GT World Challenge Europe

[458 Italia]

For those of you that wish to watch some great motor racing for a change there is more GT racing back this weekend in the form of the GT World Challenge Europe at Imola which you can watch here:

https://www.gt-world-challenge-europe.com/watch-live

There is a quintet of Ferraris to follow out of a field of 45. :thumb


Apologies to Rob if he wants this combined in another thread :-)

[458 Italia]

26 cars qualify within a second of each other, but the best news is the #51 Ferrari of AF Corse gets 2nd on the grid for tomorrows race. Great driving by Calado, Nielsen and Guidi :ferrarifl

[wisepie]

26 cars qualify within a second of each other, but the best news is the #51 Ferrari of AF Corse gets 2nd on the grid for tomorrows race. Great driving by Calado, Nielsen and Guidi :ferrarifl

Shame the same can't be said of the F1 team, maybe AF Corse should run that too! Grazie 458 Italia.;-)

[458 Italia]

I don't think Antonello Coletta or Amato Ferrari are going anywhere! I don't think they'd want to either! ;-)

The race starts in 25 minutes and it is on the link I posted above and also the Sky F1 channel, it promises to be a cracking 3 hour race! :pass

Oh and I have to say the BoP seems to be spot on.

[Rob]

I don't think Antonello Coletta or Amato Ferrari are going anywhere! I don't think they'd want to either! ;-)

The race starts in 25 minutes and it is on the link I posted above and also the Sky F1 channel, it promises to be a cracking 3 hour race! :pass

Oh and I have to say the BoP seems to be spot on.

Surprised to see sky f1 showing it.

Always cracking racing, think there is no bop at moment due to first race. I think.

[458 Italia]

Surprised to see sky f1 showing it.

Always cracking racing, think there is no bop at moment due to first race. I think.

I was to be honest, still I'm not complaining!

I wasn't to sure about BoP but they all seem to be pretty evenly matched for the first race which is great to see.

James appears to be struggling with getting the tyres up to temperature so is having to defend a lot I hope the team can remedy that during the pit stop.

SMP running well in 8th and nice to see the Sky Ferrari leading PRO-AM

[Rob]

I was to be honest, still I'm not complaining!

I wasn't to sure about BoP but they all seem to be pretty evenly matched for the first race which is great to see.

James appears to be struggling with getting the tyres up to temperature so is having to defend a lot I hope the team can remedy that during the pit stop.

SMP running well in 8th and nice to see the Sky Ferrari leading PRO-AM

So far so good. Touch wood

Love Imola. F1 related now, wonder how many times they will mention senna and his accident there, and can see the special programme on it. Be hill or Herbert with malcom H

[Rob]

Do you have assetto corsa competizione?

[458 Italia]

So far so good. Touch wood

Love Imola. F1 related now, wonder how many times they will mention senna and his accident there, and can see the special programme on it. Be hill or Herbert with malcom H

Love Imola too!

Speaking of F1 I predict they will be complaining about the size of the curbs! How's this for a suggestion: what about trying to driving around them :lol

[458 Italia]

Do you have assetto corsa competizione?

I don't actually, but I have been playing GTR2 with all the patches and mods for it. For as game as old as it is it really holds up well.

[Rob]

Love Imola too!

Speaking of F1 I predict they will be complaining about the size of the curbs! How's this for a suggestion: what about trying to driving around them :lol

True, hear it now lazenby and co oh curbs to high they damaging the cars cannt race like this.

So glad i hardly follow f1 now. Seems like seb and crew on 51 done a great stop.

Nicklas in now.

[Rob]

I don't actually, but I have been playing GTR2 with all the patches and mods for it. For as game as old as it is it really holds up well.

Its really good, its based on this series.

[458 Italia]

True, hear it now lazenby and co oh curbs to high they damaging the cars cannt race like this.

So glad i hardly follow f1 now. Seems like seb and crew on 51 done a great stop.

Nicklas in now.

It's a proper old school track where you get punished for taking liberties, go to wide you find the gravel, take to much curb you pay for it.

The team were really switched on for that pit stop :clap

I have to say I wasn't too sure about the livery but it's really grown on me.

[458 Italia]

Oh bugger drive through penalty for Nicklas speeding under FCY :-s

[Rob]

Damn it. Drive through penalty 51

[458 Italia]

That's painful, #51 rejoins in 20th after the drive through.

