Six for the title

Six drivers can still hope to win the coveted title of FIA GT3 European Champion.  Therefore, suspense is guaranteed for the grand finale at the Dubai Autodrome, which will host rounds of the FIA GT3 European Championship for the first time.  Suspense, close fighting and high emotions will surely be present for these last two races of 2007.

For the first time, the FIA GT3 European Championship is leaving Europe for more exotic climes, with a race at the much-appreciated Dubai Autodrome.  A special event for all the competitors, but most particularly for the three sets of drivers who are going for the title : Henri Moser & Gilles Vannelet, Luca Pirri & Jürgen von Gartzen as well as Arnaud Peyroles & James Ruffier.

Since the first race in Silverstone, Moser and Vannelet have led the classifications.  With a lead of eight points over the Corvette of Pirri and von Gartzen, and sixteen points ahead of the Corvette of Peyrolles / Ruffier, the situation is clear for the crew of the nr 38 Ferrari.  If they win the first race, the two men will claim the title, no matter what their rivals do.  But since Monza, the Corvettes have had the advantage, with total domination in Brno.  Pirri and Von Gartzen are fully motivated, with the Martini Callaway Racing team knowing that they do not have much to lose, as von Gartzen commented  : « We are very optimistic, we are going to keep putting pressure on the Ferraris, and we will see what will happen at the end ».

The fight between the Kessel Racing Ferrari 430s and the Martini Callaway Racing Corvettes will also determine the winner of the FIA GT3 European Team Championship. The situation there is even closer, as Kessel Racing only leads by five points. The two teams will therefore need to field three competitive, consistent cars during the event in order to triumph.

But there could also be a surprise finish, from two men who are on top form at the moment : Arnaud Peyroles and James Ruffier. After a successful event in Brno, the Frenchmen will be outsiders for the Dubai event.  It is certain that they will need a certain amount of luck to win, but with two close races, and plenty of drivers aiming for the win, nothing is decided in advance. 

In Dubai, as well as the Corvette and Ferrari cars, all the other makes will be keen to end the season on a high note.  The Lamborghini Gallardos, which have been at the front all season, will be able to count on the experience of Jean-Denis Deletraz, who will share the wheel of one of the S-Berg Racing Team cars with Lloyd la Marca, recent winner of the Ferrari Challenge 2007. Jean-Denis Deletraz knows the track well, the Swiss driver having won the FIA GT Championship race there in 2006. 

Another man who knows the track well is Hexis Racing’s driver Frédéric Makowiecki, who claimed pole position last year, which will make his Aston Martin DBRS9, that he shares with Jean-Claude Lagniez, a car to watch.  Over this long circuit, with both fast and technical sections, the Ford GT cars will be redoubtable. The Porsche 997 GT3 Cup, Dodge Viper Competition Coupe, Ascari KZ1R could also create a surprise with a victory.

During this last meeting of the season, the Jaguar cars will finally make their debut.  Two Jaguar XKR GT3 cars will be entered by Apex Motorsport. A big event for the British team, which is looking forward to this event to measure themselves against the pack : “It’s going to be very exciting for us to be racing two Jaguar XKR GT3s in Dubai, which will be our first FIA GT3 race.  It will be the first time we’ll be going head to head with our FIA GT3 competitors and we’re really looking forward to it” said Richard Lloyd, Apex Motorsport  team owner.

One thing is certain : the last two races of the season will be an event not to be missed !

Jean-Denis Deletraz – S-Berg Racing Lamborghini Gallardo GT3 :
« I’m going to race with Lloyd la Marca, one of my main sponsors. He recently won the Ferrari Challenge. I have never raced in the FIA GT3 European Championship, and I have never tested any GT3 cars, so it is going to be something new for me. But as far as I know, the level is great, the cars are all very similar, and the fights are fantastic, so I am really looking forward to be in Dubai. I love this track. We won there in 2006 with Andrea Piccini, it was a great race. This track is a real track, as fantastic as Spa or Suzuka. It is over five kilometres long, with very fast corners for really big-hearted drivers, as well as more technical parts. And with the sand on the track, it is always very slippery. It is great to drive there, I love it ! And also, we will be in a fantastic country, close to an incredible town with good weather at the end of November… it could not be better !”

Frederic Makowiecki – Hexis Racing Aston Martin DBRS9 :
 “This is a very specific track. It is very dirty at the beginning of the week-end, but getting faster and faster as the trajectory gets cleaner. For our car it is a good track, as it is not bumpy at all. On the other hand, there are two long straights, which is not the best point for the Aston Martin. It is very physical, because of the weather, but also because of the track itself. You have to stay really concentrated due to the fast corners, the technical sections and the sand ! It is easy to make mistakes. I set the pole position last year in the FIA GT Championship, so I hope that we will be competitive there. It is going to be a great moment for all the FIA GT3 European competitors. We will be all together in Dubai, for the last race of the season. It is a good way to celebrate this fantastic season together. The atmosphere is great in Dubai, we are always made really welcome in this city and the atmosphere is good in this Championship, so we are all going to enjoy it.”

Gilles Vannelet - Kessel Racing Ferrari 430 GT3 : : ”I hope that in Dubaï, the Corvette will not be as fast as in Brno. Since the beginning of the season it has been really close on each track, but it Brno the Corvette were fastest than anyone else. We do not know Dubaï, so we will need time to learn the track, but normally Henri and I are used to learning tracks quite fast. I heard that it is a great track. We are confident, and ready to fight. We are strong in our head; we are going to Dubaï to win this Championship. It will not be easy, but we are well motivated, we deserve this title. I know that Henri Moser did the full statistics in order to know in which situation we could be Champion. To my mind, there are no calculations, we just have to do our best in each race. I just finished second in the French FFSA GT3 Championship few weeks ago, I do not want to finish second in the FIA GT3 European Championship.”

Luca Pirri - Martini Callaway Corvette Z06 : “We are confident for this race, for the big final. I have not driven a racing car since Brno. I live now in China, so I will come straight from my bike in Shanghai to the Corvette in Dubaï! So I did not practice a lot, but in my mind I’m definitely ready. I raced in Dubaï last year, with the Aston Martin DBRS9. It was great, and now it is a good point as I know this track. It is a great place for a final. It is an interesting track. This year we have not made any mistakes, but we were unlucky when our car had technical problems, and also in Monza where we were excluded. So now we are in credit with the bad luck, so we are confident! Jürgen von Gartzen is also well motivated, we are very good friends, and it is a pleasure to race together. Anyway the best will win, and it is going to be a great moment, with a fantastic show.”

Arnaud Peyroles - Riverside Corvette Z06 :   “We have no pressure. We are going in Dubaï to do our best, and we will see. Event if we win both races, we are not sure to be Champion, we also need a lot of luck as the others must not score points. So the second place is more accessible for us, but we also have to take care as we are not sure to finish third! So it is complicated. I have the feeling that the others are not thinking about us. They are focused on each other, and have forgotten us. In fact we are going to be the first spectators of the strong fight between Moser / Vannelet and Pirri / von Gartzen. You never know, before the last round of the Formula One this year, nobody was betting on Raïkkonen. So we could be the Raïkkonen of the FIA GT3 European Championship! At the end, if we win it would be just incredible, if we are second it is great, and if we stay third, we will be really happy. I’m on a good spiral since few months, in the FIA GT3 European Championship, but also in the French FFSA GT Championship where I won three races (two with James Ruffier). Neither James nor I have been to Dubai - I heard that we have to be careful on this track because of the sand.”

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