Italian sportscars took a clean sweep of race wins in the third round of the Australia GT Championship with three wins for the Ferrari F430 GT3 while the other was collected by the Lamborghini Gallardo GT3.

Italian sportscars took a clean sweep of race wins in the third round of the Australia GT Championship with three wins for the Ferrari F430 GT3 while the other was collected by the Lamborghini Gallardo GT3. The Australian GT Championship was supporting the F1 Grand Prix in Melbourne last weekend.

Qualifying

Irish international driver Hector Lestor showed he is clearly enjoying his Australian ‘sojourn’ that began at the Clipsal 500 Adelaide by putting his Ferrari 430 GT3 on pole after the qualifying session at Round 3 of the Australian GT Championship at the ING Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix.

With a track temperature of 44 degrees it was John Kaais (Aston Martin DBRS9) that leapt out of the blocks at the start of the session with the Astuti Motor Sport team confident that there was more left in both the car and driver.

Kaias suggested prior to qualifying that the big Aston had suffered from top line speed in practice as a result of the aero on the car and that it would be reduced for qualifying. The move however did not appear to have worked to any significant degree with in fact Kaias actually recording a slightly slower time than his effort in practice

John Bowe having his first weekend in the Ferrari 430 GT3 vacated by Allan Simonsen had topped the time sheets in practice, but it was Hector Lestor in another Ferrari 430 GT3 with headlights blazing that did the business when it counted with a pole setting time of 2:02.7690 as compared to Bowe’s best of 2:03.0446.

Kaias who had been third fastest in practice slipped to fourth (2:03.449) as a result of Mark Eddy’s Lamborghini recording a time of 2:03.1881. Fifth fastest and a big improver from practice was Darcy Russell in the Dodge Viper his pace some two seconds better to qualify at 2:05.3642. John Teulan (Ferrari 430 Challenge) was an early visitor to pit lane but completed six laps, albeit a slow pace as compared to his practice times.

The qualifying session was brought to a stop after the Porsche GT3 Cup car driven by Jon Trende made heavy contact with the barriers resulting in considerable damage to the rear of the car. Qualifying sixth was David Stevens (Ferrari 430 Challenge) with a time of 2:05.7422 followed by Peter Lucas (Lotus Elise) with a time of 2:06.0495. Des Wall having his first drive on the Grand Prix circuit in the Porsche GT3 RSR finished in 8th position with a time of 2:06.4131 followed by Ross Lilley (Lamborghini Gallardo) and Jeff Bobik (Porsche GT3 Cup Car) rounding out the top ten. A big improver from practice was GT Championship first timer Scott Lyddiard (Dodge Viper GTS ACR) who qualified almost 5 seconds faster to take 17th position after being ranked 25th first time out of the track.

Race 1

John Bowe in the Coopers sponsored Ferrari 430 GT took the honours in the 8 lap race 1 of Round 3 of the Australian GT Championship at the ING Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix. Starting from P2 on the front of the grid Bowe quickly gained the lead from Irishman Hector Lestor in the first chicane after the rolling start.

At the after race conference Bowe made the comment that the number two spot actually favoured him over pole man Lestor, and the fellow Ferrari 430 GT3 driver agreed saying there had been no point ‘in pushing the issue’ at the race start. Lestor however shadowed Tasmanian driver Bowe for the entire distance with Mark Eddy (Lamborghini Gallardo) also never out of the picture to take a fine third place.

Bowe was circumspect in regard to comparing his drive in the Ferrari as to his appearances in a Lamborghini during a couple of rounds of last year’s Australian GT Championship. One comment he did make however, was that the Ferrari 430 was a particularly hot car to drive and Lestor agreed adding that he is more used to driving in cooler European conditions.

