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The Number 3 SRT Z06 Corvette of Longin and Ruffier took their first win of the season FIA GT Championship yesterday, crossing the line 33 seconds ahead of the number 4 Pekaracing Corvette of Hezemans and Kumpen. Maserati, never far from the front runners of the Championship, were represented on the podium by the number 2 Vitaphone Racing Team Maserati MC 12 of Müller and Ramos, who finished third. The placing put their recent bad luck behind them and gave Miguel Ramos a very popular home finish.

Algarve is a sweeping track, with undulating curves and bends which provided a challenge for some of the leading Maserati’s carrying success ballast: in the case of Bertolini and Bartels in the number 1 Maserati,100 kilograms. The penalties really open up the Championship to several competitors, and it keeps the competition close. It now means that four drivers, Michael Bartels, Anthony Kumpen, Andrea Bertolini, and Mike Hezemans, are all equal on 45 points with only two rounds remaining in the season.

Longin and Ruffier really deserved their win yesterday as radio communication issues, an extended pit stop, and a safety car period all contributed to their race's hurdles and kept the tension high. “It has been an amazing weekend,” James, the reigning FIA GT3 European Champion, commented. “The car was really, really good, and I am very happy for the team and for my team-mate. The car had been consistent, but not competitive, but finally we got the speed, and to win with a 30-second lead is really a good achievement for the whole team.”

GT1 has been dominated by the fight between the Z06 Corvette’s and the Italian dream machines the Maserati MC12’s this year. Fourth place was hotly contested with the two chasing Maserati’s finishing within a second of the Sangari Brazil Corvette Z06, which had brilliantly started from pole. In GT2 however,  the competition has been between the German giant Porsche, and the pride of Italy, Ferrari, with the AF Corse team collecting its third win of the season yesterday.

The number 51 Ferrari 430 GT2 of Niki Cadei and Alvaro Barba Lopez took the checkered flag, giving both drivers their maiden FIA GT victories. “I can only just believe the result now! After the safety car, I had to ask the team two or three times to confirm my position,” Cadei said. “I really wanted to win this race as I am close to my home in Spain,” Barba Lopez added. “I am very happy; it is fantastic.”

Prospeed Competition drivers Richard Westbrook and Emmanuel Collard, in their number 61 Porsche 997 GT3 RSR, took second building up a three-point lead over their nearest rivals. Despite being involved in a collision with the eventual winners, for which they received a drive-through penalty, Richard Westbrook said it was a good race for the team. “Our car had…really good race pace and we slowly climbed up the order and found ourselves in the lead. We didn’t really gain too much behind the safety car, but we didn’t lose much either. To come second, with our main title rivals in sixth is a real dream. The weight is going up again, but we’ll take the points!”

For video, photos and news from all the rounds of the FIA GT championship see the following link: http://www.fiagt.com/index.php

source: http://www.examiner.com