From GT1 World
Andreas Zuber and Marc Hennerici completed a lights to flag victory in the Qualifying Race as the FIA GT1 World Championship made a spectacular debut in Abu Dhabi.
The 60-minute contest provided some absorbing racing. Four different brands filled the first four places as battles raged throughout the field.
Zuber emerged unscathed from a first-corner clash with the Vitaphone Maserati of Miguel Ramos, which triggered a four-car accident and brought the safety car into play.
The win gives Zuber/Hennerici's Phoenix Racing/Carsport Corvette eight points, but it was something of a hollow victory as they will be docked 10 places for a balance of performance irregularity for the Championship Race starting at 19:45 local time.
The hero of the hour was unquestionably Romain Grosjean. Grosjean, in the Matech Competition Ford GT, started 11th on the grid and blitzed his way to second position with a stunning stint before handing over to Thomas Mutsch.
Third place went to Michael Bartels and Andrea Bertolini, in the Vitaphone Maserati. The AMR Young Driver crew of Stefan Mucke and Christoffer Nygaard finished fourth in their Aston Martin DBR9.
Abu Dhabi, Qualifying race :
1. Zuber/Hennerici ( Phoenix Corvette) in 1h00’34’’886
2. Mustch/Grosjean (Matech Ford) +2’’273
3. Bertolini/Bartels (Vitaphone Maserati) + 4’’308
4. Nygaard/Mucke (Young Driver Aston) + 37’’808
5. Margaritis/Heger (Triple H Maserati) +43’’535
6. Leinders/Martin (Marc VDS Ford) +45’’608
7. Makowiecki/Dumas (Hexis Aston Martin) +54’118
8. Piccione/Hirschi (Hexis Aston Martin) +1’07’’155
9. Wendlinger/Moser (SRT Nissan) +1’12’’583
10. Zonta/Daniel (Reiter Lamborghini ) +1’13’’649
Etc.
Andreas Zuber and Marc Hennerici completed a lights to flag victory in the Qualifying Race as the FIA GT1 World Championship made a spectacular debut in Abu Dhabi.
The 60-minute contest provided some absorbing racing. Four different brands filled the first four places as battles raged throughout the field.
Zuber emerged unscathed from a first-corner clash with the Vitaphone Maserati of Miguel Ramos, which triggered a four-car accident and brought the safety car into play.
The win gives Zuber/Hennerici's Phoenix Racing/Carsport Corvette eight points, but it was something of a hollow victory as they will be docked 10 places for a balance of performance irregularity for the Championship Race starting at 19:45 local time.
The hero of the hour was unquestionably Romain Grosjean. Grosjean, in the Matech Competition Ford GT, started 11th on the grid and blitzed his way to second position with a stunning stint before handing over to Thomas Mutsch.
Third place went to Michael Bartels and Andrea Bertolini, in the Vitaphone Maserati. The AMR Young Driver crew of Stefan Mucke and Christoffer Nygaard finished fourth in their Aston Martin DBR9.
Abu Dhabi, Qualifying race :
1. Zuber/Hennerici ( Phoenix Corvette) in 1h00’34’’886
2. Mustch/Grosjean (Matech Ford) +2’’273
3. Bertolini/Bartels (Vitaphone Maserati) + 4’’308
4. Nygaard/Mucke (Young Driver Aston) + 37’’808
5. Margaritis/Heger (Triple H Maserati) +43’’535
6. Leinders/Martin (Marc VDS Ford) +45’’608
7. Makowiecki/Dumas (Hexis Aston Martin) +54’118
8. Piccione/Hirschi (Hexis Aston Martin) +1’07’’155
9. Wendlinger/Moser (SRT Nissan) +1’12’’583
10. Zonta/Daniel (Reiter Lamborghini ) +1’13’’649
Etc.