Wec /elms 2021

[Rob]

Well, new year, new season coming up.

Didnt really keep up with it on here last year as much as i would liked. Covid, home learning and work, and im admin on few pages on Facebook. So, time was tight last year.

Looking like this should be back normal by june.

Got big news for 2023 with ferrari stepping to lmh. Which, will mean no more gte. Gte is pretty much dead. Sad, as love the gte cars. With imsa moving to gt3 cars next year, im sure wec/aco will do the same. Nothing as been confirmed to me, but af corse could be doing with lmh car.

[Rob]

https://youtu.be/ZjbI_D56FJM

[Rob]

17 HOURS
LMH
STATEMENTS
FROM
MOTORSPORT'S
TOP
EXECUTIVES
ON
THE
LMH
PROGRAMME

Maranello 24 February 2021
Ferrari's return to the top class in the FIA World Endurance Championship from 2023 has been greeted with enthusiasm by leading figures in the endurance world.

Jean Todt, FIA President: “The announcement of Ferrari’s commitment to the FIA World Endurance Championship with a Le Mans Hypercar entry from 2023 is great news for the FIA, the ACO and the wider world of motorsport. I believe in the concept of road-relevant Hypercars competing in the FIA WEC and at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. I’m looking forward to seeing this legendary brand taking on this ambitious project.”

Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest: "Today is a great day for endurance racing: Ferrari is coming back to the top level, at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the FIA World Endurance Championship. The Hypercar field promises some epic battles. Alongside Ferrari, In 2023, many manufacturers who have already joined us are sure to pull out all the stops to win the race in its centenary year. This is excellent news for a discipline whose rule base forms a solid foundation on which to build a bright future."

Richard Mille, President of the FIA Endurance Commission: “We took a lot of risks developing the Le Mans Hypercar concept, and a lot of effort and perseverance went into defining the regulations so that they capture the spirit of what we wanted LMH to be, and that is to allow for various philosophies in terms of technical approaches and aesthetics of the cars. Today we can be satisfied with the achieved results, with Ferrari joining other renowned brands. Ferrari has a long and prestigious record in sportscar racing, most recently winning the FIA World Endurance GT Manufacturers' Championship but also taking multiple overall victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Although there’s still a lot of work to be done, we’re already witnessing history being made and in few years’ time the FIA WEC grid should be the strongest ever.

Frédéric Lequien, CEO of the FIA WEC: “The news that Ferrari is set to join the new Hypercar category is simply amazing. What’s even more incredible is that Ferrari will join at least five other manufacturers to compete in the WEC’s top-tier category from 2023 - the scene is set for an unforgettable period in endurance racing history. We are delighted that our new regulations have attracted so many prestigious automotive brands. Ferrari is a prestigious marque which is synonymous with Hypercar, so I have no doubt that they will be be extremely competitive out on track - we are honoured to welcome Ferrari back to the top class of endurance racing”.

[Rob]

Maranello 24 February 2021
The new challenge ahead for Competizioni GT consists of three simple letters, LMH. They represent Ferrari’s quest to be in the top class of the World Endurance Championship by 2023, fifty years after the 312 PB’s last race in the World Sportscar Championship.

Antonello Coletta, Head of Ferrari Attività Sportive GT, believes that the Maranello marque could once again fight for overall victories in races such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans or the premier class title.

“Today’s announcement confirms Ferrari’s commitment to the world of endurance racing and completes a journey that began in 2006 when we returned to this activity, which then led us to create Competizioni GT", commented Coletta. “Since then, we have brought the Prancing Horse cars back to winning ways as seen by our world titles and victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. We firmly believe in endurance and the announcement of our return to the top class of the FIA WEC, a championship of which Ferrari is one of the founders alongside the FIA and the ACO, is payback for our efforts and hard work of recent years. There is great enthusiasm and desire to face this new, demanding but at the same time exciting challenge”.

[wisepie]

Thanks for this update, Rob, but like you I feel it's a shame that the GTE class will probably be a thing of the past. I still remember watching the Ferrari 512s against the Porsche 917s at Brands Hatch back in the late 60s/early 70s, those were days we won't see again and the noise was incredible.;-)

[458 Italia]

Really sad news that the co-founder of Frikadelli Racing; Sabine Schmitz has died after losing her battle with cancer. :-s

[SilverSpeed]

RIP Sabine!

[Forza Rosso]

WEC SPA 6 Hours :

Second and third in LM GTE PRO and
First , third and fourth in LM GTE AM.

A good start from all our drivers this year !
Can't wait for us to be in the Hypercar class...patience required.

Congrats to the all our Ferrari GT Teams !

[wisepie]

Yes, a good performance from the 488GTEs but I was hoping that we'd get P1 in the GTEPro, AF Corse do a great job anyway so a pretty successful start to the season, grazie ragazzi!

[Forza Rosso]

Here a nice picture from some well known AF Corse drivers of the past : SPA 20107805

[Forza Rosso]

FERRARI AND AF CORSE TEAM TOGETHER FOR LMH PROGRAMME

Maranello 07 June 2021
Ferrari officially announced its partnership with AF Corse to collaborate in the management of the team that will work alongside Competizioni GT in the Le Mans Hypercar (LMH) programme. As already declared, the Prancing Horse will be entering the new top class of the FIA WEC World Championship from 2023.

The team will compete in the championship as “Ferrari – AF Corse”, continuing on a winning streak started in the FIA GT 2006 with the F430 GT2 that, in its debut season, produced the team, drivers and Constructors’ title. The partnership between Ferrari and AF Corse has created nearly all of the GT wins of recent years as well as all of those achieved in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) since its inception in 2012. Six team and drivers’ titles for AF Corse in the LMGTE Pro and LMGTE Am classes, five Constructors’ titles for Ferrari crowned with three triumphs at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Antonello Coletta, Head of Ferrari Attività Sportive GT: “Today’s announcement is an important step towards the debut of our LMH in the World Endurance Championship. We are happy to have a reliable partner like AF Corse with us for this project. Ferrari and AF Corse have enjoyed a solid relationship for a long time, as you can see in the FIA WEC, where we run our official 488 GTEs together with the Piacenza-based team. We look forward to continuing together on a journey as rewarding as the years of racing cooperation to date”.

Amato Ferrari, AF Corse team owner: “We are proud of this announcement. It is the crowning of a dream and recognition of the great effort made over the years. Our partnership with Ferrari is a winning one that began in 2006, and I am delighted to continue it in the LMH project. We have immediately kicked off with great enthusiasm aiming to raise the bar even further and to be ready for this new challenge”.

07 June, 2021

7816

[Forza Rosso]

WEC Portimao 8 Hours :

First and Second in LM GTE PRO
First in LM GTE AM

Great result once again from our guys.
Congratulations , Forza Ferrari !

Now on to the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza.

[wisepie]

WEC Portimao 8 Hours :

First and Second in LM GTE PRO
First in LM GTE AM

Great result once again from our guys.
Congratulations , Forza Ferrari !

Now on to the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza.

Brilliant result, so well earned, congrats to them all.:thumb

[Forza Rosso]

Monza 19 June 2021
Extraordinary victory in the DTM championship maiden outing at Monza for the Red Bull AF Corse-run Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020 driven by Liam Lawson. Excellent performance also for the second Ferrari, courtesy of Alex Albon, who narrowly missed out on third place.

At the end of the 50-minute race, the undercut strategy of those who pitted first paid off, with Lawson changing tyres on lap nine, while opponents stayed out on track a few laps longer. The two AF Corse drivers make their intentions clear from the get-go, gaining ground over the opening turns. On lap 12 Lawson, holding eighth place after the bustle of pit stops, manoeuvres in behind Vincent Abril, fresh out of the pits and, in the earlier stages, race leader.

The mandatory stops of the immediate rivals continue, with Lawson maintaining a formidable pace. The crunch comes on lap 24, when the new race leader, Maximilian Buhk, enters the pits: the advantage accumulated by Lawson is more than enough to snatch the top spot, holding on to it right through to the chequered flag. Albon puts pedal to the metal until he reaches fourth place, marginally off the podium.

"At Ferrari we are very pleased with the win in this first race of the 2021 DTM championship season, which marks the beginning of a new GT3 era in the renowned German series" said Antonello Coletta, Head of Ferrari Attività Sportive GT. "It gives us great satisfaction to be able to prevail over the other prestigious brands who have participated, showing the validity of the Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020. We hope to be able to keep up these performances throughout the season".7814

[wisepie]

Nice to see a Ferrari win again, for the second weekend running after Portimao. Keep it coming! I still find it odd to see Albon, an ex-Red Bull F1 driver driving a Ferrari, though.

[Forza Rosso]

Nice to see a Ferrari win again, for the second weekend running after Portimao. Keep it coming! I still find it odd to see Albon, an ex-Red Bull F1 driver driving a Ferrari, though.

When Ferrari and Red Bull team up against Mercedes , anything is possible.....:-)

[wisepie]

When Ferrari and Red Bull team up against Mercedes , anything is possible.....:-)

If only it was happening in F1! We can dream.:roll

[Forza Rosso]

Monza 18 July 2021

The trio of Perrodo-Nielsen-Rovera claimed a splendid victory in the AF Corse Ferrari 488 GTE in the LMGTE Am class at the 6 Hours of Monza, the third round of the FIA WEC World Championship, while Alessandro Pier Guidi and James Calado finished second in the LMGTE Pro. Enrico Galliera, Ferrari’s Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer started the race, which also welcomed the return of spectators to the stands.

