Weekend notebook: triumphs at Hockenheim and Paul Ricard

The Ferraris enjoyed a successful weekend in the third round of the GT World Challenge Europe – Sprint Cup at Hockenheim, securing overall and class victories. They also triumphed in the International GT Cup and GT Cup Europe at the Paul Ricard circuit in France.

GT WC Europe. Ben Green and Konsta Lappalainen won Race-2 in the Ferrari 296 GT3 number 14, securing Emil Frey Racing’s first win in the series since Zandvoort in 2021. Following Lappalainen’s first stint and an excellent pit stop, the British driver took the lead and crossed the finish line first. Having begun with a third place in Race-1, the pair of drivers ended the weekend on a high note. The Swiss team’s second car, number 69, crewed by Thierry Vermeulen and Giacomo Altoè – who also competes in this year’s Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Europe – finished eighth and 15th overall.

Thomas Fleming scored a fourth-place overall finish in Race-1 and victory in the Silver Cup on his return at the wheel of AF Corse’s Ferrari 296 GT3 number 71, partnered with Eliseo Donno. The Italian pair completed a remarkable first round after securing the overall pole position. However, the two promising drivers, who dominated the Prancing Horse one-make series in 2023, finished Race-2 in 22nd place overall and fourth in class, behind the Piacenza-based team’s second car. The number 52 Ferrari, driven by Jef Machiels and Sean Hudspeth, came third after their fifth place in the first Silver Cup event.

Sky Tempesta Racing secured a double third place in the Bronze class with the Ferrari 296 GT3 number 93, driven by Jonathan Hui and Eddie Cheever.

While the third round of the Endurance Cup takes place at the Nürburgring next weekend, the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup will return on the track from 23 to 25 August at the Magny-Cours circuit in France.

International GT Open. After a long and intense duel, Nicola Marinangeli and Vincent Abril, in the Ferrari 296 GT3 number 51 of Spirit of Race, claimed their first win of the season in Race-2 of round four of the International GT Open, held in the rain at the Paul Ricard circuit on Sunday. Starting under the Safety Car and affected by a red flag because of adverse weather conditions, the race saw the Italian-French pair locked in a prolonged battle with the Eastalent Racing car before triumphing on the very last lap. For Marinangeli and Abril, this victory was the perfect payback after their disappointing fourth place in Race-1, partly because of a five-second penalty that knocked them off the podium.

Ferrari also secured second and first place in the Pro-Am class with AF Corse’s Brazilian pairing, Marcelo Hahn and Allam Khodair, at the wheel of the Ferrari 296 GT3 number 16. Marco Pulcini and Riccardo Agostini, the Race-2 poleman, in the Ferrari 296 GT3 number 27 of Spirit of Race, finished fourth and second, with the Swiss driver retaining the lead in the class rankings. Ernst Kirchmayr and David Fumanelli in the Racing One Ferrari 296 GT3 number 11 came fifth and sixth in class, with the other Maranello-brand cars finishing further back.

Roberto Lacorte bagged a double-win in the 296 GT3 number 47 of AF Corse, while Stanislaw Jedlinski and Krystian Korzeniowski picked up two third places in the Olimp Racing number 5.

After the summer break, the International GT Open will return on the track on 15 September at Austria’s Spielberg circuit.

GT Cup Europe. Iván Velasco and Luca Ludwig scored their third win of the season in the Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo number 80 of MERTEL Motorsport in the first of the two GT Cup Europe races held at the Paul Ricard circuit over the weekend. The event was blessed with sunshine on Saturday and soaked by persistent rain on Sunday. The decisive moment for the Spanish-German pair came at the start of the race, when Luca Ludwig, also a Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Europe participant – heading to Le Castellet next Sunday – took the lead after an excellent start. The pairing held on to their advantage to the chequered flag. The MERTEL Motorsport pair consolidated their lead in the standings with a fourth-place finish in Race-2.
Again in the Pro-Am class, Lorenzo Ferdinando Innocenti, paired with Niccolò Schirò, delivered an excellent performance, securing fourth and seventh place overall in the number 16 Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo of Rossocorsa Racing.

MERTEL Motorsport also claimed victory in the Am class, with Fernando Navarrete Rodrigo and Alvaro Lobera driving the number 81 Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo to sixth place overall in a rain-soaked Race-2, after finishing third in the first outing. Sixth and fifth places went to the number 86 of Martinus Richter, another MERTEL Motorsport driver, with the German team’s other two cars finishing further back.

After the August break, the GT Cup Europe calendar will continue with the Spanish round in Barcelona on 29 September.