05 May 2016
Swanley, 5 May 2016 - The GT Sports Club returns to action following a four-week break for its second round of the 2016 season at Brands Hatch this weekend where a 20-car entry will be attempting to dethrone early pace-setter Mario Cordoni on Ferrari.
Prancing horse battalion. No less than nine Ferraris (seven 458 Italia GT3s and 458 Italia GTEs) will take the start of Sunday’s 25-minute Qualifying and 40-minute Main races. AF Corse and Kessel Racing each enter four Prancing Horses, while Akka ASP brings a single GTE variant. With the championship entering only its second season and no previous Brands Hatch results to consult the smart money should once again be on Cordoni whose chief Misano sparring partner, Nicolas Misslin, isn’t racing this weekend. The Italian enjoys a two-point championship lead thanks, in part, to his Main Race victory on home soil at the start of the season.
Opponents. But Cordoni’s AF Corse-run Ferrari is not the only major player in town. Former ELMS GTE-Am champion Anthony Pons finished third in Misano’s Qualifying Race while Michal Broniszewski has swept all before him in the Blancpain GT Series’ Pro-Am Cup class this season, so the Kessel Racing car should be amongst the front-runners here, while Patrick Van Glabeke will be hoping for a better result than in Misano.
Iron Cup. With Misano’s double overall podium finisher and Iron Cup points leader Pierguiseppe Perazzini opting to skip Brands, the way has been left clear for other drivers over the age of 60 to make their mark. Chief among them will be reigning class champion Martin Lanting who finished second behind the Italian in Misano’s Main Race. Double podium finisher Stephen Earle should also be at the sharp end along with 2015 Iron Cup runner-up Louis Philippe Soenen. GT Sports Club’s track action at Brands Hatch begins at 11.50 local time on Saturday 7 May.