LMGTE Pro.
The six-hour, intense scrap between Porsche and Ferrari saw Kévin Estre and Neel Jani emerge victorious. Three minutes from the end, they took advantage of Alessandro Pier Guidi’s splash-and-go to cross the line with a 32-second cushion. The Italian driver, who pushed hard to close to within less than a second of the winners before his lightning-fast final stop, deployed a bold strategy hoping to follow up on his win at Portimão, but with no luck. During the race, crewmate James Calado even took the lead for a time with a splendid passing move on Jani. Miguel Molina and Daniel Serra secured fourth place overall, just three seconds off the podium. The crew of car #52 fought a very intense race duelling with the Porsche of Bruni-Lietz. With these results, Ferrari stays on top of the Constructors’ Championship standings.

LMGTE Am.
François Perrodo, Nicklas Nielsen and Alessio Rovera enjoyed their second season win, with a perfect performance. Starting from the back of the pack after yesterday’s penalty in qualifying, a splendid Rovera put the trio back in contention in the early stages. He then handed over to Perrodo before returning to the wheel at mid-race. The Italian then left the AF Corse 488 GTE to Nicklas Nielsen, whose two very quick stints saw him first over the line, gifting the Italian team another win after the victory at Spa-Francorchamps. The race was a mixed bag for the other Ferraris. While car #54, driven by Flohr-Fisichella-Castellacci finished seventh and the “Iron Dames” crew, Frey-Gatting-Bovy, eighth, the Maranello cars were well up in the mix during the race. The final result was affected by bad luck in the Safety Car and Full Course Yellow phases, which also knocked back the third AF Corse Ferrari of Mann-Ulrich-Vilander, tenth at the finish line but often in the top three. Eleventh and twelfth place went to the 488 GTEs fielded by Cetilar Racing, still leader of the standings, and Rinaldi Racing, while the second Iron Lynx car had to retire.

Appointments. The next round of Season 9 of the FIA WEC is the eagerly awaited 24 Hours of Le Mans on 21 and 22 August. On that occasion, the Ferrari President, John Elkann, will send the cars on their way in front of 50,000 spectators.

[wisepie]

Thanks for the summary of the Monza race, always good to remember that Ferrari are also chasing success in the WEC standings and not doing a bad job at all, thanks to AF Corse and some great performances which aren't always reflected in the eventual results.

[Rob]

Monza, 18 July 2021 – The reigning champions spoke about their second victory of the season, Ferrari’s third consecutive win in the LMGTE Am class, a feat not achieved since 2015.

François Perrodo, AF Corse #83 “You should have seen our faces at dinner when we heard about the penalty after qualifying! Whatever, the rules must be followed, and today we started from the back. Winning is really great. After the poor race at Portimão, where we only picked up two points, we are back in the title fight ahead of the most important race of the year, with double points at stake. There will be spectators, and that will make it totally different to last year”.

Alessio Rovera, AF Corse #83: “The race was more fun starting from the back! We knew the car was quick, especially on the straights. I gave it my all and tried to pass every time I had the chance. I enjoyed the whole race, and all three of us were very fast”.

Nicklas Nielsen, AF Corse #83: “It was a great race! I took over in first place, like at Spa. The guys did a great job. Alessio made an impressive comeback, and François was effective in his stints… Since yesterday, we knew that the car was powerful. We managed to exploit its potential and can rejoice in this home win”.

[Rob]

After the race, the drivers described a gripping battle finely balanced until the last three minutes, with the Ferraris always in the mix.

James Calado, AF Corse #51: “It’s one of the bitterest second places of my career. We wanted to win, but the Porsches had a bit of a cushion, so we tried a different strategy. We were a lap or two short of fuel to fight for victory. We took a chance hoping for a Full Course Yellow or a Slow Zone at the end, but it didn’t come, so congratulations to them for winning on our home turf. The second place gives us valuable championship points ahead of the 24 Hours of Le Mans”.

Daniel Serra, AF Corse #52: “A difficult race where we rarely found the pace. We need to figure out why this happened and fix the problem ahead of the 24 Hours of Le Mans”.

[wisepie]

Thanks Rob, the Italians teams and individuals are getting back some form in many sports, long may it last! Forza!

[Rob]

Thanks Rob, the Italians teams and individuals are getting back some form in many sports, long may it last! Forza!

Sonfar. Been good season, across wec, elms and gt world challenge.

Really enoyed last race at Monza. Epic battle all race witg 51 and 92. And for the 83 to come from the back of the grid to win.

Next one Le Mans.

[Forza Rosso]

Lausitzring 25 July 2021

Excitement swirled at the Lausitzring as the second weekend of the DTM season came to a close, with Liam Lawson’s Ferrari taking second place and Alex Albon’s eleventh.

Passes.

Today’s result comes with its share of regrets for the New Zealander of Red Bull AF Corse. After a splendid passing move on the outside of poleman Ellis, Lawson took the lead and exploited the car’s potential. Lap by lap, he gradually built up a two-second advantage over Kelvin van der Linde who, in the meantime, had overcome the Mercedes driver, moving up behind the Ferrari man. After a tough qualifying session, Alex Albon attempted a challenging comeback, first passing Müller and then Rockenfeller for eleventh. The Thai pitted on lap seven, followed two laps later by his teammate.

Twists and turns.

The AF Corse mechanics’ pit stops were again lightning-fast, but Lawson stalled the 488 GT3 Evo 2020's engine and returned to the track third, behind Kevin van der Linde and Maximilian Götz. In the middle of the pack, Albon fought a great duel with Maini, getting the better of the Mercedes driver with a perfect passing move at Turn 2, while race leader van der Linde’s car suddenly slowed down on the return straight, leaving the way clear for the German and the New Zealander. The championship leader’s Audi recovered its pace and got back into Lawson’s slipstream. Despite van der Linde’s insistent pressing and the 15hp loss due to the Balance of Performance, Lawson neatly fended him off to cross the line in second place. However, Albon struggled to stay in the top ten, ending the fifty-five minute and one-lap race in eleventh place. The Balance of Performance differential with his rivals severely hampered the AlphaTauri AF Corse driver from attacking or defending himself.

Standings.

These results compact the championship table with Lawson in second place on 65, just four lengths behind Kelvin van der Linde, while Albon is fifth on 31 points. The next round of the German series will run in Zolder, Belgium, from 6 to 8 August.

7820

[Forza Rosso]

Ferrari hopes to race LMH hypercar in IMSA following WEC convergence

Ferrari has expressed hopes that its new World Endurance Championship contender will race in North America
after the opening up of the IMSA Sportscar Championship to Le Mans Hypercars.

The Italian manufacturer has admitted that IMSA is on the radar for its first factory prototype programme in 50 years
after the final strand in the process of rules convergence between LMH
and the LMP2-based LMDh formula was put in place earlier this month.

Antonello Coletta, who is heading up the LMH project at Ferrari in his capacity as boss of the Attivita Sportive GT department,
described the completion of the process of convergence as "good news for motorsport".

He also pointed out that the USA is "the primary market" for Ferrari road cars.

Asked if the new Ferrari LMH hybrid prototype will race in IMSA, he told Autosport:
"Probably. It is a dream for the fans and for us.
"I hope we can have this chance, but we will have to assess it in the future."

But Coletta stressed that there will be no Ferrari prototypes racing in IMSA in the first year of the LMH programme in 2023,
which coincides with the introduction of LMDh machinery in North America.

"Impossible. At the moment we are concentrating on our project and our involvement in the WEC," he said.
Coletta would not be drawn on whether Ferrari would mirror its WEC attack by fielding a factory team
in IMSA should it decide to expand into North America.

Again it is too early: we we will concentrate on our two factory cars [in WEC], then we need to decide if we open to customers," he said.
Ferrari announced in June that its relationship with the AF Corse team,
which has masterminded its factory campaigns in the GTE Pro class of the WEC, will continue into the LMH programme.

The new Ferrari prototype, a name for which has yet to be released, is due to begin testing in the second quarter of 2022.

Coletta said that there would be further LMH announcements in "two or three months".

[wisepie]

Pleased to see that Ferrari plan to keep that relationship with AF Corse going, they have worked so hard and been very successful, long may it continue.

[Forza Rosso]

Ferrari wins the 24 Hours of SPA Francorchamps !
EPIC win , congrats to all the team , legendary nr 51 does it again.:clap

[Forza Rosso]

Iron Lynx claims first Ferrari Spa 24 Hours victory since 2004

The Iron Lynx squad claimed a dramatic first victory for Ferrari in the Spa 24 Hours since 2004 thanks to a bold move from Alessandro Pier Guidi in the closing minutes
Iron Lynx claims first Ferrari Spa 24 Hours victory since 2004
Pier Guidi went around the outside of the WRT Audi driven by Dries Vanthoor in wet conditions at the fast Blanchimont lefthander to reclaim the lead that the Iron Lynx

Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo he shared with Nicklas Nielsen and Come Ledogar had held for much of the double-points round of the GT World Challenge Europe.
Pier Guidi had lost out with 50 minutes to go when WRT rolled the dice with storm clouds looming and sent Vanthoor out on wet-weather tyres before it had started to rain.
The downpour arrived on the Belgian driver's outlap and then Iron Lynx opted not to bring in Pier Guidi at the first opportunity.
By the time he had completed a slow lap on a flooded track and changed to grooved Pirellis, the Italian had fallen 50s behind the Audi co-driven by Kelvin van der Linde
and Charles Weerts.

A full course yellow had already been called at this stage and when the safety car bunched the field up, Pier Guidi was little more than three seconds behind when the race
went green for the final 27 minutes.
The Ferrari quickly closed down the the Audi and was right with the German car inside five laps.

He was only half a second behind starting the 551st lap and then got a better run out of Stavelot and braved it out around the outside through Blanchimont at the end of
the lap.

Pier Guidi was able to extend the lead over the remaining laps to five seconds, before crossing the line 3.9s ahead.
"I've been trying so many times to win this race, I really wanted it, really, really," said Pier Guidi.
"When the rain came and everything seemed lost, I was really disappointed.
"I pushed like an animal and I did all I could."

