Italian team MIK Corse secured all three victories in the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo series at Paul Ricard HTTT, France, on 3-4 July 2010. Drivers Fabio Babini and Albert von Thurn und Taxis guided the team’s #22 Super Trofeo race car around the French circuit to claim 45 points, elevating MIK Corse from fourth to second in the Teams’ Standings.
Also competing at Paul Ricard this weekend was former Ferrari Formula One driver Stefan Johansson, who got behind the wheel of the #1 Automobili Lamborghini VIP car with team-mate Peter Wyss. The pair claimed sixth and fifth-place finishes in rounds seven and nine respectively while a collision in round eight forced them to retire.
Football fans were also catered for as France’s former national goalkeeper and 1998 FIFA World Champion Fabien Barthez piloted the #2 Automobili Lamborghini together with French sports car star Anthony Beltoise. The duo secured sixth, seventh and ninth-place finishes during the weekend.
Babini and von Thurn und Taxis top the round seven podium
Qualifying
Jarek Janiš secured his first Super Trofeo pole position during the 30-minute qualifying session on Friday. The Czech driver set the fastest lap time of 2:12.316 in the #77 Charouz-Gravity Racing Super Trofeo entry to put his team-mate Jan Urban on the front row of the grid for round seven.
Mirko Venturi lapped the French circuit in 2:12.500 behind the wheel of the #46 Black Bull Swiss Racing Super Trofeo to put his Italian team-mate Tommaso Maino second on the grid. Behind, German driver von Thurn und Taxis lined up third after team-mate Babini set a fastest lap time of 2:12.631 in the #22 MIK Corse entry, while Jarek Janiš’ younger brother Erik set the fourth fastest lap time of 2:12.890 to put team-mate Petr Charouz on the second row for round seven.
Automobili Lamborghini VIP driver Beltoise set the seventh fastest lap time, allowing his team-mate Barthez to make a fourth-row start in the #2 Super Trofeo. Meanwhile, Johansson set the eighth fastest lap time in the #1 Automobili Lamborghini VIP car to put Wyss alongside the #2 car.
“I managed to get a clean run with no traffic so I could get the best out of the car and the tyres,” said Janiš. “Tyre pressure is the key to this weekend as it is extremely hot and the track is abrasive. I’m also very happy for my brother Erik, who managed to get the fourth fastest time!”
Round seven
From second on the grid it was Maino in the #46 Black Bull Swiss Racing entry that took the lead, passing Urban before the first corner. However, his lead was short-lived as von Thurn und Taxis in the #22 charged through from third to take the lead by the end of the second lap. Cedric Leimer in the #63 Autovitesse Garage R. Affolter Suisse Super Trofeo had improved his position from sixth to third before a spin put him back to seventh, allowing Italian Pro-Am driver Eugenio Amos to take third.
During the mandatory pit-stop von Thurn und Taxis handed the #22 entry to team-mate Babini, who was back in the lead by lap 12. Venturi was in hot pursuit in the #46, having taken over from team-mate Maino: the Italian soon passed #69 Touringauto driver Amos for second and was catching the leader.
With the clock ticking, Venturi closed in on Babini, reducing the gap by over a second each lap. However, he was unable to catch the Italian before the chequered flag: Babini crossed the line first to claim victory, while Venturi was forced to settle for second place. The #63, piloted by Nicolas Navarro, completed the podium.
“It’s a fantastic feeling to be back on the top of the podium,” said Babini. “Our strategy in qualifying was not to be on pole but to save the tyres because the track is very abrasive. This strategy really paid off.
“I would like to dedicate this victory to Giorgio Bartocci,” continued Babini, referring to his MIK Corse team-mate. “I wish him a fast recovery and hope to see him return to racing.”
Babini crosses the finish line to claim the round eight victory
Round eight
Von Thurn und Taxis was on pole in the #22 MIK Corse entry for round eight, but it was Maino that took the lead again in the #46, with the #22 second and the #63 third with Navarro behind the wheel. As von Thurn und Taxis chased the leader he made a mistake, jumping the chicane: the German driver let the #46 back through, with Navarro taking advantage of the situation to pass for second in the #63.
The top three drivers continued to lap the track within a second of each other, with the #63 and #22 continuously looking to pass the car ahead. As the pit window opened with 25 minutes left on the clock, Maino in the #46 entered the pit to hand over to Venturi. In the lead, Navarro pulled away from the field, creating a gap before entering the pit. However, the #63 missed the pit window by 0.266 seconds: his team-mate Cedric Leimer rejoined the field in the lead but was issued with a stop-and-go penalty, putting him back to sixth.