Sergey Sirotkin still driving well in the #72 Ferrari in 2nd place.

[458 Italia]

Come on safety car :pray

[458 Italia]

I can't see damage on the #51 but I think Guidi tangled with the #159 Bentley

[458 Italia]

Difficult day in the end for the top Ferrari entries, with such a close field it was always going to be tough and it was a mistake from James Calado (at least I think it was) which cost AF Corse a higher placed finish in the end. I hope Rob can give us the lowdown on the team's perspective on that.

All that said though there was some really good wheel to wheel racing and I have a feeling that Belgian Audi Club Team will be pegged back next time out at Misano.

[458 Italia]

Live action from Nürburgring today and tomorrow which can be watched here!:

https://www.gt-world-challenge-europe.com/watch-live

[458 Italia]

Rob I'm eagerly awaiting the pics ;-)

[458 Italia]

Saturday is sorted :-D

7739

[Rob]

7740

[Rob]

7741

[Rob]

The Nürburgring will host the second round of the Endurance Cup of the GT World Challenge Europe this weekend. Five Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020s will be involved in the six-hour race. After the season debut at Imola where the Ferraris did less well than they deserved, with only the Sky Tempesta Racing car mounting the podium in the Pro-Am class, Prancing Horse teams will fight it out with forty-three other crews entered in the event.

Pro. After showing promise at the Enzo and Dino Ferrari Circuit, Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado and Nicklas Nielsen will launch an assault on the podium, trying to pressurise the German cars, which start as favourite. The 488 GT3 Evo 2020 no. 51 of AF Corse will be joined by SMP Racing no. 72, again crewed by Davide Rigon, Miguel Molina and Sergey Sirotkin. At Imola, the trio were penalised with a drive-through when the podium was within his reach.

Pro-Am. There are three Ferraris in the Pro-Am class. Sky Tempesta Racing’s 488 GT3 Evo 2020, driven by Chris Froggatt, Edward Cheever and Jonathan Hui, who finished second in Italy, will be joined by Andrea Bertolini, Louis Machiels and Niek Hommerson at the wheel of AF Corse no. 52. In the Sprint Cup at Misano, the two Ferraris dominated the class, winning all three races. Rinaldi Racing will only take part in the Endurance Cup in Germany with Pierre Ehret, Rino Mastronardi and Daniel Keilwitz taking turns in the 488 that claimed fourth place at Imola.

Track. The Nürburgring’s 5.1km Grand Prix configuration offers drivers various combinations of corners, all very technical, where handling and acceleration can make all the difference. However, power is needed to exploit the two straights to take advantage of the few passing opportunities offered by the track. Temperatures will be cooler than at Imola and showers are possible on a track where the weather tends to be variable. For the first time this season, the public will also have the chance to see the SRO series drivers on the track.

Programme. After the private tests and the sessions for Bronze drivers on Thursday and Friday, free practice will be on Saturday morning, followed at 7:10 pm by the three qualifying sessions that will decide the starting grid. On Sunday, the six-hour race will start at 11:45 am.

[458 Italia]

7740

Thanks Rob, looking good!

#51 did plenty of laps in PQ and looks pretty handy in the hands of all 3 drivers. Really looking forward to qualifying.

[458 Italia]

Alessandro P G really struggled there in Q1 only managing 16th fastest in AF Corse #51.

Davide Rigon managed the best time of the Ferrari's but that was only 11th.

Hoping the other drivers can manage to put on quicker times.

[458 Italia]

Q2: Nicklas Nielsen improves #51 average time to 11th overall.

Sergey Sirotkin moves the best placed #72 Ferrari up to 10th.

[458 Italia]

Q3: Great lap by James Calardo :clap :clap :clap He gets the overall lap time of #51 up to 5th position for tomorrows race with #72 starting right behind in 6th.

Red flag bring a premature end to the session due to a nasty crash by on of the Porsches.

[Rob]

Q3: Great lap by James Calardo :clap :clap :clap He gets the overall lap time of #51 up to 5th position for tomorrows race with #72 starting right behind in 6th.

Red flag bring a premature end to the session due to a nasty crash by on of the Porsches.

Not bad after this morning. Great laps.

Team as ever on point in pits.

[458 Italia]

The conditions are obviously going to be completely different in the race compared to qualifying, how's the team feeling about race pace?