It was a sweet victory for Iron Lynx on its debut in the Spa enduro after the Italian team had lost a car in the opening hour when Davide Rigon was involved in a four-car
accident at Eau Rouge.
The accident resulted in Rigon and Williams Formula 1 reserve driver Jack Aitken, who triggered the incident when he spun his Emil Frey Lamborghini at Eau Rouge, being
taken to hospital in nearby Liege.
Rigon was released after undergoing tests, while Aitken was diagnosed with fractures of a vertebra and his collarbone.

Aston Martin claimed third place with the all-factory line-up of Nicki Thiim, Marco Sorensen and Ross Gunn in the Garage 59 team's Pro class entry more than a minute in
arrears of the winning Ferrari.
They never made up the ground they lost during the night when they made their technical pitstop, a mandatory four-minute stay in the pits to allow for a change of brakes,
under green conditions unlike the majority of their rivals at the front of the field.

The second of the factory Audis run by WRT driven by Nico Muller, Robin Frijns and Dennis Lind took fourth position two laps behind, while Nick Tandy, Maxime Martin and
Laurens Vanthoor, who had to sit out much of the second half of the race after an accident in the paddock, took fifth in their KCMG Porsche 911 GT3-R.
The factory-backed Sainteloc Audi shared by Markus Winkelhock,Christopher Haase and Patric Niederhauser rounded out the top six.

Silver Cup honours went to the Madpanda Mercedes-AMG GT3 driven by Ezequiel Perez Companc, Ricardo Sanchez, Patrick Kujala and Rik Breukers.

AF Corse Ferrari drivers Duncan Cameron, Rino Mastronardi, Matt Griffin, Miguel Molina came out top in the Pro-Am class.
7825

[wisepie]

Great result, when the F1 team can't get a break, it's even more impressive when a Ferrari wins in the WEC series. Happy that Davide Rigon is OK after the crash, too. Well done ragazzi.:thumb

[458 Italia]

Bloody awesome result!! I'm annoyed at myself for not knowing it was on this weekend :ouch some of my online calendars haven't synced for this season so you (I) don't always know about historic races like this :-s

[458 Italia]

Great result, when the F1 team can't get a break, it's even more impressive when a Ferrari wins in the WEC series. Happy that Davide Rigon is OK after the crash, too. Well done ragazzi.:thumb

spa 24 isn't in the WEC, but the World Challenge GT series but I know what you mean! It's such a tight field to get the win is just amazing!

[wisepie]

spa 24 isn't in the WEC, but the World Challenge GT series but I know what you mean! It's such a tight field to get the win is just amazing!

I know it's not technically a WEC event, but you know what I mean too! This old fogey can't keep up with all these different championship series!;-)

[Rob]

https://youtu.be/vUG8Hgk9wy8

[Rob]

Spa-Francorchamps, 01 August 2021 – Some days are destined to pass into motorsport history, and today’s event will undoubtedly go down in the annals of the Belgian marathon. It will take time to appreciate the effort made by the drivers and the Iron Lynx team to win the 73rd edition of the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. We heard from the drivers, still clearly excited, who accomplished this extraordinary feat.

Alessandro Pier Guidi, Iron Lynx #51: “I’ve tried to win this race many times and finally managed. I’m really delighted. We led for many, many hours, but then in the last half hour, victory seemed to slip from our grasp with the rain coming at the wrong time. After the restart, I just wanted to win and wasn’t interested in finishing second. I gave it my all and, making the most of our car’s greater speed in the wet, regained the lead. I have to thank Ferrari for giving me another chance to achieve one of my dreams after winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It was one of my goals to win the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps after coming close to victory twice. But I also have to thank my two teammates and the team. They did an incredible job. I think it will take some time to realise the magnitude of today’s achievement”.

Nicklas Nielsen, Iron Lynx #51: “It’s very hard to explain the feelings I have right now because it’s a really huge result, as much for us drivers as for Ferrari, the Iron Lynx team and all the technicians, engineers and mechanics who supported us in this 24-hour race. We were competitive throughout, even though the result was only decided at the end. Alessandro drove brilliantly, and I didn’t expect him to be so competitive in the rain, which hampered us last year”.

Côme Ledogar, Iron Lynx #51: “I think one of the keys to our success was the balance of the car. We weren’t the quickest overall, but we were definitely among those with the best set-up. During the night, I mounted sets of used tyres because the low temperatures allowed us and didn’t affect our Ferrari’s driving feeling. I’m delighted with the win and still can’t believe it. I have been racing this car for a few years now and find it hard to imagine being behind the wheel of another one. It is really incredible to be competitive already in the first year in this team with my teammates. I think what we went through in the last twenty minutes was an incredible mix of emotions. Luckily, we had a ‘racing beast’ in our cockpit today, although I really don’t know how he drove like that.”

Miguel Molina, AF Corse #53: “I’m delighted with the result because winning a 24-hour race is never easy, regardless of the circuit. We had an amazing race, with no mistakes and a perfect strategy. We set a high race pace and drove as well as we could. So, thanks also go to Duncan, Matt and Rino for the performance and for picking me for this race”.

Matt Griffin, AF Corse #53: “The 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps is the most challenging race, partly because the large number of cars at the start means you are always duelling with someone on every section of the track. This victory is simply perfect, and I think this is the first time in my life that I have described a victory in this way. I have competed in ten editions of this race, winning in 2013 and climbing the podium on two other occasions. Today everything unfolded perfectly according to plan. Miguel and I drove really well, and so did Duncan and Rino, who are gentleman drivers but proved to be very fast. The team was incredible. I have been racing with AF Corse since 2008, and today they really pulled off something special. We didn’t have any mechanical problems despite needing to be aggressive on this track to be fast, which means we didn’t exactly treat the car with respect on the kerbs and along the track. Despite this, everything worked to perfection. I am very proud to be part of the Ferrari and AF Corse family, celebrating a victory in Pro-Am and a great result in the Pro class”.

Antonello Coletta, Head of Attività Sportiva GT: “We dominated the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in both the Pro and Pro-Am classes, with Ferrari teams alternating at the top of the latter class, testifying to the excellence of our car and the competitiveness of the teams that choose a 488 GT3 Evo 2020. However, today I think that, besides the vehicle, we should celebrate Alessandro Pier Guidi’s memorable performance because, with a superb finish, he left a major mark on the history of this race. Hopefully, during the Olympics, his athletic ability, racing vision and fierce determination to win will set an example for anyone who wants to try their hand not only at motorsport but sport in general. I am delighted with the victories of Iron Lynx and AF Corse because they have brought Ferrari a historic triumph in this 24-Hour race”.

[Rob]

What a race!!! Those last 30 minutes was nerve racking. Ale showed why he is one best gt drivers around, win it or bin it. And get 1-2 in the pro am too absolutely fantastic. Im still tired.

Le mans 24hrs next. Cannt wait. And then im going gt world challenge sprint at brands hatch end august. Taking Jacob to that.

[wisepie]

Calm down Rob, you'll do yourself a mischief! Great race though and such a well-deserved result in both classes. Thanks for the review.

[Forza Rosso]

DTM ZOLDER , Results :

Albon third in the First Race.
Lawson third in the Second Race.

Lawson still second in the standings at 80 points ( 21 from the lead ).
Albon is fifth at 54 Points.

In the team standings , Red Bull Alphatauri AF Corse : second at 134 points ( 13 from the lead ).


All in all an excellent beginning for Ferrari in the DTM after 6 Races.

Next races at the NÜRBURGRING on 20-22 August.

[wisepie]

Surely a Red Bull Alpha Tauri AF Corse Ferrari 488 is a conflict of interest, given their F1 rivalry? Not complaining about their results, though!;-)

[Forza Rosso]

Surely a Red Bull Alpha Tauri AF Corse Ferrari 488 is a conflict of interest, given their F1 rivalry? Not complaining about their results, though!;-)

Maybe in the Future in F1 :

Scuderia Ferrari : Carlos and Jules

Alpha Tauri Alfa Romeo : Mick and George

Red Bull Ferrari : Max and Lando.......:lol

[wisepie]

Maybe in the Future in F1 :

Scuderia Ferrari : Carlos and Jules

Alpha Tauri Alfa Romeo : Mick and George

Red Bull Ferrari : Max and Lando.......:lol

Presume you mean Carlos and Charles at Ferrari, not Jules, although Jules and Charles at Ferrari would have been a dream team. Alpha Tauri with an Alfa Romeo/Ferrari engine doesn't ring true either, neither does George in such a team, better to keep GIO, and as for Red Bull Ferrari with Max and Lando, you have a wild imagination but you never know!;-);-)

[Forza Rosso]

Presume you mean Carlos and Charles at Ferrari, not Jules, although Jules and Charles at Ferrari would have been a dream team. Alpha Tauri with an Alfa Romeo/Ferrari engine doesn't ring true either, neither does George in such a team, better to keep GIO, and as for Red Bull Ferrari with Max and Lando, you have a wild imagination but you never know!;-);-)

Yes you're right , I meant Charles !

But I was just dreaming : 6 of the best and brightest drivers in 6 Ferrari powered cars , as a united front against Merc :-)

[wisepie]

Yes you're right , I meant Charles !

But I was just dreaming : 6 of the best and brightest drivers in 6 Ferrari powered cars , as a united front against Merc :-)

I got your drift, anyway! Cheers!;-)

[Forza Rosso]

Nice guide about LM 2021 in french PDF :

https://endurance24.fr/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/GUIDE_LM24_v8.pdf

[Forza Rosso]

Official LM 2021 poster JPG :

https://assets.lemans.org/explorer/news/2021/24-heures-du-mans/affiche/affiche-FR-24h-lemans-2021.jpg

[Forza Rosso]

LM 2021 spotters guide PDF ( takes a bit of time to download : 19,2 Mb ) :

https://spotters.guide/resources/2021_Le_Mans_V1.pdf

[458 Italia]

I for one will definitely be watching qualifying tonight! Can't wait!

