Shared Glory : Victory to Alessi and Frassineti - Drivers Championship to Moser and Vannelet - Martini Callaway Racing wins Teams Title

What a finish ! The last race of the season was just amazing. After about 30 minutes, Gilles Vannelet and Henri Moser had a Stop & Go for not respecting the driver change time. At this stage, Luca Pirri and Jürgen von Gartzen were virtually Champions. But ten minutes before the end, the Safety Car came in… and at the restart Gilles Vannelet climbed, in  just two laps, from 7th to 2nd, winning the 2007 FIA GT3 European Championship in the process. Diego Alessi and Alex Frassineti claimed victory for the first time this season, while in 4th position, Luca Pirri and Jürgen von Gartzen claimed the 2007 FIA GT3 European Teams Championship for Martini Callaway Racing.

First international title for Henri Moser and Gilles Vannelet
The pressure was high before this last race. If Pirri & von Gartzen’s main goal was to win the race, Henri Moser and Gilles Vannelet needed to race with their head, in order to score enough points to be Champion. Henri Moser started the race at a good pace, staying in fifth position, whereas von Gartzen was third. As Moser was losing time behind Klaus Ludwig, the team called him into the pits early. But Gilles Vannelet made a mistake, leaving the pits too early, so the nr 38 Kessel Racing Ferrari was given a Stop & Go penalty. “When I saw that Stop & Go, I thought it was over.” commented Henri Moser. Second after the driver change period, behind the nr 26 Hexis Racing Aston Martin-, Luca Pirri and Jürgen von Gartzen were thene virtually Champions, as the nr 38 Ferrari was lying in 7th position. But around 15 minutes before the end of the race, the Safety Car came on track. “This Safety Car was like a gift for us! I had nothing too lose, and I drove at 200%. I pushed as mush as I could. I could not let that opportunity go” explained Vannelet. The French man, who lost the French FFSA GT Championship during the last race a few weeks ago, did not want to finish second again. He managed to overtake five cars, including Luca Pirri’s Corvette, and crossed the line in second position, behind Diego Alessi and Alessandro Frassinetti in the nr 23 BMS Scuderia Italia Aston Martin DBRS9.
“It is great to win this Championship. I did not expect to win, as Jürgen von Gartzen and Luca Pirri are really good drivers. We had really clean driving this season, we never touched each other, we were always fighting together with respect. It was a pleasure to drive this season, and of course to win this Championship. My best memories of the season will be today, and especially the last five minutes, and also the first week end in Silverstone. It is my first Championship title, in my second season of racing. I do not know which way to go in the future, I have to think and take the right decision. Off course I want to continue in GT racing” declared Henri Moser, to conclude this season.
 

Diego Alessi and Alex Frassineti win at the end
After a quite difficult season, Diego Alessi and Alex Frassineti managed to win the last race of the season. Even in the nr 26 Hexis Racing Aston Martin DBRS9 Jean-Claude Lagniez and Frederic Makowicki lead nearly all the race, Diego Alessi makes the difference after the Safety Car period. “The end of the race was strange. I kept the tyres warm behind the Safety Car. I took the lead, and I managed to keep that position to win” explained Alessi, in fact quite surprised by this victory.
Second yesterday, third today, Jonathan Lang and Rory Bertram had a fantastic weekend in the nr 31 Team Berlanga Ascari KZ1R GT3.
In 5th position Mutsch and Forsten were first of the Fords. The first Lamborghini, driven by Deletraz and la Marca, was in 11th position. Cunningham and Al-Azhari finished first of the Jaguars, and Williams and Pickford first of the Porsches.

Martini Callaway Racing wins teams title
“Off course we are disappointed, but I’m glad to be here in this Championship. We are second, but we won the Team Championship, which is important for Martini Callaway Racing, and for Corvette. We will try next season to win this title” declared Jürgen von Gartzen after this race. Fourth today, Pirri and von Gartzen finished the Championship in second position, but by just one point, Martini Callaway Racing is the 2007 FIA GT3 European Team Champion.
In the Manufacturers Cups, Howard Spooner won the Ascari Cup. Alessi and Frassinetti won the Aston Martin Cup, Pirri and von Gartzen the Corvette Cup, Moser and Vannelet the Ferrari Cup, Thomas Mutsch the Ford Cup, Hans Knauss the Lamborghini Cup and Richard Williams is the Porsche Cup winner.

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