Venturi inherited the lead while Babini in the #22 quickly closed in on the #46: with just one lap remaining Babini was 0.543 seconds behind. As the pair entered the final sequence of corners on the last lap, Babini made a lunge and passed Venturi, crossing the line first to claim the second MIK Corse victory of the weekend. Venturi finished second with Italian
Pro-Am driver Bellini in third.
Second-place finisher Venturi said: “This has been a great start of the weekend for us. It is the first time that Tommaso and I have raced together and second place is a fantastic result. The team is working very hard and the results are coming, we will race to win in the final round.”
Round nine
Starting from pole for the final race of the weekend, von Thurn und Taxis maintained his lead as the lights went green, with Eugenio Amos climbing from fourth on the grid to second place in the first lap. By the end of lap five, Automobili Lamborghini VIP driver Anthony Beltoise had improved his seventh-place starting position to third before passing Amos for second on lap six.
During the mandatory pit stop von Thurn und Taxis handed over to team-mate Babini, who was leading the race again by lap 12. Beltoise also pitted to hand over to Fabien Barthez: the #2 rejoined the pack in eighth place.
With five laps remaining, second-place man Amos began reeling in the MIK Corse lead, reducing the gap to 1.328 seconds on the penultimate lap. However, Amos in the Touringauto entry was unable to catch Babini. The #22 MIK Corse entry claimed its third victory of the weekend with Amos second, while the #46 Black Bull Swiss Racing Super Trofeo piloted by Mirko Venturi crossed the line third.
Automobili Lamborghini VIP drivers Stefan Johansson and team-mate Peter Wyss secured a fifth-place finish in the final round of the weekend in the #1 entry, while Beltoise and Barthez claimed a sixth-place finish in the #2 Automobili Lamborghini Super Trofeo.
“I’m blown away,” said von Thurn und Taxis. “I’m so happy with this result, three wins in France is just amazing. Super Trofeo made my weekend!”
“The championship is exceeding my expectations: the drivers are very committed to the series,” said Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini. “The series fits the overall goal of creating a strong relationship with our customers, dealers and racing fans in general.”
The next Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo race weekend takes place at
Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, on 29-31 July 2010, supporting the FIA GT1 World Championship.
Qualifying results
1. Urban/J. Janiš (#77), Charouz-Gravity Racing, 2:12.316
2. Venturi/Maino (#46), Black Bull Swiss Racing, 2:12.500
3. Babini/von Thurn und Taxis (#22), MIK Corse, 2:12.631
4. Charouz/E. Janiš (#99), Charouz-Gravity Racing, 2:12.890
5. Amos (#69), Touringauto, 2:12.891
6. C. Leimer/Navarro (#63), Autovitesse Garage R. Affolter Suisse, 2:13.361
7. Barthez/Beltoise (#2), Automobili Lamborghini, 2:13.481
8. Wyss/Johansson (#1), Automobili Lamborghini, 2:14.496
9. Bellini (#3), Bonaldi Motorsport, 2:14.992
10. H. Leimer/Laurent (#19), Autovitesse Garage R. Affolter Suisse, 2:17.716
11. Invernizzi (#23), Black Bull Swiss Racing, 2:19.525
12. Pronk (#76), Blancpain Reiter Engineering, 2:20.624
13. Š?oví?ek (#88), Charouz-Gravity Racing, 2:25.862
Round seven results
1. Babini/von Thurn und Taxis (#22), MIK Corse, 42:11.449
2. Venturi/Maino (#46), Black Bull Swiss Racing, + 3.792
3. C. Leimer/Navarro (#63), Autovitesse Garage R. Affolter Suisse, + 28.495
4. Bellini (#3), Bonaldi Motorsport, + 45.126
5. Charouz/E. Janiš (#99), Charouz-Gravity Racing, + 48.381