[458 Italia]

First session of quali on now!

[Forza Rosso]

51 and 52 through to the hyperpole , Well done !

[458 Italia]

The LMPH cars are 8-9 seconds slower than last years LMP1s! sad really but this was to be expected though.

Ferrari looking strong but Porsche look better in this later session. I worry about any BOP that gets added.

[Rob]

#52 had lock up, now front right puncture

[458 Italia]

Looks like #52 has run out of fuel

[458 Italia]

#52 had lock up, now front right puncture

Ahh sorry Rob didn't see your post there!

[458 Italia]

Hydrogen cars coming to Le Mans in 2024!

[Rob]

Hydrogen cars coming to Le Mans in 2024!

Its the only way, for the future. Electric and batteries do lot more damage to the planet. But that gets looked over.

[458 Italia]

Its the only way, for the future. Electric and batteries do lot more damage to the planet. But that gets looked over.

You're right. batteries and electric cars are really just a convenient stop gap until the rise of hydrogen.

[458 Italia]

Hyperpole time! :pass

[458 Italia]

#52 and #51 running 2nd and 4th atm.

[458 Italia]

Come on Serra!

[458 Italia]

Damn 2nd and 4th.

[Forza Rosso]

I think our pace should be good enough.

Many 911´s this year though !
The new vette looks fast as well.

I think we are up for one hell of a fight this weekend.
Safetycar and track position could well decide it this year !

[Rob]

Been hit with bop adjustment. Less boost across all rev range and less1 litre of fuel.

The crews of 51 52 finished early. Got cars up on stands preparing to strip down ready for Saturday.

[458 Italia]

Been hit with bop adjustment. Less boost across all rev range and less1 litre of fuel.

The crews of 51 52 finished early. Got cars up on stands preparing to strip down ready for Saturday.

Getting screwed over by BoP yet again! ACO/FIA didn't even wait for all the sessions to be concluded before handing down the rule.

Gotta hope it doesn't affect us too much but it feels like they're trying to give Porsche the win.

[458 Italia]

Well it's very very wet this afternoon at Le Mans!

[458 Italia]

One of the hyper cars has broken down all ready :rotfl

[458 Italia]

Wet race confirmed rolling start behind the safety car.

[458 Italia]

A car has been left on the jack at the start!

[458 Italia]

extra formation lap, to get the cars back in the right order for the start.

[458 Italia]

We are go!

[458 Italia]

Toyota 8 spins in the esses!!

[458 Italia]

Corvette are leading GTE Pro.

Toyota #8 is having a nightmare!

[458 Italia]

Ferrari in 3rd and 4th currently.

[458 Italia]

#52 is now second with #51 in 3rd good fight with the Corvettes.

[458 Italia]

#51 leading GTE Pro while #52 pits

[458 Italia]

Track has been drying up so cars coming in for slicks.

[458 Italia]

Molina in #52 took a trip through the gravel and loses the lead.

[458 Italia]

Moliona back in to the lead!

[458 Italia]

Calado in #51 is still 4th and getting on the back of the battle for 2nd

This is getting quite lonely for me :rotfl

[458 Italia]

#51 is up to 2nd!

[458 Italia]

Driver changes. Serra now in #52 and Guidi in #51

Looks like they might switch positions on track.

[458 Italia]

The rain has returned

[458 Italia]

The Jota leading LMP2 completely lost it under braking at the Dunlop Curves

[Rob]

Calado in #51 is still 4th and getting on the back of the battle for 2nd

This is getting quite lonely for me :rotfl


I will pop in now and again.

[wisepie]

Car 51 showing 'out' a while ago, hope it's not terminal, only able to dip in occasionally but sure you guys will keep us informed.:roll

[458 Italia]

Car 51 showing 'out' a while ago, hope it's not terminal, only able to dip in occasionally but sure you guys will keep us informed.:roll

Nah it's all good the timing screen was just playing up.

First safety car of the race now.

[458 Italia]

I will pop in now and again.

:thumb

[Rob]

Car 51 showing 'out' a while ago, hope it's not terminal, only able to dip in occasionally but sure you guys will keep us informed.:roll

Out shows on when leaving pits.

[458 Italia]

#52 got back ahead of #51 as it pitted when there was a slow zone in sector 1

[458 Italia]

5 hours racing gone:

AF Corse #51 is still in the lead, #52 has just pitted.

Ferrari 2nd in GTE AM

Toyota 1 and 2 overall

[458 Italia]

Out shows on when leaving pits.

Rob do you know of any decent timing sites these days?

[458 Italia]

More rain and more accidents due to more falling rain. Safety car out. The Ferrari's are safe though.

[458 Italia]

the #92 Porsche is right behind Sam Bird in #52, #51 is still in the lead.

[458 Italia]

#52 will probably have to give 2nd to the Porsche I fear.

[458 Italia]

2 cars out of the race now. Thankfully the Ferrari's are still running relatively ok.

still #51 in the lead of GTE Pro, #52 back in 4th now.

[458 Italia]

As it stands Corvette is leading GTE Pro with AF Corse #51, 52 in 2nd and 3rd

[458 Italia]

Alpine in 3rd overall is stuck in the gravel!

[458 Italia]

James Calado about to pit and it's going to be close between #51 and Corvette coming out!

[458 Italia]

Another big crash leads to another safety car, just under 16 hours to go

[Rob]

Bit like the montoya crash earlier in the week

[458 Italia]

Bit like the montoya crash earlier in the week

Yeah it was.

[458 Italia]

You didn't happen to see my post about a better timing website/solution did you?

[Rob]

You didn't happen to see my post about a better timing website/solution did you?

Sorry. Just seen it.

And. Im sorry. I can not share it as would get shut down. Fia wec dont like it as they want you to go through and pay for their usless one.

[Rob]

My favourite part of the race.

[458 Italia]

Sorry. Just seen it.

And. Im sorry. I can not share it as would get shut down. Fia wec dont like it as they want you to go through and pay for their usless one.

No worries mate :thumb I know it's like that these days

Just had an obvious question been half answered on Eurosport lol

[458 Italia]

My favourite part of the race.

Night racing! gotta love it! hoping there's a safety car when Manny Paq is boxing tomorrow morning

[458 Italia]

Has #52 just been caught out with safety cars and slow zones?

[Rob]

No, just had pitstop.

[458 Italia]

Ah yep I see now and James owes us one.

[458 Italia]

Have you heard any whisperings about Rossi driving from Ferrari? ;-)

[Rob]

Have you heard any whisperings about Rossi driving from Ferrari? ;-)

No. But, he has raced the gulf 12hrs witu kessel racing. And got a podium. Wouldnt be surprised to see him in elms mext year. If not, gt3 necr year ready for the new gt3 rules coming in couple years. But. He want to do le mans, i think next year. So, maybe elms.

[458 Italia]

No. But, he has raced the gulf 12hrs witu kessel racing. And got a podium. Wouldnt be surprised to see him in elms mext year. If not, gt3 necr year ready for the new gt3 rules coming in couple years. But. He want to do le mans, i think next year. So, maybe elms.

Cheers! I thought if any would know it's you.

[458 Italia]

AF Corse are still 1st and 2nd with not much gap between the Porsche in 2nd

[458 Italia]

My god Parsons is so boring to listen to :roll

[Rob]

My god Parsons is so boring to listen to :roll

I listen to radiolemans with eurosport on low. And pause the tv to sync the radiolemans comms with tv

[458 Italia]

I listen to radiolemans with eurosport on low. And pause the tv to sync the radiolemans comms with tv

Good shout tbf :rotfl

I'm having a break now so I can watch the boxing lol

[458 Italia]

I'm still awake! Calado is leading GTE PRO in #51, #52 way down the timing screen.

[Rob]

I'm still awake! Calado is leading GTE PRO in #51, #52 way down the timing screen.

Had to replace left resr suspension. And then bit later got another front right puncture

[Rob]

He did have a power nap from 0315 to 0445.

[SilverSpeed]

Grazzi Both teams! Winners in both classes.

[wisepie]

Out shows on when leaving pits.

I was hoping that's what is was, and now they've got P1 in GTE Pro and GTE Am so I guess it's been a long day and night for them but fantastic result after all the dramas with rain and safety cars. Grazie to all of them!

[Forza Rosso]

I've been driving back from my summer vacation these past two days so I only watched a couple of hours of LM this year.

What a summer for Ferrari !

First the Victory in the 24 Hours of Spa Francorchamps , then the 24 Hours of Le Mans GT PRO and GT AM Victories.

Epic job , congrats to all of the 488-drivers , mechanics and every single member of the Scuderia Teams.:clap

[The Architect]

Very happy that the #7 finally won at Le Mans. So many near misses. Disappointing for Kubica in LMP2. The #51 lads did well to lead almost all the race. With the number of safety cars I had been worried the Corvette would luck into a reversal. A shame about the #52 (why was it renamed from #71??).

[Forza Rosso]

ALBON, FIRST MAGIC IN THE DTM

Nürburgring 22 August 2021

Alex Albon claimed a first ever DTM triumph at the wheel of the AlphaTauri AF Corse 488 GT3 Evo 2020 at the end of Race 2, held today at the Nürburgring. Liam Lawson was less fortunate, his race hampered by two punctures.

