13 September 2018
Maranello, 13 September 2018 - The stage is set for an unmissable contest in the Eifel Mountains this weekend as the Blancpain GT Series travels to the Nürburgring for its Sprint Cup title-decider. Two weeks after the Hungaroring played host to a pair of thrilling races, the final Sprint Cup event will bring the curtain down on a season to remember.
Fight for two. The Sprint Cup Pro-Am drivers’ and teams’ titles will be decided in Germany after a season-long battle between the #26 Sainteloc Racing Audi and the #39 Kessel Racing TP12 Ferrari 488 GT3. Piti Bhirombhakdi and Carlo van Dam hold a narrow advantage ahead of the event, with the Kessel Racing Tp12 duo leading Nyls Stievenart and Markus Winkelhock by just 3.5 points. There is clear potential for the Pro-Am title to finish as a tie. This would currently favour the Sainteloc duo, who have accumulated four wins to their rivals’ three. Of course, this could change over the course of the weekend.
The other Ferrari. Adding to the excitement is the addition of the Rinaldi Racing squad, which will field Rinat Salikhov and David Perel in a Ferrari 488 GT3. The reigning Total 24 Hours of Spa winners in the Pro-Am category, Salikhov and Perel will undoubtedly be contenders at the Nürburgring, potentially affecting the title battle.
Teams. While the Pro-Am drivers’ championship is close, the class teams’ battle is closer still. Kessel Racing tops the standings with 112 points, but Sainteloc Racing is in hot pursuit with 111. Ultimately, this contest will be decided by very fine margins.
Schedule. The event will begin with free practice sessions on Friday at 9.45 and 14.35 CET. Qualifying will take place at 9.30 on Saturday morning, followed by the first of two 60-minute races at 14.05. The 2018 Sprint Cup campaign will conclude on Sunday afternoon with the second race, which gets underway at 16. All of Saturday and Sunday’s action will be streamed live on the Blancpain GT Series website.