Have you been enjoying Le Tour? I've found it intriguing apart from Thursday which was a total bore. Disappointed to see Julian Alaphilippe fade away today he's nearly 12 minutes down :-s
Nairo is having a quiet race but it's all pretty close in GC. I'm enjoying watching Jumbo Visma do what Ineos and Team Sky did before them in heading the field, it seems to be done in an honest way if you get my meaning. ;-)

[Rob]

The conditions are obviously going to be completely different in the race compared to qualifying, how's the team feeling about race pace?

Have you been enjoying Le Tour? I've found it intriguing apart from Thursday which was a total bore. Disappointed to see Julian Alaphilippe fade away today he's nearly 12 minutes down :-s
Nairo is having a quiet race but it's all pretty close in GC. I'm enjoying watching Jumbo Visma do what Ineos and Team Sky did before them in heading the field, it seems to be done in an honest way if you get my meaning. ;-)

Been bit of a, bore. Think all riders saving foe next 2 weeks. As alot of mountain stages. Sagan, doesnt look, polished and we seen. But. Same with all riders. Been odd year for races. Training.

I like mountains, hills. When im 100%fit i love hills. Climbing.

For tomorrow. Spoke to nicklas, he happy with the car, said got good pace for tomorrow.

[458 Italia]

Legend mate :thumb
I know what you mean, I actually think my favourite part of each day is listening to Jonathan Harris-Bass such a knowledgeable guy.
Segan doesn't look like he can put the power down when he wants, I think there's alot of riders now looking at the Giro or Vuelta as better options this weird year.

Not a massive fan of hills myself being near the fens :lol don't mind the short punchy climbs though TBF, if I go out towards Stamford way there's a few!

Great to hear the drivers and team are happy! I can't wait :thumb

[458 Italia]

Terrible start! #51 is out of the race at the first corner :-s There wasn't much Jame Calado could do really.

[458 Italia]

Molina's #72 also had it's race ruined in that first corner incident taking damage, now running down in 14th.

The commentators have barely said a word about the #51 Ferrari being out of the race. :roll

[458 Italia]

Really impressed with the driving of the Silver Cup #78 Lamborghini it's not it's fight but racing well against the cars fighting for overall win.

Miguel Molina up to 9th in the #72 Ferrari.

[458 Italia]

Not getting much TV coverage of the best running #72 SMP Racing Ferrari but it's still running around in 9th 10 seconds behind the Audi in 8th.

[Rob]

Terrible start! #51 is out of the race at the first corner :-s There wasn't much Jame Calado could do really.

Just got home out walking mum n dads dogs.

What happened?

[wisepie]

Terrible start! #51 is out of the race at the first corner :-s There wasn't much Jame Calado could do really.

Hope this isn't an omen for Monza later. It's getting so painful to be a Ferrari supporter these days!:pray

[458 Italia]

Just got home out walking mum n dads dogs.

What happened?

Hard to explain, it involved Albert Costa driving too hot into the first corner whacking into the the side and back of #51 and taking one of the GPX Porsche out as well. then #72 hit #51 on the way round the corner for good measure.

[Rob]

Hard to explain, it involved Albert Costa driving too hot into the first corner whacking into the the side and back of #51 and taking one of the GPX Porsche out as well. then #72 hit #51 on the way round the corner for good measure.
:furious

[458 Italia]

:furious

They interviewed Costa on the grid right before the start saying how he's got to respect his rivals and that it's a long race! but even on the formation lap he was driving a bit erratically!

[458 Italia]

Sergey Sirotkin quietly getting on with it with just under 2 hours 20 minutes to go, he's got the #72 up to 8th.

Oh make that 7th after Patrik Pilet goes rallying. :-)

[458 Italia]

Davide Rigon has taken over #72, it's a car practically glued to 9th place.

[458 Italia]

All going wrong for Davide Rigon in #72 now :-s Hasse in the Audi gives the Ferrari a puncture :furious

What a crap day!

[458 Italia]

Commentators blame Rigon of course :roll

[Rob]

:furious

[458 Italia]

:furious

Really a day to forget! Hope you're/you've been able to see a replay of the start it set the tone for the race then the touring car action at the end was the icing on the cake. :ouch

[458 Italia]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzWw-O_ZehY=1462

I've got the video starting just as they're about to go green. As you can see the Porsche went off in a separate accident which was caused by Albert Costa.