Albon got off to a flying start after setting off from pole position, as did Lawson who gained three positions. A collision mid-group triggered a Safety Car entry and, when racing resumed, Lawson put on an excellent spurt, moving up into fourth position, capitalizing on various contacts involving the cars ahead. His team-mate, meanwhile, was managing to carve out a comfortable gap. With Albon breaking away, the Red Bull AF Corse driver moved in behind Juncadella and Wittmann, choosing to make the mandatory stop on lap seven and managing to stay ahead of Godtz who, due to warmer tyres, attacked Lawson, making contact and puncturing the New Zealander's left rear tyre. The #30 Ferrari headed for the pits, imitated on lap nine by Albon, coming back on track ahead of the drivers who had already pitted. A lap later, the Safety Car was re-deployed at the head of the pack to allow debris to be picked up from the track and the removal of stationary cars in positions deemed dangerous by race stewards.

When the race resumed on lap 17, Albon moved up into fourth place, while Lawson, in an attempt to move up the order, tried to attack the cars ahead at the final chicane, but ended up in a collision that caused his 488 GT3 Evo 2020 another puncture, this time to the right rear. Stable-mate Albon, meanwhile, moved up to third overall before passing Nico Mueller to pull into the slipstream of general standings leader Klien, who was still poised to make his stop. The AlphaTauri AF Corse driver took over the leadership from the McLaren driver. Once the pit stops had been completed, Albon found himself almost five seconds ahead of Juncadella, whom the Thai driver kept in check until the chequered flag, thus clinching his maiden DTM win. This marks a second triumph for Ferrari in the German series.

7827

[Forza Rosso]

THE YOUNGEST WAS THE BIGGEST AGAIN: LIAM LAWSON CLAIMS SECOND SEASON DTM WIN AT RED BULL RING

Spielberg 4 September 2021.

At 19 years, he is the youngest DTM driver and Liam Lawson is dictating the pace in DTM straight away.
In the ninth DTM race of the season, the New Zealander first claimed his maiden pole position and then emerged as the winner from an entertaining race.
Like in the season opener at Monza already, where he won his first-ever DTM race, the youngest was also the biggest. German Maximilian Götz, driving for the Mercedes-AMG Team HRT, was second at the finish at the 4.326 kilometres long Red Bull Ring, followed by Swiss Philip Ellis with the Mercedes-AMG from the WINWARD team.
( Alexander Albon finished in fourth place in the Alpha Tauri Ferrari )

[Forza Rosso]

LAWSON SEALS STUNNING ENCORE AT SPIELBERG

DTM Spielberg 05 September 2021

Two wins out of two: ahead of the weekend, no one could have imagined a better result for Liam Lawson and the 488 GT3 Evo 2020 of Red Bull AF Corse.
In the second race, despite 25kg ballast, the nineteen-year-old New Zealander held off Marco Wittmann’s attacks and was first over the finish line with the help of the AF Corse team’s quick pit stop.
After a challenging qualifying session, Albon was unlucky to see a potential podium slip away due to a puncture.

Wait.

With Lawson starting from second and Albon from ninth, the two AF Corse Ferraris made it through the first turn unscathed and, with the Thai driver, tried to quickly climb the standings.
While Lawson shadowed poleman and race leader Marco Wittmann, Albon drove his AlphaTauri 488 GT3 Evo 2020 to eighth after an exciting duel with Glock.
Seven minutes in, Albon pitted together with other drivers, including the BMW man, Abril, Ellis, Buhk and Muth, followed by Lawson a lap later.
In both cases, the AF Corse mechanics were among the fastest to complete the mandatory tyre change, allowing Lawson to return to the virtual lead and Albon to fifth position.

Bad luck.

However, the Thai suffered a puncture that forced him back to the pits, leaving him one lap behind the leader, Nico Müller.
Albon made up the lap with some fast laps and a fine passing move at the Remus Kurve but was still more than a minute and twenty down on the German,
behind who the battle for victory raged between Lawson’s 488 GT3 Evo 2020 and Wittmann’s BMW.
The two set very similar times, but faster than Müller, with a gap of between five and eight tenths.
Lawson passed the Audi driver to move into first on lap 27, taking advantage of the German to create a small margin over Wittmann, who passed Müller a lap later.

In a heartbeat.

However, in another frantic finale, the two-time DTM champion moved back into the Ferrari’s slipstream.
With a black and white flag shown to both drivers, neither had any margin for error,
but the New Zealander again withstood the pressure, sealing his second triumph of the weekend and third of the season.

Chasing.

This result, and sixth place for Kelvin Van der Linde, still leader on 147 points, narrows the gap in the drivers’ standings.
With this weekend’s double triumph, Lawson is back in second position 12 lengths behind the South African,
while Albon, seventeenth at the finish, is sixth on 94.

7831

[wisepie]

Thanks Forza Rosso, nice to know that Ferrari can still win something even if it is under the Red Bull/AF Corse banner, which sounds a bit odd to me!

[Forza Rosso]

You're welcome wisepie !

I'm already getting used to the Red Bull and Alpha Tauri AF Corse Ferrari name.

I read that Helmut Marko is very satisfied with the cooperation with Ferrari and 4 victories is proof enough of that !

Who knows when Hypercar becomes a reality for Ferrari maybe you wan't to run more than 2 cars...
Wouldn't it be great to see 2 red and 2 blue Ferrari's driving all year in the WEC in 2023 , instead of just 2 ?

And at Le Mans wouldn't it be great to see 6 Ferrari factory entries , so drivers like Charles , Carlos , Mick , Max and Liam can also have a go at the Le Mans overall title ?

But that's just me dreaming........:-)

[wisepie]

You're welcome wisepie !

I'm already getting used to the Red Bull and Alpha Tauri AF Corse Ferrari name.

I read that Helmut Marko is very satisfied with the cooperation with Ferrari and 4 victories is proof enough of that !

Who knows when Hypercar becomes a reality for Ferrari maybe you wan't to run more than 2 cars...
Wouldn't it be great to see 2 red and 2 blue Ferrari's driving all year in the WEC in 2023 , instead of just 2 ?

And at Le Mans wouldn't it be great to see 6 Ferrari factory entries , so drivers like Charles , Carlos , Mick , Max and Liam can also have a go at the Le Mans overall title ?

But that's just me dreaming........:-)

Nice thought having real factory entry Ferraris in the WEC, preferably in red of course, but I find the RB/AT references quite hard to swallow. It's probably all about the finances but I'd like to see more recognition of the part that AF Corse plays in the running of those teams.

[Forza Rosso]

Nice thought having real factory entry Ferraris in the WEC, preferably in red of course, but I find the RB/AT references quite hard to swallow. It's probably all about the finances but I'd like to see more recognition of the part that AF Corse plays in the running of those teams.

I think The Ferrari works entry announced a few months ago to enter the HYPERCAR class in 2023 , teaming up with AF-Corse is a good first step of recognition ,
and a reward for all the good work done in the GT series around the world by the teams of AF-Corse.

Ferrari could have gone their own way for the overall victory in the HYPERCAR-Class ,
but instead they opted for a collaboration with AF-Corse , benefitting from their experience and making their semi-works entry a real works-entry !

For Red-Bull using a Ferrari prevents them from constructing their own HYPERCAR saving them a lot of money by not having to develop their own car
( speculating of course that Red-Bull have any interest in entering the HYPERCAR class :-) ).

[Rob]

I think The Ferrari works entry announced a few months ago to enter the HYPERCAR class in 2023 , teaming up with AF-Corse is a good first step of recognition ,
and a reward for all the good work done in the GT series around the world by the teams of AF-Corse.

Ferrari could have gone their own way for the overall victory in the HYPERCAR-Class ,
but instead they opted for a collaboration with AF-Corse , benefitting from their experience and making their semi-works entry a real works-entry !

For Red-Bull using a Ferrari prevents them from constructing their own HYPERCAR saving them a lot of money by not having to develop their own car
( speculating of course that Red-Bull have any interest in entering the HYPERCAR class :-) ).

Was always going to AF corse.. I knew about this couple months before the announcement. Were never going to do Ferrari in house hypercar. Just because of the history have with AF. AF Corse is a full independent team, but, with massive backing from Ferrari. Always been said, if Ferrari was going to have a full factory GTE team. Would look alot like AF Corse. Red Bull. Will not go hypercar. They were looking, witg the Aston Martin Valkyrie, who something on that. But that never got off the ground. There is no plans within, next 3 yeaes to see rbr at hypercar.

Af corse pitstops, what can i say. I know many of them very well. Good friends. They some the hardest working crews around. They all self employed. With go where they needed within the af corse stable.. Wherever its, dtm, gt world challenge, wec, elms, imsa, asian le mans series. Ferrari challenge series.

[wisepie]

Thanks Rob, know you are best buddies with the AF Corse ragazzi, any inside info is always welcome!

[Forza Rosso]

LAWSON TAKES SECOND ON SUNDAY , AFTER TAKING THIRD ON SATURDAY AND EXTENDS LEAD IN DTM

DTM Assen 19 September 2021

Having moved to the top of the DTM standings after Race-1, Liam Lawson extended his championship lead with second place in Race-2 at Assen. A quick Alex Albon finished fifth.

Aggressive.

The Ferraris started from the second row, attacking Wittmann while the poleman Auer pulled away from the group. Like yesterday, the BMW driver was very determined to protect his position and Lawson, despite getting off to a faster start than his rival, was forced to postpone his attack and was passed by his teammate.
Undercut.
Lawson decided to imitate the strategy that had proved successful in Race-1 by pitting on lap six, one lap ahead of Wittmann and Albon. The New Zealander's undercut proved successful, allowing the Red Bull AF Corse driver to pull alongside the BMW man as he exited the pit lane, taking advantage of warmer tyres to pass him on turn two. With Auer in the virtual lead and Lawson in second, the race was still open, waiting for race leader Kelvin Van der Linde to pit.

