Giancarlo Fisichella and Gimmi Bruni battled up the
order to the top step of the podium on Sunday in the
Silverstone 6 Hours to clinch the 2011 Le Mans GTE Pro
title with a race to spare in their AF Corse Ferrari 458
Italia GT2. The result also means that Ferrari has an
unassailable lead over Porsche and Aston Martin in the
Le Mans GTE Pro manufacturers’ title chase.
The
endurance race was the fourth round of the Le Mans
Series and the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup and the
experienced AF Corse crew of Bruni and Fisichella took
top honours in the GTE Pro category. Having started from
a lowly eighth on the grid, the Italian pair staged an
amazing climb up the order, all the way up to the top
step of the podium.
“[The]
result is down to a great strategy from the team which
made less pit stops compared to other teams in the race
and the skill of the drivers, as well as the quality of
the 458 Italia GT2,” said Antonello Coletta, the head of
Ferrari Corse Clienti. “It is very satisfying for us to
see our car secure such an important result in its debut
season in these most prestigious championships. Our next
challenge is the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup, which
also sees a Ferrari in the lead and we will have to do
our utmost to repeat our excellent result from 2010.”
Fisichella was delighted with what he and Bruni achieved
after a difficult start. “The outcome of qualifying did
not affect our expectations, as we knew we could do well
and that’s how it worked out. The team did an
exceptional job, as usual in fact, and this victory
proves it,” he said after the race.
“We made a cautious start and then gained confidence as
we racked up the laps,” added
Bruni. “We knew we could
finish with one pit stop less than our rivals. We played
on this strategy and saved fuel. The result was victory
and the title. It's been a great year with the whole
team and Giancarlo. We've exchanged
information all season. I'm really delighted.”
The
six hour race that featured no less than seven Ferraris
also ended with a good result for the Luxury Racing
Ferrari, which finished second in the GTE Pro category
crewed by Stephane Ortelli and Frederic Makowiecki,
while third in class in the GTeam was the F430 GTC of
Pierre Ehret-Shaun Lynn for CRS Racing. The next round
of the Le Mans Series takes place at Portimao on 25
September and the following weekend, the Maranello cars
will be tackling the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta on
the American Le Mans Series calendar which also counts
towards the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup.