6. Wyss/Johansson (#1), Automobili Lamborghini, + 1:01.151
7. Urban/J. Janiš (#77), Charouz-Gravity Racing, + 1:05.942
8. Amos (#69), Touringauto, + 1:24.535
9. Barthez/Beltoise (#2), Automobili Lamborghini, + 1:30.400
10. H. Leimer/Laurent (#19), Autovitesse Garage R. Affolter Suisse, + 1:32.078
11. Invernizzi (#23), Black Bull Swiss Racing, + 2:01.586
12. Pronk (#76), Blancpain Reiter Engineering, + 2:13.156
13. Š?oví?ek (#88), Charouz-Gravity Racing, + 1 lap
Round eight results
1. Babini/von Thurn und Taxis (#22), MIK Corse, 42:05.060
2. Venturi/Maino (#46), Black Bull Swiss Racing, + 0.672
3. Bellini (#3), Bonaldi Motorsport, + 14.279
4. Amos (#69), Touringauto, + 31.904
5. C. Leimer/Navarro (#63), Autovitesse Garage R. Affolter Suisse, +40.055
6. Invernizzi (#23), Black Bull Swiss Racing, + 1:06.079
7. Barthez/Beltoise (#2), Automobili Lamborghini, + 1:06.098
8. H. Leimer/Laurent (#19), Autovitesse Garage R. Affolter Suisse, + 1:46.041
9. Pronk (#76), Blancpain Reiter Engineering, + 2:20.752
10. Š?oví?ek (#88), Charouz-Gravity Racing, + 1 lap
11. Charouz/E. Janiš (#99), Charouz-Gravity Racing, + 5 laps
Not classified
Urban/J. Janiš (#77), Charouz-Gravity Racing, + 17 laps
Wyss/Johansson (#1), Automobili Lamborghini, + 17 laps
Round nine results
1. Babini/von Thurn und Taxis (#22), MIK Corse, 41:44.281
2. Amos (#69), Touringauto, + 1.328
3. Venturi/Maino (#46), Black Bull Swiss Racing, + 11.219
4. Bellini (#3), Bonaldi Motorsport, + 36.144
5. Wyss/Johansson (#1), Automobili Lamborghini, + 55.075
6. Barthez/Beltoise (#2), Automobili Lamborghini, + 59.062
7. H. Leimer/Laurent (#19), Autovitesse Garage R. Affolter Suisse, + 1:21.366
8. C. Leimer/Navarro (#63), Autovitesse Garage R. Affolter Suisse, + 1:48.539
9. Invernizzi (#23), Black Bull Swiss Racing, + 1:58.719
10. Š?oví?ek (#88), Charouz-Gravity Racing, + 1 lap
11. Charouz/E. Janiš (#99), Charouz-Gravity Racing, + 3 laps
Not classified
Pronk (#76), Blancpain Reiter Engineering, + 12 laps
Urban/J. Janiš (#77), Charouz-Gravity Racing, + 17 laps
2010 Pro Drivers’ Standings
1. Fabio Babini (ITA), MIK Corse, 57 pts
2. Mirko Venturi (ITA), Black Bull Swiss Racing, 48 pts
3. Peter Kox (NED), Blancpain Reiter Engineering, 42 pts
4. Nicolas Navarro (FRA), Autovitesse Garage R. Affolter Suisse, 19 pts
5. Jarek Janiš (CZE), Charouz-Gravity Racing, 7 pts
6. Erik Janiš (CZE), Charouz-Gravity Racing, 6 pts
7. Adam Lacko (CZE), Charouz-Gravity Racing, 5 pts
2010 Pro-Am Drivers’ Standings
1. Eugenio Amos (ITA), Touringauto, 62 pts
2. Ferruccio Bellini (ITA), Bonaldi Motorsport, 56 pts
3. Albert von Thurn und Taxis (GER), MIK Corse, 45 pts
4. Marc A. Hayek (SUI), Blancpain Reiter Engineering, 42 pts
5. Tommaso Maino (ITA), Black Bull Swiss Racing, 34 pts
6. Cedric Leimer (SUI), Autovitesse Garage R. Affolter Suisse, 28 pts
7. Andrea Invernizzi (ITA), Black Bull Swiss Racing, 21 pts
8. Herve Leimer (SUI), Autovitesse Garage R. Affolter Suisse, 17 pts
9. Giorgio Bartocci (ITA), MIK Corse, 12 pts
10. Petr Charouz (CZE), Charouz-Gravity Racing, 11 pts
11. Jan Urban (CZE), Charouz-Gravity Racing, 9 pts
12. Laurent Jenny (SUI), Autovitesse Garage R. Affolter Suisse, 8 pts
13. Claudio Rossetto (ITA), MIK Corse, 6 pts
– Giovanni Berton (ITA), MIK Corse, 6 pts
15. Jan Stovicek (CZE), Charouz-Gravity Racing, 5 pts
16. Nico Pronk (NED), Blancpain Reiter Engineering, 2 pts
2010 Teams’ Standings
1. Touringauto, 62 pts
2. MIK Corse, 60 pts
3. Bonaldi Motorsport, 56 pts
4. Black Bull Swiss Racing, 48 pts
5. Blancpain Reiter Engineering, 44 pts
6. Autovitesse Garage R. Affolter Suisse, 29 pts
7. Charouz-Gravity Racing, 18 pts
Source: Lamborghini
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