Behind the leading trio a battle royale was taking place between John Kaias (Aston Martin DBRS), Darcy Russell (Dodge Viper GTS ACR) and the smallest car in the field in the form of the Lotus Elise of Peter Lucas. Lucas actually passed the big Viper but succumbed to a spin later in the race and eventually DNF’d , while John Kaias was closing hard towards the end of the race to finish fourth also set the fastest time of the race with a time of 2:03.1349 on lap six. Russell came home in fifth with David Stevens (Ferrari 430 Challenge) in 6th followed by Des Wall (GT3 RSR) the first of the Porsches. Porsche also filled the remainder of the top ten finishers with the GT3 Cup cars of Sven Burchartz, Anthony Kosseris, and Dean Grant.

A high attrition rate saw eight of the grid fail to finish, the first casualty being the Lotus Exige GT3 of Angelo Lazaris that failed to make the rolling start. Other non finishers were Peter Lucas, Fraser Kirchner (Porsche GT3 Cup car), Jeff Bobik (Porsche GT3 Cup car), John Teulan (Ferrari 430 Challenge), Mark Krashos (Porsche GT3 Cup Car), Keith Wong (Ferrari 360 Challenge), and Scott Lyddiard (Dodge Viper GTS ACR).

Race 2

Hector Lestor (Ferrari 430 GT3) has won his first Australian GT Championship event in race 2 of Round three of the 2008 title chase at the ING Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix. In a reverse image of yesterday’s start, Lestor out of P2 got the better of pole man John Bowe in the Coopers Ferrari 430 GT3 and swept at the first chicane. The move enforced Bowe’s view yesterday that P2 is the position to have on the Melbourne GP circuit, particularly for a rolling start.

John Kaias got a good start in the Aston Martin DBRS9 and assumed third position ahead of Mark Eddy with the big Dodge Viper GTS ACR of Darcy Russelll losing a little ground. Lestor appeared relatively comfortable in the lead despite being shadowed by Bowe, but it was Kaias in the Aston Martin that was doing the ‘monstering’ at the rear of Bowe.

Kaias kept looking for a way round Bowe and ultimately made a move that wasn’t to succeed. Contact between the two cars saw Bowe spin, and Kaias’ race run after just 3 circulations of the 6 lap dash with damage to the front left hand corner of the Aston. The order then was Lestor followed by Mark Eddy (Lamborghini Gallardo), and David Stevens (Ferrari 430 Challenge), and that was how they finished.

Russell came home fourth in the Viper followed by the Porsche GT3 Cup Cars of Sven Burchartz and Michael Loccisano with John Teulan having a better day with his Ferrari 430 Challenge by taking 7th finishing spot. Ted Huglin in the Consolidated Chemical Company Ferrari 360 GT parked the Italian machine on the grass on the start finish straight while Ross Lilley’s Lamborghini Gallardo GT3 made a visit to the pit lane before retiring. 

While Bowe’s battle for another podium was well and truly over after the incident with Kaias it didn’t stop the wily Tasmanian from fighting his way back through much of the field to finish in 8th position as well as taking fastest lap of the event with a time of  2:04.0973. Speaking after the race Lestor and Eddy agreed that track conditions today were a little more slippery than yesterday, despite the slightly cooler conditions, while Stevens said he had more grip.

It was the first Southern Hemisphere victory for Irish international Lestor who heads back to the UK for next week-end’s British GT Champion ship event at Oulton Park. Lestor dedicated his race win to his sister and niece who were present at today’s event. 

Race 3

Mark Eddy steered his Quarterback Shirts Lamborghini Gallardo to his first Australian GT Championship victory in race 3 of Round three at the ING Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix. The eight lap affair began with Hector Lestor taking the lead out of P1 for the first time over the weekend, with most drivers agreeing that P2 is the preferred position for the rolling start at the GP circuit.

Lestor was followed by David Stevens (Ferrari 430 Challenge)  and Eddy with John Bowe quickly coming through the pack in his Ferrari 430 GT3 to claim 4th spot from his number 8 grid position.

The race then reverted to a safety car situation when the Dodge Viper GTS ACR of Darcy Russell and John Teulan’s Ferrari 430 Challenge made contact in the first chicane with a spectacular, but thankfully short oil fire the result for the Teulan machine. Shortly after the re-start Stevens took the lead with Eddy also getting past Lestor with Bowe in close contact in fourth place.