Slipstream.

The Audi driver made his mandatory stop on lap 21, returning just a few fractions ahead of Wittmann. In the BMW driver's slipstream and ahead of Maximilian Götz, Albon also tried to chase the South African, but with no luck. At the front, Lawson cut the gap to Auer to just over a second, while Albon was five-tenths down on Van der Linde, who was still battling it out with Wittmann.

Pulling away.

A few seconds from the end of the 55-minute race, Juncadella, in third, stopped his Mercedes at the edge of the track, allowing Wittmann to take his place on the podium. Two laps later, the chequered flag marked Lucas Auer's first win of the season, second place for Liam Lawson's 488 GT3 Evo 2020 and Alex Albon's fifth. With two rounds to go, this result puts the Red Bull AF Corse driver on 175 points, extending his lead to 10 points over Marco Wittmann, 15 over Van der Linde and 20 over Maximilian Götz. Alex Albon is sixth on 104.

Appointments.

With four races still to run, the DTM drivers will be back in action over the weekend of October 1-3 in Hockenheim.

[Forza Rosso]

LAWSON , SECOND AT HOCKENHEIM , MOVES UP IN THE STANDINGS

DTM Hockenheim 03 October 2021

With a consistent yet determined showing, Liam Lawson (Red Bull AF Corse) claimed an excellent runner-up spot in the second race of the DTM weekend at Hockenheim to edge further away at the head of the overall standings.
The driver now holds a 14-point advantage over the nearest second-placed rival in the countdown to the final round of the season.
Alex Albon in the other Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020 (AlphaTauri AF Corse) posted sixth place.

High tension start.

Emotions were running high from the get-go, with Liam Lawson third on the grid and Alex Albon, fifth, vying for positions in a tense struggle.
Lawson’s #30 Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020 got involved in a long, heated duel with Van der Linde.
After plenty of door to door tussling, the New Zealander racer with Red Bull AF Corse was able to get the better of his immediate rival in the general standings.
However, whilst attempting an overtaking manoeuvre, Van der Linde was deemed by race authorities.
Having secured the position, Lawson was able to dictate the pace, in spite of the ballast, breaking away before eventually finishing the race in second place ahead of Maximilian Götz.

An excellent sixth place finish for Alex Albon.

After a delicate, tricky start to the race, the AlphaTauri AF Corse driver gained ground: in addition to a brilliantly swift, efficient pit stop,
Albon was able to stage an intelligent defence in the second half of the race, fending off attacks from his most immediate pursuers,
but whose bid for a higher position was hindered by the heavy success ballast as a result of the Race 1 podium (Albon second and Lawson fourth ).

The standings.

Today's second place in the run-up to the final round of the season, helps Lawson consolidate his leadership in the overall standings:
With one raceweekend and 2 races left to go , the New Zealander driver now holds 206 points compared to the 192 of Van der Linde. Götz follows on 180 points.

In the Team-Standings Red Bull Alphatauri AF Corse now has a lead of 68 points ( 336 to 268 of Team Abt Sportsline ).

[Forza Rosso]

LAWSON , SECOND AT HOCKENHEIM , MOVES UP IN THE STANDINGS

DTM Hockenheim 03 October 2021

With a consistent yet determined showing, Liam Lawson (Red Bull AF Corse) claimed an excellent runner-up spot in the second race of the DTM weekend at Hockenheim to edge further away at the head of the overall standings.
The driver now holds a 14-point advantage over the nearest second-placed rival in the countdown to the final round of the season.
Alex Albon in the other Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020 (AlphaTauri AF Corse) posted sixth place.

High tension start.

Emotions were running high from the get-go, with Liam Lawson third on the grid and Alex Albon, fifth, vying for positions in a tense struggle.
Lawson’s #30 Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020 got involved in a long, heated duel with Van der Linde.
After plenty of door to door tussling, the New Zealander racer with Red Bull AF Corse was able to get the better of his immediate rival in the general standings.
However, whilst attempting an overtaking manoeuvre, Van der Linde was deemed by race authorities.
Having secured the position, Lawson was able to dictate the pace, in spite of the ballast, breaking away before eventually finishing the race in second place ahead of Maximilian Götz.

An excellent sixth place finish for Alex Albon.

After a delicate, tricky start to the race, the AlphaTauri AF Corse driver gained ground: in addition to a brilliantly swift, efficient pit stop,
Albon was able to stage an intelligent defence in the second half of the race, fending off attacks from his most immediate pursuers,
but whose bid for a higher position was hindered by the heavy success ballast as a result of the Race 1 podium (Albon second and Lawson fourth ).

The standings.

Today's second place in the run-up to the final round of the season, helps Lawson consolidate his leadership in the overall standings:
With one raceweekend and 2 races left to go , the New Zealander driver now holds 206 points compared to the 192 of Van der Linde. Götz follows on 180 points.

In the Team-Standings Red Bull Alphatauri AF Corse now has a lead of 68 points ( 336 to 268 of Team Abt Sportsline ).

[wisepie]

Good to see Ferrari/AF Corse posting some great results, even if it's weird seeing the cars with Alpha Tauri branding! Thanks for the updates, Forza Rosso.

[Forza Rosso]

Good to see Ferrari/AF Corse posting some great results, even if it's weird seeing the cars with Alpha Tauri branding! Thanks for the updates, Forza Rosso.

Thanks !
Indeed great results in only the first year of cooperation , hope it will continue this way , fingers crossed !

[Rob]

Nuremberg, 09 October 2021 – The opening race of the final weekend of the 2021 DTM season brought Red Bull AlphaTauri AF Corse its first title in the series, thanks to Liam Lawson’s third place and Nick Cassidy’s fifth. This important podium brings Lawson, the leader of the provisional standings, closer to the drivers’ title that will be decided tomorrow. We heard from the some of the Ferraristi at the end of the race.

Liam Lawson: “It’s nice to be able to stretch in the standings even though we wanted to collect as many points as possible, and finishing first would have been better.The race was crazy, the start was unbelievable, and I still find it hard to believe that Van der Linde tried to squeeze through because I was going into the turn, but I saw the Audi come in on the inside… I think he felt he had to try everything.From then on, it wasn’t easy. The pit stop went well, and the guys were great as usual.Nick [Cassidy, Ed] was a big help to me when he came out of the pits because Kelvin was recovering really fast.I’m delighted with today’s race.The championship is not decided yet. We need to be focused and have another good qualifying tomorrow.We know we have a good car, but also ballast due to the result, so today it was essential to score points.Tomorrow we will give everything to try to win the title”.

Nick Cassidy: “In the race, I found the pace I didn’t have in qualifying, which didn’t allow me to start where I wanted to. After a while, the front tyre and brake temperatures rose, and it wasn’t easy. I have nothing to prove this weekend other than helping the team win the title”.

Antonello Coletta, Head of Attività Sportive GT: “We are happy to have won a DTM title for the first time at the end of a really interesting season for us.This is a highly spectacular series, and AF Corse has shown that it can step into a new environment with its usual professionalism and competitiveness.We are satisfied with today’s result, but we are ambitious, so we remain focused and motivated to complete a great year with tomorrow’s race”.

Amato Ferrari: “It’s been an exciting season, with one last piece still missing, which we hope to add tomorrow to make it unique. This fantastic programme was created very close to the season’s start. However, since the successful debut on our home circuit, we have shown that the synergy between Red Bull AlphaTauri AF Corse and Ferrari is competitive and can be rewarding for everyone. We can only be happy to have won the team title even if our efforts focus on the main objective in tomorrow’s race’s, the drivers’ championship with Liam Lawson”.

[Rob]

Last race for gt world challenge endurance today. 51 iron lynx leading the championship.. Lets hope can do enough today to bring it home. And 93 sky tempesta ferrari is leading pro AM aswell. So, fingers crossed for today

[458 Italia]

Good racing so far.

[458 Italia]

Actually, cracking weekend of live sport with the IL Lombardia, boxing and motor racing.

[458 Italia]

How is that not a penalty for the lambo playing bumper cars with iron lynx #71?

[Forza Rosso]

NORISRING TO FORGET FOR LAWSON AS DTM TITLE SLIPS AWAY


Norisring 10 October 2021

Liam Lawson suffered a bitter conclusion to the last round of the DTM, held today at the Norisring.
Setting off from pole, the Red Bull AF Corse driver saw all his hopes of becoming the German series’ youngest ever champion dashed after a collision at the first turn.
In a move similar to the one made in Race-1, Kelvin Van der Linde collided with Lawson once again, damaging the steering arm and almost pushing him into the wall.

The marshals considered the South African's behaviour only worthy of a five-second penalty, even though the damage to the Ferrari put Lawson out of contention.
Nevertheless, he confirmed his great sportsmanship by completing the race out of respect for the championship without damaging his rivals or provoking extreme situations. Cassidy, held up by his teammate's car in the accident on the first turn, attempted a desperate comeback from the back.
Standing in for Alex Albon, the AlphaTauri AF Corse driver took first place before his obligatory stop on lap 56.
The New Zealander re-entered the track behind Götz's Mercedes in fifth.
After a puncture to the rear left-hand tyre put paid to Kelvin Van der Linde's title chances, the only obstacle between Götz and the title were the cars in between him and first place, all Mercedes. Despite being over twelve seconds down, the German marque's strategy helped Götz to take the lead in just two laps, two minutes from the chequered flag. Cassidy gave it his best shot for top spot but was involved in multiple contacts that forced him to pit with a heavily damaged car.
Cassidy's #23 Ferrari was in thirteenth and Lawson's #30 eighteenth.
With this result, Götz took the title on 230 points, three lengths ahead of Lawson.
Red Bull AF Corse’s nineteen-year-old won the “Junior” title while the Piacenza-based team had already sealed the team title yesterday, with a race to spare.
The season's outcome is bitter for the team, which worked hard in its debut year in the German series.
However, this does not detract from the drivers and team's excellent results, including four wins, 14 podiums and five pole positions, the last of which was secured this morning.

