A well-deserved potential win for Miguel Molina and Antonio Fuoco faded in the final seconds of an intense 6 Hours of Monza, fourth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship, forced to refuel with two laps left, in a race that nonetheless saw the pair on the podium alongside team-mates Alessandro Pier Guidi and James Calado, third at the finish and new leaders in the standings. In the LMGTE Am class, historic podium for Iron Dames Bovy-Gatting-Frey, the first in the world championship for an all-female crew.
LMGTE Pro. The Ferraris led throughout the six-hour race at which Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna was also in attendance. Starting from pole position, the 488 GTE of Alessandro Pier Guidi and James Calado occupied the top spot until an hour and a half from the end when, due to an infraction during a pit stop, were forced to make a five-second stop & go. The race leadership at that point passed to second-placed team-mates Antonio Fuoco and Miguel Molina. The Italian and Spanish drivers, who produced an outstanding performance, were managing a five-second margin over Nick Tandy and Tommy Milner’s Corvette – the eventual race winners – until both Ferraris had to pit for a fuel top-up just two laps before the chequered flag. AF Corse's no. 52 488 GTE finished runner-up, 19"4 behind the Anglo-American duo, while the no. 51 finished third, 28"2 behind their squad-mates. The two world champions move to the top of the world drivers' standings with a one-point advantage over Gianmaria Bruni, fifth along with Frédéric Makowiecki, who replaced Richard Lietz for this fourth round of the championship.
LMGTE Am. Historic podium at the Temple of Speed for the Iron Dames who brought the 488 GTE home in second place at the end of a race that the crew had led for many hours. Sarah Bovy, who produced a fantastic pole position yesterday, Michelle Gatting and Rahel Frey battled with the Dempsey - Proton Racing Porsche handled by Ried-Priaulx-Tincknell, first past the chequered flag. The result achieved at Monza is their best since debuting as the only female crew in the series. Fourth place went to Iron Lynx team-mates Claudio Schiavoni, Matteo Cressoni and Giancarlo Fisichella, ahead of the Spirit of Race-run Ferrari of Pierre Ragues, Franck Dezoteux and Gabriel Aubry. Seventh and ninth final places for the AF Corse 488 GTEs, who were nevertheless protagonists in spite of contacts during the race which hampered any bids to battle amongst the frontrunners.
Next Date. The endurance world championship will now take a short summer break before returning to the track, September 9-11, in Japan for the 6 Hours of Fuji.