23 April 2016
The 2016 season of International GT Open, the 11th in the series’ history, is to kick-off this weekend at the Circuito do Estoril in the outskirts of Lisbon. The landmark track, the beautiful surroundings and the mildness of Portuguese spring are a perfect set-up for a great season-opener, the first of the seven rounds scheduled for this year.
New car generation. For the International GT Open, 2016 will be marked by the coming in of the new generation of GT3 racing models that a number of manufacturers are currently launching. Spectacular machines such as the new Ferrari 488 with which AF Corse will continue to be a driving force. The reigning Teams’ champion is starting the season in the Pro-Am category with a new 488 for Thomas Flohr and Francesco Castellacci, and will step-up its effort as from the Spa round. The other Ferrari in the class is the Balfe Motorsport one. The team is stepping up its effort and will campaign the entire season with its Ferrari 458 Italia, again perfectly driven by Phil Keen and Shaun Balfe.
Am class. The Am category is also bound to offer a great show as from Round 1. Sports&You starts at home its full-year campaign, with regulars António Coimbra and Luis Silva bringing to debut the team’s new Mercedes. But the main favorite should be the strong AF Corse pair formed by double Am champion Claudio Sdanewitsch and Belgium’s star Stéphane Lémeret. Race-1 will be today at 15.15 CET while on Sunday Race-2 will be starting at 13.15.