DRIVERS' COMMENTS AFTER RACE 2 AT NORISRING

A disappointing finish cannot erase a DTM debut season that was nonetheless positive.
The honours won include Red Bull AlphaTauri AF Corse’s team title, Liam Lawson's Junior title and four victories for the New Zealander and Alex Albon.
We recorded the drivers’ post-race comments.

Liam Lawson: “I’m obviously very disappointed and gutted for my whole team.
They really deserved this title. To be taken out by the same guy over and over again says it all.
Turn one, lap one of the race – what can you say? I just feel bad for my whole team.”

Nick Cassidy: “Obviously the result today was not perfect, but we tried our best.
After a great performance in qualifying by Liam and me it was great to start at the front.
Unfortunately, some circumstances out of our control didn’t help in the race.
I was really pleased with my drive to come back from half a lap down to P4.
The pace of the car was amazing and I tried my best to fight for the win. In the end it wasn’t meant to be.
Thanks to the team for the opportunity to race here. I had a lot of fun.”

[wisepie]

So disappointing to lose driver's title through no fault of his own, they deserved that driver's title as much as the team title. But it was a great season for the AF Corse-run cars and hopefully this will lead to even greater things in the future with Ferrari back in the sportscar racing big time.

[Forza Rosso]

So disappointing to lose driver's title through no fault of his own, they deserved that driver's title as much as the team title. But it was a great season for the AF Corse-run cars and hopefully this will lead to even greater things in the future with Ferrari back in the sportscar racing big time.

Especially disappointing when you lose the championship , because a certain Audi driver deliberately drives you off the track !:-!

[wisepie]

Especially disappointing when you lose the championship , because a certain Audi driver deliberately drives you off the track !:-!

Was there any steward's inquiry after the event? I wasn't able to see the race so don't know what happened after the incident.

[Forza Rosso]

Was there any steward's inquiry after the event? I wasn't able to see the race so don't know what happened after the incident.

Van de Linde only got a 5 second penalty because the stewards didn't think the move was deliberate !
3 Days later the South African has apoligized to Liam Lawson after van de Linde got battered in social media.

Here a 5 minute recap of the race :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzHtvxvzVhQ

[wisepie]

Van de Linde only got a 5 second penalty because the stewards didn't think the move was deliberate !
3 Days later the South African has apoligized to Liam Lawson after van de Linde got battered in social media.

Here a 5 minute recap of the race :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzHtvxvzVhQ

Grazie for that Forza Rosso, makes me feel a 5sec penalty was a joke. Team prize went to the right team, though!

[Forza Rosso]

Grazie for that Forza Rosso, makes me feel a 5sec penalty was a joke. Team prize went to the right team, though!

Absolutely !
By the way : I don't think vdL has to worry about getting a Ferrari or Red Bull drive in the ( near ) future....

[458 Italia]

I'm currently watching this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUgt2k6nI48 INDY 8 HOUR | IGTC AND GT WORLD CHALLENGE AMERICA

[458 Italia]

What are Ferrari doing today!? Poor decisions and mistakes in the pit lane today.

[458 Italia]

Incredible! Ferrari back up to 2nd and 3rd after some fortuitous coming together of other cars!

[Rob]

What are Ferrari doing today!? Poor decisions and mistakes in the pit lane today.

Same crews that has won gt world challenge endurance and spa 24hrs. They know what doing. Plus, some reason U. S racing throws fcy and sc for any incident

[wisepie]

I'm currently watching this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUgt2k6nI48 INDY 8 HOUR | IGTC AND GT WORLD CHALLENGE AMERICA

Thanks for that, been diving in and out of it but didn't see the pitlane issues.

[458 Italia]

Same crews that has won gt world challenge endurance and spa 24hrs. They know what doing. Plus, some reason U. S racing throws fcy and sc for any incident

I thought it was the same crew that's why I was surprised at the failing to ground and not pitting straight away when the SC came out. All is well now that though!

[Rob]

I thought it was the same crew that's why I was surprised at the failing to ground and not pitting straight away when the SC came out. All is well now that though!

Luca Volta race strategy on 51 and my good friend Valentino crew chief on 51. Sébastien on wheel gun with Niccolò doing wheel change.

[Rob]

Imagine, so far, af corse (iron lynx) have won all the big endurance races so far. Le mans, spa, and the gt World challenge endurance cup. And still got 2 wec rounds to go.

[458 Italia]

Luca Volta race strategy on 51 and my good friend Valentino crew chief on 51. Sébastien on wheel gun with Niccolò doing wheel change.

I must say they've done a fantastic job to set up the cars so well I don't think anyone else gets close to the 1:34.0 #51 did.

[458 Italia]

Imagine, so far, af corse (iron lynx) have won all the big endurance races so far. Le mans, spa, and the gt World challenge endurance cup. And still got 2 wec rounds to go.

:thumb

[Rob]

I must say they've done a fantastic job to set up the cars so well I don't think anyone else gets close to the 1:34.0 #51 did.

You still using the live timing I sent?

So far 51 is still fastest. 1:34.089

[458 Italia]

You still using the live timing I sent?

So far 51 is still fastest. 1:34.089

I am indeed mate :-)

[Rob]

I am indeed mate :-)

:thumb

[Forza Rosso]

Great to see the Ecurie Francorchamps ( now Francorchamps Motors ) livery back on a Ferrari !7849

[Rob]

Great to see the Ecurie Francorchamps ( now Francorchamps Motors ) livery back on a Ferrari !7849

They ran it 2 years ago in gt world challenge endurance.

[458 Italia]

FCY for one stranded car is a bit a ridiculous. Oh now it's a Safety Car :roll

[Forza Rosso]

They ran it 2 years ago in gt world challenge endurance.

Must have missed that , thanks for the info Rob !

Next to the works team i have always been a fan of the Ecurie Francorchamps.
I still treasure the signature of Jacques Swaters , the founder of the Ecurie , that I got when he was at the the Spa Ferrari Days
now already many years ago.
The Belgian racing yellow livery i think is ( almost ) as good as the Italian racing red one.

[458 Italia]

The number of Safety Cars are just annoying and timing has gone down it seems.

[Rob]

The number of Safety Cars are just annoying and timing has gone down it seems.

Timing hasnt updated for while.

As for the sc. One of the issues i have with racing in usa, thats why hardly ever watch any racing from there.. I had forgotten how annoying all this is.

[458 Italia]

Timing hasnt updated for while.

As for the sc. One of the issues i have with racing in usa, thats why hardly ever watch any racing from there.. I had forgotten how annoying all this is.

Any little incident even if it's off the racing line is a SC and it changes the running order so much it gets silly.

[458 Italia]

I will say that it's nice see gravel traps the instead of the massive run off areas that are all to common now.

[Rob]

I will say that it's nice see gravel traps the instead of the massive run off areas that are all to common now.

Do like seeing gravel traps.

Just wish they would have local waved yellow or double flags.

[458 Italia]

Do like seeing gravel traps.

Just wish they would have local waved yellow or double flags.

Totally agree!

[458 Italia]

As the temperature has got warmer the Ferraris are losing pace.

[458 Italia]

I think Alessandro is fighting a losing cause but the way he drives that car just amazes me :clap

[458 Italia]

:furious #71 taken out!! That's awful! :-(

[SilverSpeed]

:-(:furious

[458 Italia]

Why is Ilot going that far wide though!?!?

[458 Italia]

I know he had to push for the track position but that was just silly!

[458 Italia]

The crazy number of Safety Cars we've had has just turned this race in to a lottery and not a reflection on who had the fastest car.

[Rob]

The aston just stopped in braking zone. Think callum thought he would of made room and turned in. Callum was committed to that line already.

[458 Italia]

The aston just stopped in braking zone. Think callum thought he would of made room and turned in. Callum was committed to that line already.

So unfortunate :-s

[wisepie]

Disappointing result after it was looking good early on, but nothing to be ashamed of on AF Corse's part, or the drivers, just circumstances.

[Rob]

Indianapolis, 18 October 2021 – A first time endurance victory for Jean-Claude Saada and the no. 61 team was balanced by the difficult results for the no. 51 and 71 entries. We recorded the drivers’ post race comments.

Jean-Claude Saada: “Well obviously this is my first endurance race. I never thought in a million years I’d last 8 hours. But this has been an absolutely amazing experience. You never know what happens, when it happens or how it happens, but at the end of the day we prevailed and won and I think it’s the beginning of a bunch of endurance races to come”.

Callum Ilott: “We had a good start and we were P3 after the first stint. We did a good stop and a good decision with the safety car though we got a drive through penalty. We worked our way back up on track, and towards the end of the race I hopped back in when we were P3 on track and I managed to switch back on the two cars in front. From there it was about defending from the Audi which was really quick at that point. And then with the incident – unfortunately it happens”.

Nicklas Nielsen: “I think we can be happy with P4. The penalty we incurred is what it is, but in the end we did a good job coming back. We definitely had the car to do a lot more, but it is what it is, but I’m happy with the team. We did our best today so we can be happy”.

Antonio Fuoco: “I don’t really know what to say. There is a big disappointment for how we finished the race. I think we had a good car, a good pace throughout the weekend. We were in a really good position in the end, but this is racing. Something can happen, but you never know what to say. I feel sorry for the team because we should have been able to win today. I felt sorry also for Callum. It was not his fault.”

[Rob]

Disappointing result after it was looking good early on, but nothing to be ashamed of on AF Corse's part, or the drivers, just circumstances.

