Blancpain GT World Challenge Europe

The Blancpain GT World Challenge Europe kicked off at Brands Hatch at the weekend (4 & 5/05/2019) on the legendary GP circuit with style and two thrilling 60 minute races plus AKKA-ASP and Black Falcon securing wins for Mercedes-AMG.

Blancpain GT World Challenge Europe (Race 1) The AKKA ASP Mercedes-AMG piloted by Nico Bastian and Thomas Neubauer who started form 3rd on the grid beating the pole sitting Black Falcon Merc of Luca Stolz and Maro Engel to the line with a 2 second gap at the flag. Bastian took control of the AKKA ASP machine for the opening laps putting in quick lap times and holding position before bringing the car in for a lightening pit stop and to hand over the driver duties to team mate Thomas Neubauer. Emerging from the pits in P1, jumping the Black Falcon Merc for the lead, Neubauer kept his cool and his nerve, soaking up the continuous harassment by the vastly experienced Engel all the way to the finish line. The GRT Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini Huracan of Christian Engelhart and Mirko Bortolotti took the last step of the podium taking the chequered flag 10 seconds behind.

Race One Winners Nico Bastian & Thomas Neubauer AKKA-ASP Mercedes-AMG

Blancpain GT World Challenge Europe (Race 2) The Black Falcon Mercedes-AMG of Luca Stolz and Maro Engel took the race 2 victory convincingly. At the start the AKKA ASP Mercedes -AMG of Timur Bogulavskiy and Fabian Schiller took the lead from pole position with the Black Falcon Merc with Engel behind the wheel down in 3rd. In 2nd place Nick Foster in the Attempto Audi R8 LMS dividing the Merc’s. The race was disrupted by the deployment of the safety car following a collision involving the Rinaldi Ferrari 488 GT3 and the Phoenix Racing Audi LMS GT3 which collected other cars along the way. At the restart the the AKKA ASP Merc with Fabian Schiller behind the wheel retained the lead but a little later lose the position due to a poor pit stop strategy. The AKKA ASP team opting for a longer 1st stint allowed the Black Falcon Merc with Luca Stolz taking over the driving duties to bring the Mercedes-AMG home in 1st with a gap of just over 11 seconds at the flag. The Orange 1 FFF Racing Team with team principal Andrea Caldarelli brought the Lamborghini Huracan GT3 home in 2nd and 3rd going to Stejn Schothorst in the Attempto Racing Audi LMS GT3 he shares with Nick Foster. Race one winners Nico Bastian and Thomas Neubauer would finnish down in 8th place.

Race One Runner up & Race Two Winner Black Falcon Mercedes-AMG

GT4 European Series (Race 1) Early drama during race 1 lead to a full course yellow when the Allied Racing Porsche Cayman GT4 of Niki Leutwiler was helped off the circuit by a KTM X-Bow followed by a safety car when the Bullitt Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 of Patrick/Meyrick lost control on the Brabham Straight careering into the pit wall, the car heavily damaged and unable to move. With the race resumed the True Racing KTM X-Bow GT4 of Kofler/Niederhauser came home in 1st place with a 3 second gap between the 2nd placed Prosport Performance Aston Martin Vantage GT4 of Thoma/Rabindra, 3rd place being filled by the Equipe Verschuur McLaren 570 GT4 of McKay/Lessennes .

True Racing KTM X-Bow

GT4 European Series (Race 2) The Leipert Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT4 paring of Kisiel/Koebolt stole the lead from the Verschuur MaLaren GT4 of McKay/Lessennes on the run up to Druids Bend and remained out in front for the duration of the race. 2nd place went to the Phoenix Racing Audi LMS GT4 of Freiburghaus/Moller-Madsen, 3rd was taken by the True Racing KTM X-Bow GT4 of Kofler/Niederhauser.

Leipert Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT4

Driver of the day has to go to Thomas Neubauer. The 19 year old French man has never driven at this level before, graduating from the Formula Renault Eurocup, with only a handful of Ferrari Challenge Europe races under his belt, taking on and beating one of the most successful team/driver line ups in the series.

Next outing for the Blancpain is at Silverstone for the Endurance Cup.