Two new leaders emerged in the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo title fight, following round four of the 2011 series at the newly revised Silverstone Circuit, UK, on Saturday 4 June 2011.
Switzerland’s Cédric Leimer took the lead in the Pro-Am Standings for the first time in his Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo career after securing victory following late problems for Autocarrozzeria Imperiale S.R.L. duo Fabio Babini and Matteo Zucchi. Babini’s misfortune has also resulted in Kox taking the lead in the Pro Drivers’ Standings.
Babini and Zucchi started their weekend strongly, clinching pole position in qualifying after lapping the 3.66-mile Silverstone Circuit in 2:08.056. Joining them on the front row was the #88 Gravity-Charouz Racing car of Jarek Janiš and Jan Št’oví?ek, with the sister #77 entry of Gerhard Tweraser just under a tenth of a second behind to secure third on the grid.
Reiter team-mates Nico Pronk and Peter Kox, who set the pace in free practice, clinched fourth ahead of Automobili Lamborghini VIP guest driver, American Le Mans Series race winner, Marino Franchitti and Autosport journalist Ben Anderson.
When the race got underway, starting driver Zucchi led into the first corner, as fellow front-row starter Št’oví?ek fell back through the field after a poor getaway. Tweraser took up second place, with the fast-starting C. Leimer close behind.
Zucchi defended several attempts into Aintree Corner from both Tweraser and C. Leimer, maintaining his position as the pit window opened. Following the pit-stops, a succession of fast lap times from Zucchi’s team-mate and 2009 Pro Drivers’ Champion Babini soon gave the #22 Super Trofeo race car a healthy lead.
However, Babini’s hopes of victory were dashed when a team miscalculation led to the #22 running out of fuel on the penultimate lap, allowing C. Leimer through to take the chequered flag.
“I was very lucky!” said C. Leimer. “To pass Babini, who is so fast, is normally impossible for me. I started sixth so thought that finishing third would be really good, but to finish first is wonderful.
“Now I’m in my third year of the series, I’m good for the Pro-Am category and am starting to race with the professional drivers. To learn you must push yourself and drive as much as possible, and racing against strong drivers has given me this.”
Kox and Reiter team-mate Pronk secured second place. The pair scythed their way through the field from eighth at the pit-stop window to finish on the podium, just two seconds adrift of the leader. Autocarrozzeria Imperiale S.R.L. driver Roberto Seveso completed a solid run to finish third.
Tweraser recovered from an early spin to clinch a strong fourth place ahead of VIP guest duo Franchitti and Anderson. C. Leimer’s brother Hervé came from the back of the grid to finish sixth with co-driver Laurent Jenny, just ahead of Riccardo Ragazzi and Gianluca Carboni in the #80 car. Bonaldi Motorsport’s Lee Cunningham and Maurizio Piatesi took eighth, ahead of Janiš and Št’oví?ek in ninth. Zucchi and Babini were eventually classified tenth.
The second race of the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo event at Silverstone will take place on Sunday 5 June 2011.
Qualifying results
1. Babini/Zucchi (#22), Autocarrozzeria Imperiale S.R.L., 2:08.056
2. Št’oví?ek/Janiš (#88), Gravity-Charouz Racing, + 0.940
3. Tweraser (#77), Gravity-Charouz Racing, + 1.016
4. Pronk/Kox (#76), Reiter, + 1.114
5. Franchitti/Anderson (#1), Automobili Lamborghini, + 1.469
6. Leimer C. (#63), Reiter, + 2.444
7. Charouz/Sladecka (#99), Gravity-Charouz Racing, + 3.322
8. Ragazzi/Carboni (#80), Autocarrozzeria Imperiale S.R.L., + 3.349
9. Fasanetto/Giudici (#21), Bonaldi Motorsport, + 3.499
10. Cunningham/Piatesi (#3), Bonaldi Motorsport, + 5.143
11. Seveso (#20), Autocarrozzeria Imperiale S.R.L., + 5.349
12. Kronfli (#2), Automobili Lamborghini, + 5.898
13. Leimer H./Jenny (#19), Autovitesse Garage R. Affolter Suisse, + 6.176
Round four results
1. Leimer C. (#63), Reiter, 41:15.696
2. Pronk/Kox (#76), Reiter, + 2.110
3. Seveso (#20),Autocarrozzeria Imperiale S.R.L., + 22.376
4. Tweraser (#77), Gravity-Charouz Racing, + 27.480
5. Franchitti/Anderson (#1), Automobili Lamborghini, + 31.633
6. Leimer H./Jenny (#19), Autovitesse Garage R. Affolter Suisse, + 1:03.770
7. Ragazzi/Carboni (#80), Autocarrozzeria Imperiale S.R.L., + 1:22.270
8. Cunningham/Piatesi (#3), Bonaldi Motorsport, + 1:28.298
9. Št’oví?ek/Janiš (#88), Gravity-Charouz Racing, + 1:28.839
10. Babini/Zucchi (#22), Autocarrozzeria Imperiale S.R.L., + 1 lap
11. Kronfli (#2), Automobili Lamborghini, + 1 lap
12. Charouz/Sladecka (#99), Gravity-Charouz Racing, + 6 laps
13. Fasanetto/Giudici (#21), Bonaldi Motorsport, + 10 laps
Source Lamborgini Super Trofeo
