The archive will show runner-up spot in Pro class and wins in Pro-Am and the GT Cup at the opening round of the Italian GT Endurance Championship held at the Sicilian racetrack Pergusa. The returning Scuderia Baldini trio made up of Giancarlo Fisichella, Stefano Gai and Daniel Zampieri finished the 3 Hours of Pergusa in second place, crossing the line seven seconds behind winners Drudi-Ferrari-Agostini in the Audi. In the Pro-Am class, the triumph went to Steve Earle and David Perel with the Kessel Racing-run 488 GT3 Evo, while Luca Demarchi, Nicholas Risitano and Edoardo Barbolini at the wheel of the 488 Challenge Evo clinched the GT Cup.
Pro. In a race marred by several retirements, accidents, mechanical failures and three Safety Car interventions, the 488 GT3 Evo 2020 of the team from Rome was nevertheless able to produce an excellent showing, enhanced by fine performances from its crew, capitalizing on a penalty imposed on Amici-Di Folco-Middleton for overtaking during a yellow flag phase, before going on to finish the race in second spot. Schreiner-Hudspeth-Fuoco narrowly missed out on a podium in the AF Corse Ferrari, with the driver from Cosenza producing a great third stint, notching up the fastest lap with three left to complete. A gearbox issue led to the retirement of the Easy Race entry crewed by Greco-Filippi-Crestani, after an excellent stint by the young Piedmontese driver in fourth position.
Pro-Am. There was no shortage of thrills in a race which culminated in a win for Kessel Racing 488's GT3 Evo 2020. With a great opening stint, Perel was able to work his way from ninth starting position up to fourth, before tyre graining forced him to anticipate the pit stop where he handed over to Earle. The final stint again saw Perel as the main protagonist, holding on to the leadership in his class, posting fifth overall. Bad luck for the AF Corse car driven by Simon Mann and Matteo Cressoni. After an excellent recovery, the driver from Mantova pulled back all the way to second place in the opening stint, Mann then slipped back to fourth place before eventually withdrawing due to engine problems.
GT Cup. The only car entered in the class, SR & R's Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo, took the victory honours, crossing the finish-line in sixth overall position with the Demarchi-Risitano-Barbolini crew.
Schedule. The next Endurance series challenge will take place in Mugello (2-4 July) to be followed by rounds in Vallelunga (17-19 September) and Monza (29-31 October).