Also charging hard up the field into 14th spot was John Kaias who at this stage had brought the Aston Martin DBRS9 up from its lowly 23rd grid position as a result of a DNF in yesterday’s race 2. The Astuti Aston Martin team had replaced a front suspension control arm on the big machine over night following an incident with the Bowe Ferrari.

Mark Eddy got past Stevens and then Bowe made a move (and contact) with Lestor (Ferrari 430 GT3) that saw the Irish driver rotate and drop well back. Peter Lucas (Lotus Elise) also had ‘a moment’ but recovered well to continue what was another blistering drive.

It was at this stage that contact was made between the Porsche GT3 Cup cars of Fraser Kirchner and Sven Burchartz resulting in another safety car period, the order being Eddy, Stevens, Bowe, and Kaias still charging through to sixth and Des Wall (Porsche GT3 RSR) showing class all the way around the track. After racing resumed Eddy opened up the gap as Bowe passed Stevens to take second position with Kaias in fourth followed by Peter Lucas and Des Wall.

Darcy Russell (Dodge Viper) recovered from his earlier incident to take position 7 with Ross Lilley (Lamborghini Gallardo) coming home in position 8 from Michael Loccisano (Porsche GT3 Cup Car) and Hector Lestor rounding out the top ten. The two safety car periods occupied 2 of the eight laps. Fastest lap was recorded by John Bowe with a time of 2:01.627.

Following a post race hearing three drivers (John Kaias, Simon Middleton, and Hector Lestor) were all given 30 second penalties for driving infringements). The amended results dropped Kaias back to 16th spot after crossing the line in fourth, with Middleton dropping from 16th to 19th, and Lestor going from 10th to 18th. with the rest of the field moving up accordingly.

Race 4

John Bowe in the Coopers sponsored Ferrari 430 GT3 took a commanding victory in the fourth and final race of Round three of the 2008 Australian GT Championship. Mark Eddy (Lamborghini Gallardo) took the start and led for the first lap before Bowe took over in front to eventually take the chequered flag by a nine second plus margin. Third place went to David Stevens in his Ferrari 430 Challenge.

The race was really on behind the leading pair when Peter Lucas (Lotus Elise) momentarily took over from David Stevens (Ferrari 430 Challenge) for third. Lucas, while having a great drive, see-sawed up and down the positions with an intermittent fault that was causing loss of power.

As a result the battle between Des Wall (Porsche GT3 RSR) Hector Lestor (Ferrari 430 GT3) and Lucas plus an interesting scrap between John Kaias (Aston Martin DBRS9) and Darcy Russell in the Dodge Viper were highlights of the race, mid event. 

In the end it was Hector Lestor who claimed fourth, from Darcy Russell (5th) followed by the extremely polished Des Wall (6th), John Kaias (7th), Dean Grant (Porsche GT3 Cup Car) 8th, Michael Loccisano (Porsche GT3 Cup Car) 9th and Peter Lucas 10th.

Ross Lilley (Lamborghini Gallardo) had a spin after dropping a wheel in the grass and finished in sixteenth, while a spin for both Michael Lentini (Porsche GT3 Cup Car) and Anthony Kosseris (Porsche GT3 Cup car) also suffered from spins to eventually DNF. Fastest lap of the race went to John Bowe with a time of 2:01.8922.

Speaking after the race Bowe said he was unlikely to compete in any future Australian GT Rounds this year but praised the category calling it ‘really good motor sport’. 

2008 Australian GT Championship points (after three rounds): Allan Simonsen (Ferrari 430 GT3) 234; Mark Eddy (Lamborghini Gallardo) 178.5; Ross Lilley (Lamborghini Gallardo) 170.5; Hector Lestor (Ferrari 430 GT3) 143.25; David Stevens (Ferrari 430 Challenge) 136.75.