

The results in the Algarve could have been purposely designed to put the French drivers in the limelight before their home races. James Ruffier, the reigning FIA GT3 European Champion, took his first-ever FIA GT win, driving alongside Bert Longin in the nr 3 Selleslagh Racing Team Corvette Z06. He thus became the first GT3 champion to claim a win in the FIA GT Championship. As for GT2, Emmanuel Collard finished second with Richard Westbrook, in the Prospeed Competition Porsche 997 GT3 RSR, to take the points lead in the Drivers Classification.

In GT1, the points could not be closer. Bertolini and Bartels, driving the nr 1 Vitaphone Maserati MC 12, are on equal points with Hezemans and Kumpen, in the nr 4 Pekaracing Corvette Z06. With the same number of wins, second places and others, the men cannot be separated… For the next round, the Corvette will carry the maximum penalty weight, while the Maserati has lost some ballast. While these cars fight for the Championship, a number of their rivals will be aiming for the podium. SRT is on a high after their Algarve win, while the all-Brazilian Sangari Racing Team, which claimed its first pole position in Portugal, showed its speed and ability around the challenging track. With no penalty weight, they will be in a good position for the French round. As for the other Maserati cars, the nr 2 car of Müller and Ramos put their bad luck behind them to finish third in Portugal, giving Ramos a welcome home podium. However, they are still looking for that elusive first win. The Vitaphone Racing Team DHL has lost success ballast and should be on top form in France. And Full Speed Racing’s Saleen of Lemeret and Hines showed its speed in the last race, before gearbox problems compromised their weekend. They should be back on top form for the next round.
Two Ford GT cars will be on the grid; the Marc VDS Racing car of Leinders and Kuppens, up against the Matech GT Racing car, which will see Thomas Mutsch joined by 2007 FIA GT3 European Champion Henri Moser.

Last but not least, Paul Ricard will see the return of one of the legends of the FIA GT Championship : the Ferrari 550 Maranello, entered by Ange Barde and Solution F, which will be shared by Barde and former F1 driver Olivier Panis, who was one of the fastest drivers in April. The Ferrari has won 23 GT1 races since it joined the Championship in 2000, including three Drivers titles, in 2003, 2004 and 2005. A grand old lady of GT racing, making what is likely to be her final appearance.

GT2 has been exceptional this year, with an impressive mix of professional drivers and young newcomers. Although experienced duos Vilander, Bruni, Collard and Westbrook have dominated the races, winning five out of the six races to date, there has been plenty of excitement from the many young drivers who have joined the category. Drivers such as Martin Ragginger and Marco Holzer, aged just 21, have claimed poles, podiums and led races. Alvaro Barba Lopez, a recent graduate from single-seaters, won the sixth round in the Algarve, with his team-mate Niki Cadei, in the second AF Corse Ferrari 430 GT2. The average age of the top three drivers in qualifying in the sixth round was just 22 !

However, the title battle is raging between AF Corse’ s Vilander and Bruni, the reigning Champions, and the Prospeed Competition duo, Collard and Westbrook, whose Porsche is trying to topple the Ferrari domination of the category, which has been ongoing since 2006.

Victory in Budapest and second place in the Algarve has given Westbrook and Collard a narrow lead in the Drivers classification, although a problem for Prospeed’s second car in Portugal, meant that AF Corse has regained the advantage in the Teams title. With the points comes the weight, and the nr 60 Porsche will be carrying a total of 95 kg in France – while the nr 50 Ferrari will be reduced to just 80 kg !

But there are plenty of other teams looking for victory in France, including British team CRS Racing, Brixia Racing and the Pecom Racing Team, from Argentina, whose driver Matias Russo took pole in Portugal.

A challenging and beautiful circuit, with tricky corners and long straights, wonderful facilities and hopefully, early autumn sunshine. What more could the FIA GT Championship want ?