Marc Basseng and Markus Winkelhock (Lamborghini Gallardo) captured the GT1 championship after an accident that forced into retirement title rivals Yelmer Buurman and Michael Bartels in their BMW Z4.
Makowiecki and Dusseldorp (McLaren) took victory in he qualifying race, but that was not enough for them to stay in the title hunt sinceBasseng and Winkelhock, while Bartels finished 5th, and Buurman took 9th place.
Only three points separated both championship contenders before the championship race, final round of the season.
The first laps were disrupted by a big crash from Nikolaus Mayr-Melhnof (BMW) and Laurent Groppi’s Ford GT, which hit the tire wall very heavily. As a result, the race was red flagged.
At the restart, another incident involved both championship rivals, as Buurman tried to overtake Winkelhock’s car. But the German driver closed the door on his rival, and Buurman went off the road, hitting the tire wall heavily, as Winkelhock was also forced to retirement.
That gave Winkelhock and Basseng the 2012 title, although they were excluded from this week end’s results.
Buurman was taken to hospital, with no serious injury though. The race was finally stopped by another red flag few laps later, giving a second victory to Makowiecki and Dusseldorp.
Next year, the GT1 championship will disapear, but will continue under a new format made of sprint races of the Blancpain Endurance Series.
Donington – Championship race:
1 - Makowiecki/Dusseldorp (McLaren MP4/12C) - Hexis
2 - Rosina/Kox (Lamborghini Gallardo) - Reiter - 1"091
3 - Demoustier/Parente (McLaren MP4/12C) - Hexis - 1"682
4 - Carroll-Ortelli (Audi R8) - WRT - 2"185
5 - Ide/Castellacci (Ferrari 458) - AF Corse - 3"172
Etc.
Championship:
1. Basseng-Winkelhock 145 points; 3. Dusseldorp-Makowiecki & Bartels-Buurman 144, 7. Vanthoor 122, etc.
Makowiecki and Dusseldorp (McLaren) took victory in he qualifying race, but that was not enough for them to stay in the title hunt sinceBasseng and Winkelhock, while Bartels finished 5th, and Buurman took 9th place.
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| The winning McLaren MP4/12C of Makowiecki and Dusseldorp. (Photo: FIA GT1) |
Only three points separated both championship contenders before the championship race, final round of the season.
The first laps were disrupted by a big crash from Nikolaus Mayr-Melhnof (BMW) and Laurent Groppi’s Ford GT, which hit the tire wall very heavily. As a result, the race was red flagged.
At the restart, another incident involved both championship rivals, as Buurman tried to overtake Winkelhock’s car. But the German driver closed the door on his rival, and Buurman went off the road, hitting the tire wall heavily, as Winkelhock was also forced to retirement.
That gave Winkelhock and Basseng the 2012 title, although they were excluded from this week end’s results.
Buurman was taken to hospital, with no serious injury though. The race was finally stopped by another red flag few laps later, giving a second victory to Makowiecki and Dusseldorp.
Next year, the GT1 championship will disapear, but will continue under a new format made of sprint races of the Blancpain Endurance Series.
Donington – Championship race:
1 - Makowiecki/Dusseldorp (McLaren MP4/12C) - Hexis
2 - Rosina/Kox (Lamborghini Gallardo) - Reiter - 1"091
3 - Demoustier/Parente (McLaren MP4/12C) - Hexis - 1"682
4 - Carroll-Ortelli (Audi R8) - WRT - 2"185
5 - Ide/Castellacci (Ferrari 458) - AF Corse - 3"172
Etc.
Championship:
1. Basseng-Winkelhock 145 points; 3. Dusseldorp-Makowiecki & Bartels-Buurman 144, 7. Vanthoor 122, etc.