Third triumph in four races for the AF Corse-run 488 GT3 Evo 2020 crewed by the Jean-De Pauw duo in the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Silver Cup. On the Magny Cours track, the pairing confirmed themselves to be the true revelation of the championship. In the Pro-Am class, a third and a second place are the spoils that the Piacenza-based team takes home from the French circuit thanks to the Delacour-Sbirrazzuoli crew.
Race 1. The first of the two French weekend races, held at sunset, saw the three Ferraris turn out two fine performances, only to watch a win and a runner-up spot slip away in the final stages, but were nevertheless able to celebrate on the Magny Cours podium. In the Silver class, after reaching second overall place, Pierre Alexandre Jean and Ulysse De Pauw were forced to concede first place in their class in the closing stretches of the race, finishing seventh overall just six tenths-of-a-second shy of the class winners, Gilles Magnus and Nicolas Baert in an Audi. Cedric Sbirrazzuoli was overtaken just a few laps prior to the chequered flag who, together with Hugo Delacour, had occupied second place in Pro-Am class. Andrea Bertolini and Louis Machiels finished at the foot of the podium, but nevertheless picked up important points towards the championship.
Race 2. A traditional timetable for the second and final race on the 4,411-metre track in the Nièvre département of Burgundy with ideal weather conditions allowing drivers in the French event to treat fans to a spectacular show. Starting from pole in the Silver class, Jean and De Pauw took their third win of the season in the AF Corse 488-run GT3 Evo 2020 at the end of a race in which they posted fifth overall, ahead of reigning champions Weerts-Vanthoor. Second place in the Pro-Am class went to Cedric Sbirrazzuoli and Hugo Delacour in the AF Corse car, while Andrea Bertolini and Louis Machiels were forced to retire early after a collision with Saintéloc team’s no. 26 Audi at the Adelaide hairpin.
Next race. After running three of the ten scheduled events, attention now turns to the Paul Ricard 1000 km, set to take place from June 3-5 for the second round of the Endurance Cup.