Title battle goes on to Nogaro

As the FIA GT3 European Championship enters its closing phase, the race for the Drivers’ title is proving just as close as the racing on the track. After the chaotic events in the previous round, at Brno in the Czech Republic, just two points separate the leading contenders – it looks like this one won’t be decided until the final round, in Dubai.

Before heading to the Middle East, there are two races in France to be negotiated. Situated in the Gers department, about half-way between Bordeaux and the Spanish border, the Nogaro circuit is radically different to the fast, sweeping corners and hills of the Brno track. The track features a seemingly endless sequence of corners, some with more than one apex; the main straight ends with a heavy braking zone into the École hairpin. Unusually the longest straight is not used for the start-finish line – that comes between the double- right of the Claude Storez corner and the Lake Esses.

The two races at Brno saw plenty of action, particularly at the long first corner. In the opening race a Ferrari spun in front of the pack, sending cars in all directions; after the dust had settled there were two Aston Martins clear at the front of the field, but the No.8 Hexis Racing DBRS9 got a stop-go penalty for a pit-stop infringement, dropping them out of contention. That left the No.17 Brixia Racing car of Alessi and Zani in the clear to take the win, ahead of the No.10 Hexis Racing duo of Lagniez and Makowiecki, with the Czech duo of Matzke and Skula claiming third in their ‘home’ race in the No.37 MM-Racing Corvette. Peyroles and Ruffier, in the No.1 Martini Callaway Racing Corvette, finished fourth to extend their Championship lead to eight points.

But then, in the second race, it all went wrong for Peyroles and Ruffier; caught up in yet another first-corner incident, the Corvette was sidelined. Meanwhile their Championship rivals, Khan and Mutsch, had started from pole in the No.20  Matech GT Racing Ford GT; they lost a few places in the opening-lap scramble but soon fought through to take their third win of the season, a result which gives them a slender two-point advantage with four races remaining. Second went to Accary and Mena, in the No.8 Hexis Racing Aston Martin, while the No.2 Martini Callaway Corvette duo of Bert and Meir claimed third.

The Brno race saw a fine top-five finish for the No.29 AutoGT Racing Morgan Aero 8 GT3 of Lesoudier and Scheier; the French team come to their ‘home’ race looking for another good result. And although the Brno results were dominated by Aston Martin, Corvette and Ford GT, the races also saw top-ten finishes for the leading Ferrari and Porsche runners. Since the character of the Nogaro circuit is so different to that of Nogaro, prospects are good for a more varied mix challenging for a podium position – provided they can make it past the first corner!

James Ruffier – No.1 Martini Callaway Racing Corvette Z.06R GT3: “Nogaro is the French round of the Championship, but it’s not really our ‘home sweet home’ – in the French GT Championship we only raced there once a year, so I think everyone will know the track well after free practice. You need a car with good turn-in for the slow corners, good aero for the medium-speed corners and a strong engine for the long straight – so it’s a track which needs everything! I think the Corvette should be good there, although the handicap weight for performance balancing won’t help.”

Frédéric Makowiecki – No.10 Hexis Racing Aston Martin DBRS9: “I have raced at Nogaro a few times – in 2005, I raced in the French GT Championship. I like the circuit; there’s a long straight which is good for overtaking, and some slow corners, there’s a lot of variety. I think the Aston Martin will be good, apart from the long straight – our top speed isn’t so good, but if we can get good traction, we should be okay. The track is hard on the tyres; it’s very important to find a good set-up, to make the car consistent.”

Ian Khan – No.20 Matech GT Racing Ford GT: “I raced at Nogaro back in the early 90s; I was there for the FIA test session at the beginning of the year, and found they had moved the pits! It’s a very technical track, which is very hard on tyres because there are some long corners. The Ford GT went well at the beginning of the year; the important thing is that it’s a very good car, and tends to go well on most circuits – but I expect the Corvette will go well, too.”

Margot Laffite – No.31 AutoGT Racing Morgan Aero 8 GT3: “I’m looking forward to the Nogaro event, especially because we didn’t have a race in France last year – and the entire team is French. I love the Nogaro track – I’ve only been there in the Fun Cup, so it will be different going there with a full-on racing car. It’s a nice circuit, it has a lot of French charm. The track itself is tiring, at least in the Fun Cup, because the steering isn’t power-assisted. The long straight is good too, because there’s a big braking area at the end – you can easily find yourself in the gravel. The track is narrow, as well – with forty cars out there, it could be interesting!”

Subscribe: