Thomas Biagi and
Mika Salo have claimed the 2007 Tourist Trophy. The event
counts as the second round of the international FIA GT
championship. The Vitaphone Racing Team MC12 beat off the
Corvette C6R driven by Jean-Denis Deletraz and Mike Hezemans,
and the sister C5R machine Anthony Kumpen and Bert Longin.
This is the Vitaphone Racing Team's second consecutive win
on this circuit, coming as it does on the back of Bartels
and Bertolini's victory last year in the MC12.
The win propels Biagi to the head of the Drivers'
classification while the Vitaphone Racing Team now lead the
team series. The fine performance of the Modenese cars
played a significant role in this success as they were
consistent and fast throughout. The other MC12s competing
also did well, especially that driven by Bertolini/Piccini.
The duo made an extraordinary comeback after effecting their
drive through on lap one, costing them around forty seconds.
Maserati's official test driver climbed from twentieth to
seventh place before handing over to Andrea Piccini. Fifth
place overall is an excellent result considering the few
seconds that separated the Italian team from fourth placed
Wendlinger/Sharp, in an Aston Martin, at the finish.
Ramos/Montanari and Giannoccaro/Pier Guidi also fared well.
Ramos/Montanari long occupied sixth spot in an event in
which they maintained a regular rhythm, even holding fifth
for a spell. The other Playteam Sarafree crew ended in
eighth despite having the disadvantage of a drive-through
for exceeding the pit lane speed limit.
|
|
The win propels Thomas Biagi to the head of the
Drivers' classification while the Vitaphone Racing
Team now lead the team series. |
|
|
|
Maserati has taken its second win in a row in the
historic Tourist Trophy, with Thomas Biagi and Mika
Salo guiding their Maserati MC12 over the
Silverstone finish line at the weekend. |
|
In the Citation Cup, the MC12s fielded by JMB Racing took
second and third with, respectively, Macari and Aucott
beating the sister machine of Waaijenberg and Kutemann, in a
race won by Cloet and Kuismanen driving a Corvette C5R. The
commissioners decided at the end of the race to inflict a
thirty second penalty on Biagi/Salo’s overall time for
overtaking when the yellow flag was out. However, even this
was not enough to rob them of glory.
Thomas Biagi:
"It was a splendid race. Mika and I drove as if in
qualifying from the first to the last lap. I had a few
problems with traffic that meant I lost a little time. The
car was consistent throughout the weekend and in the
two-hour race thanks to the team’s fine work."
Mika Salo: "It was great to get behind the wheel of
the MC12 after so long, even though it was tricky getting
used to a GT1 (the Finn is currently appearing in a GTS in
the ALMS series) and the new rules that call for attentive
use of the brakes. I am very happy. We did well during the
entire weekend and it is pleasing to see my name on the
Tourist Trophy."
|
|
|