It does look like James may have locked up a bit before the #66 Audi turned into to him.

I don't want to labour the point, but you would hardly know there were Ferraris in the race going by the broadcast team/commentators, barely got a mention when talking about the first corner crash, they were more concerned that the Porsche's race had ruined. The other Ferraris weren't talked about for the rest of the 6 hours apart from the the puncture inflicted on Davide Rigon by an Audi which they solely blamed on Davide. Just get the impression the pairing don't care for Ferrari much!

[wisepie]

Seems like Ferrari is becoming a dirty word in motorsport commentators' eyes, I feel that our teams have been cursed in every series this year. We have some of the best drivers but they are unable to deliver the results through no fault of their own.:-s

[458 Italia]

Hello! :wave

The 24 hours of Spa is on now, I'm watching here: https://www.gt-world-challenge-europe.com/watch-live but it's also on Sky Sports F1 again.

#51 AF Corse is doing the best in can up in fourth for the time being. BoP has hurt Ferrari in all endurance series this year we can't get anywhere near merc (surprise :roll ) or Lambo. We're able to match the Porsche here though.

[458 Italia]

#51 is in the lead of the race with *only* 12 hours, 30 minutes left in the race!! :clap

Great racing on the track, but it seems they've allowed the commentary team so get drunk whilst commentating this year! :lol:clap It's just like Terry Wogan and the Eurovision song contest! :rotfl (apologies to those that don't get the reference!)

[Rob]

Big shame for 52 going off and hitting barriers.

But, so far so good. 51 and 72 up in the fight. Still looooong way to go.

How can people say f1 is better. Is beyond me. This is pure all out proper racing. Yes, bit bop. But, if produce tbis racing who cares

[wisepie]

Big shame for 52 going off and hitting barriers.

But, so far so good. 51 and 72 up in the fight. Still looooong way to go.

How can people say f1 is better. Is beyond me. This is pure all out proper racing. Yes, bit bop. But, if produce tbis racing who cares

Proper old-fashioned racing for sure, Rob, but unless you're there and able to soak up the atmosphere, it's quite hard to watch consistently over 24hrs! BoP is rubbish but good to see the Ferraris performing competitively. I find that currently F1 races are too long with Hamilton nearly always in the lead or heading for yet another record, things need to change and soon!

[Rob]

Proper old-fashioned racing for sure, Rob, but unless you're there and able to soak up the atmosphere, it's quite hard to watch consistently over 24hrs! BoP is rubbish but good to see the Ferraris performing competitively. I find that currently F1 races are too long with Hamilton nearly always in the lead or heading for yet another record, things need to change and soon!

I have had it on 24hrs. Been doing few other bits, but if leave house will put on youtube and listen on headphones.

[458 Italia]

I have had it on 24hrs. Been doing few other bits, but if leave house will put on youtube and listen on headphones.

Same here, had to pop out yesterday afternoon to do a bit of shopping but I still had it on my phone to watch.

Really unlucky in the end for Ferrari but a much better result than what we've had of late :thumb

[wisepie]

Only just missed a podium for Car #51, last time I checked in it was lying 3rd so sad to see it lost out in the final hours despite still being so close after 24hrs.

[458 Italia]

Great showing by #51 at the mo, currently running in 3rd and Pier Guidi is yet to drive.

[458 Italia]

Yes Ferrari! #51 in the lead! :clap

opppps no 2nd, still great though!

[458 Italia]

Pier is flying now

[458 Italia]

Oh nooooooo Pier in #51 loses 2nd place.

[Rob]

Pier is flying now

Ale is on it.

:pray

[458 Italia]

Get in!!! brilliant stint from Guidi and a great pit stop means #51 is in the lead!!

[458 Italia]

​I thought it was crazy having Alessandro racing here instead of Bahrain shows what I know!

[458 Italia]

AF have got this race strategy spot on

[458 Italia]

What a win!!!!! :ferrarifl:ferrarifl:ferrarifl:ferrarifl:ferrarifl :ferrarifl:ferrarifl

[Rob]

AF have got this race strategy spot on

Changed 2 tyres only

[Rob]

Yeeeeeeessssssssss!!!!!!

[wisepie]

Well it hasn't been a bad weekend after all for Ferrari, some better than expected results all round, well done to our ragazzi in all series today.:thumb