The dreams of glory for AF Corse's Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020 faded away in Valencia in the final round of the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Sprint Cup. The car failed to grab top spot despite a win in Race-1.
Race-1. The only way Louis Machiels and Andrea Bertolini in the #52 Ferrari could win the title was to win the races. And so it turned out. At the end of a hard-fought race, with two outings for the Safety Car, the AF Corse duo crossed the line first in the Pro-Am, ahead of championship leaders Miguel Ramos and Henrique Chaves. Starting from second, Machiels took the lead before handing over to Andrea Bertolini. The latter used all his experience to hold off Chaves’ attacks. The Portuguese pressed the Ferrari driver throughout his stint, even pulling up alongside on several occasions, without ever managing to pass. Bertolini didn’t put a foot wrong and crossed the line first. After qualifying fourth in class in the Silver Cup, Sky Tempesta Racing's Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020 with Christopher Froggatt and Eddie Cheever finished fifth.
Race-2. The second race at the Spanish Ricardo Tormo circuit, the 100th in the Sprint Cup since the series was founded in 2013, also witnessed plenty of excitement. The race saw a crash at the start and the subsequent entry of the Safety Car. AF Corse experienced a more challenging race, finishing fourth in the Pro-Am and having to kiss goodbye to their dreams of glory. Ramos-Chaves only needed to get to the line to celebrate the Sprint Cup title, which they did. The results in Valencia moved Bertolini-Machiels up a place in the overall standings. They closed the championship in third place in the Pro-Am ranking. AF Corse also took third place in the teams.
The #93 Ferrari with Eddie Cheever at the wheel was also involved in the collision at the start. The Sky Tempesta Racing car was the only one to survive the crash and, after getting back on the track, finished 17th overall and sixth in the Silver Cup.
Programme. The final act of the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Championship in the Endurance Series will take place in Barcelona in two weeks, from 8 to 10 October.