Real shame for 71.but ale in his last last stint managed to get 51 on podium for 3rd. So. Wasnt that bad. Could easy been 1-2. But hey ho. That's endurance racing..

Plus 61 won their class.

[wisepie]

Real shame for 71.but ale in his last last stint managed to get 51 on podium for 3rd. So. Wasnt that bad. Could easy been 1-2. But hey ho. That's endurance racing..

Plus 61 won their class.

Cheers Rob, not all bad then.;-)

[458 Italia]

Looks like it'll be a real struggle to beat Porsche at the Bahrain 6 hours tomorrow judging by the big gap to them in qualifying.

[Rob]

Looks like it'll be a real struggle to beat Porsche at the Bahrain 6 hours tomorrow judging by the big gap to them in qualifying.

Unfortunately the unexpected bop change has hurt us. Boost reductions across the revs. Spioke Antonella. He said its about 2-3 seconds slower a lap. No one is happy.

[wisepie]

Just seen the results for Bahrain 6hrs, not a great race with just a P3 in the Pro and no podium in Am, presumably the BoP scuppered it for our teams, I wasn't able to see any of it.:roll

[458 Italia]

I must shamelessly say that I didn't bother to watch it :-?? and after following live timing I think I can be forgiven lol!

[Rob]

I did watch it. Always will do. It was a hard watch. To try and stay positive and interested. I hope we can lobby the ACO and WEC to get back bop levels for Monza.

[wisepie]

From what I've seen online it looked as though the 488s were a couple of seconds slower a lap than the Porsches, so it was looking like the Ferraris had their hands tied behind their backs from the outset. Not a level playing field at all.:roll

[Forza Rosso]

And now in the points standings Ferrari and Porsche are level , also in the drivers standings.
So the last race is going to decide the Championship.
Hoping for a bop level so we can have a honest fight for the championships at least in the final race of the season !

[458 Italia]

Looking better this weekend. Ferrari 2nd and 4th and closer than last week.

[Rob]

Looking better this weekend. Ferrari 2nd and 4th and closer than last week.

Not so bad. Only got half of the power we list last weekend. Just hooe be enough to give a fight and race. Spoke to my good friend Valentino, he 51 crew chief. He said before the bop break on Wednesday, we just got out and drive around and not race. But. Think, tomorrow, we could do little more.

[458 Italia]

#51 ahead! Well very briefly....

I'm hoping when it gets cooler the race will come to Ferrari still about 13 bhp down though aren't we Rob?

[458 Italia]

Could really do with Serra picking up the pace and getting on the back of the Porsche Ferrari sandwich! #52 is quite far back atm.

[Rob]

Could really do with Serra picking up the pace and getting on the back of the Porsche Ferrari sandwich! #52 is quite far back atm.

Hope he can too. Need him hassling the 92 now.

[Rob]

Can see Porsche still got speed advantage, thanks bop. But, we got better mechanical grip through the corners. And under breaking.

[458 Italia]

You can see #51 struggling to even tuck up behind Porsche on the straights.

Oh no! Both Porsches ahead of both Ferraris after the pit stops :(

[Rob]

Not sure how porsche did that, get the jump in the stops. Thought we pulled a blinding one there.

[458 Italia]

Btw Timing is working now Rob if you didn't know :thumb

[458 Italia]

Not sure how porsche did that, get the jump in the stops. Thought we pulled a blinding one there.

Yeah me too :-??

Pier Guidi and Molina flying now though.

[Rob]

Btw Timing is working now Rob if you didn't know :thumb

Yeah cheers mate. Seemed it didnt work for firsr 30 odd minutes.

[Rob]

Hope the cooler temps will help us

[Rob]

83 :pray

[Rob]

Just spoke to Manuel, he data engineer on 51. Said the cooler temps will help us

[458 Italia]

Just spoke to Manuel, he data engineer on 51. Said the cooler temps will help us

Great to hear. Very quick stop from #92 widens the gap slightly.

[Rob]

Great to hear. Very quick stop from #92 widens the gap slightly.

Think they short filled on fuel

[458 Italia]

Think they short filled on fuel

Looked that way. Do you know if only Mediums available?

#83 looks gorgeous under the lights :love

[458 Italia]

Great #51 in the lead now

[Rob]

Looked that way. Do you know if only Mediums available?

#83 looks gorgeous under the lights :love

83 zebra. Thats what the team calls it.

[458 Italia]

83 zebra. Thats what the team calls it.

Livery really pops under flood lights elegant zebra :-D

[458 Italia]

#91 under investigation... :munch

[458 Italia]

10 SECONDS ADDED TO THE NEXT PIT STOP OF CAR 91 FOR PIT STOP INFRINGEMENT...

[458 Italia]

Didn't see the Centilar car doing much wrong there, #92 just reacted strangely.

[Rob]

Have asked Manuel what tyres we on. But havent got back yet. I would of thought be soft of mediums in these temps.

[Rob]

Didn't see the Centilar car doing much wrong there, #92 just reacted strangely.

No not at all. Commentators over hyping it.

[Rob]

#91 under investigation... :munch

Hahaha. But feel at odds as still good friends with gimmi.

[458 Italia]

Have asked Manuel what tyres we on. But havent got back yet. I would of thought be soft of mediums in these temps.

Pretty sure the WEC graphics showed Mediums.

[458 Italia]

Hahaha. But feel at odds as still good friends with gimmi.

Still can't get used to him driving a Porsche!

[Rob]

Still can't get used to him driving a Porsche!

I know, still odd. He great bloke. Always message me asking how family doing and cycling.

[458 Italia]

I know, still odd. He great bloke. Always message me asking how family doing and cycling.

That's really nice :) I imagine off the track it's like one big family.

[Rob]

That's really nice :) I imagine off the track it's like one big family.

Yeah it is.

Havent been on bike for few weeks. Got covid 2 weeks ago, im still feeling it now. Get tired quick and sinuses still feeling odd, like been hit in face with football

[458 Italia]

Yeah it is.

Havent been on bike for few weeks. Got covid 2 weeks ago, im still feeling it now. Get tired quick and sinuses still feeling odd, like been hit in face with football

You're accident earlier this year didn't put you off too much from getting back out then?

Oh I know that feeling! Hope you're feeling better soon mate!

[Rob]

You're accident earlier this year didn't put you off too much from getting back out then?

Oh I know that feeling! Hope you're feeling better soon mate!

No it didnt. Get back on it. Im 95% better. Gradually getting there cheers mate.

[458 Italia]

JPM. was never a fan of his at all.

[Rob]

JPM. was never a fan of his at all.

In f1, no me neither. But since doing sportscar, i have warmed to him. He is really funny and tells it how it is.

[458 Italia]

In f1, no me neither. But since doing sportscar, i have warmed to him. He is really funny and tells it how it is.

Yes I think that's it really, I really didn't like him in F1 :rotfl but he has carved out a successful career away from that in sports cars, have to respect him for that.

[458 Italia]

Commentator says Ferrari "whinging" but then say "and rightly so we think" so it's not really whinging then is it?

[458 Italia]

I assume Guidi will be the one to take #51 to the flag.

[Rob]

I assume Guidi will be the one to take #51 to the flag.

Yeah he will.

[458 Italia]

Yeah he will.

Great partnerships the drivers seem to have, all complement each other well .

[458 Italia]

Can you find out how many more stops #51 has to make?

[Rob]

Can you find out how many more stops #51 has to make?

All gt cars stint is about an hour.

[458 Italia]

All gt cars stint is about an hour.

Gonna be tight then.

[Rob]

Gonna be tight then.

Very mate

[458 Italia]

Very mate

Could do with a FCY to tidy up debris :-D

[458 Italia]

F1 must be pooing themselves at the prospect of most of the big names that have stated they'll be joining WEC from 2023.

[Rob]

Could do with a FCY to tidy up debris :-D

Safety car be better bring the 92 into us

[Rob]

F1 must be pooing themselves at the prospect of most of the big names that have stated they'll be joining WEC from 2023.

F1 is dead, for me anyway. Lmdh and lmh, got so many manufacturers coming in.

[458 Italia]

Safety car be better bring the 92 into us

I didn't want to be greedy :D



F1 is dead, for me anyway. Lmdh and lmh, got so many manufacturers coming in.

Same for me, I just can't take it seriously anymore.

I really want to know what the teams are going to do driver wise. Will the current drivers be offered a chance to drive the LMH/LMDH or stay in GTE?

[wisepie]

Been dipping in and out of Bahrain 8hrs but you guys are helping me follow what's going on! Keeping fingers crossed for the AF Corse cars but those damn Porsches are a pain. As for F1, it still rules my life but I often wonder why!;-)

[458 Italia]

Oh I had no idea there was an F1 GP this weekend until the commentators just mentioned it :rotfl

[458 Italia]

Been dipping in and out of Bahrain 8hrs but you guys are helping me follow what's going on! Keeping fingers crossed for the AF Corse cars but those damn Porsches are a pain. As for F1, it still rules my life but I often wonder why!;-)

Oh been here for the 6 hours and 45 minutes so far :-D It's been full of swings of momentum.

[458 Italia]

#92 and #51 pit together.

[458 Italia]

no new tyres on #51

[458 Italia]

3.3 seconds between them now

[458 Italia]

Hoping there's one last fresh set of tyres available at the last stop, although too much time would be lost with not alot left on the clock.

[wisepie]

Current positions show 51/52 P2/3 with a Porsche in front and behind, I'm not up to speed with points position if Porsche win and we get P2/3.:-??

[458 Italia]

Going into this race it was Porsche 232 vs Ferrari 230

Drivers Championship 139 v 139

[458 Italia]

Being an 8 hour race points are: 1st38 2nd27 3rd23 4th18 1 point for pole.

[458 Italia]

1 second between them!