Rounds seven and eight of the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo took place at Paul Ricard HTTT, France, on 16 July 2011, with a maiden win of the season for Gravity-Charouz Racing the highlight. Fabio Babini enjoyed another victorious day, increasing his lead in the Pro Drivers’ Standings with a victory in the opening race.
Fresh from their strong performance in Friday’s qualifying session, Imperiale pole-sitters Babini and Matteo Zucchi were made to fight for their round seven triumph. By the end of lap three, Zucchi was running in third after being overtaken by talented Swiss driver Cédric Leimer and 2010 Pro-Am Drivers’ Champion Eugenio Amos.
Minutes later Amos took the lead, overtaking recent race winner C. Leimer after a period of sustained pressure on the Autovitesse Garage R. Affolter driver. Touringauto’s Amos maintained his lead until the pit window, when both he and C. Leimer were handed a two-second stop and go penalty for ending their respective pit-stops prematurely.
This paved the way for 2009 Pro Drivers’ Champion Babini, now in control of the #22 Autocarrozzeria Imperiale S.L.R. entry, to charge to the front. When C. Leimer took his penalty on lap 12, Babini took the lead, holding on for the chequered flag.
“Cédric Leimer was fast here and he was difficult for me to overtake,” said Babini. “I’m sorry for his penalty, but a first and second for Autocarrozzeria Imperiale S.R.L. is very good for the championship.”
In second was the pairing of Riccardo Ragazzi and Gianluca Carboni who climbed from seventh on the grid, while C. Leimer joined them on the podium despite his penalty.
The second race of the day was an equally exciting affair, with Zucchi losing first place on the second lap after a spin. This gave the lead to Amos, who made a great start from fourth place, with Filip Sladecka and C. Leimer in pursuit.
The trio maintained position until the pit window with C. Leimer passing Sladecka’s co-pilot Gerhard Tweraser to take second. The Swiss driver battled Amos for first but was unable to overtake the young Italian, leaving him open to Tweraser behind.
The Austrian took advantage to pass C. Leimer with three laps to go, before a fantastic overtaking manoeuvre to pass Amos gave the #77 Gravity-Charouz Racing car the lead, which Tweraser maintained to the chequered flag.
“It’s the first win for us,” exclaimed Tweraser. “It was a wonderful race: we started fifth and managed to take the win. The car was good and we didn’t make any mistakes.”
“I got stuck behind [Eugenio] Amos but the car was really excellent,” added Sladecka. “We changed the set-up after Silverstone and that was definitely the right step for us.”
C. Leimer’s podium finish returns him to the top of the Pro-Am Drivers’ Championship after he lost the lead in round seven, while Babini’s lead of the Pro Drivers’ Standings now stands at 31 points.
Round nine of the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo takes place on Sunday 17 July 2011 at 13:25 (CET).
Round seven – results
1. Babini/Zucchi (#22), Autocarrozzeria Imperiale S.R.L., 40:06.175
2. Ragazzi/Carboni (#80), Autocarrozzeria Imperiale S.R.L., + 3.105
3. Leimer C. (#63), Autovitesse Garage R. Affolter,+ 17.081
4. Amos (#69), Touringauto, + 22.302
5. Sladecka/Tweraser (#77), Gravity-Charouz Racing, + 29.553
6. Leclerc/Fasanetto (#2), Automobili Lamborghini, + 32.858
7. Lichtner-Hoyer (#88), Gravity-Charouz Racing, + 43.524
8. Seveso (#20), Autocarrozzeria Imperiale S.R.L., + 1:13.044
9. Vauthier/Jenny (#19), Autovitesse Garage R. Affolter, + 1:21.278
10. Charouz/Eckert (#99), Gravity-Charouz Racing, + 1 lap
11. Leimer H./Lucas (#11), Autovitesse Garage R. Affolter, + 5 laps
Not classified
Pronk/Kox (#76), Reiter
Mamé/Zanardini (#3), Bonaldi Motorsport
Necchi/Hernández (#1), Automobili Lamborghini
Round eight – results
1. Sladecka/Tweraser (#77), Gravity-Charouz Racing, 39:58.284
2. Amos (#69), Touringauto, + 2.109
3. Leimer C. (#63), Autovitesse Garage R. Affolter, + 4.090
4. Pronk/Kox (#76), Reiter, + 19.385
5. Babini/Zucchi (#22), Autocarrozzeria Imperiale S.R.L., + 37.049
6. Ragazzi/Carboni (#80), Autocarrozzeria Imperiale S.R.L., + 45.061
7. Leclerc/Fasanetto (#2), Automobili Lamborghini, + 51.791
8. Lichter-Hoyer (#88), Gravity-Charouz Racing, + 1:11.919
9. Vauthier/Jenny (#19), Autovitesse Garage R. Affolter, + 1:28.154
10. Seveso (#20), Autocarrozzeria Imperiale S.R.L., + 1:43.342
11. Charouz/Eckert (#99), Gravity-Charouz Racing, + 1 lap
12. Leimer H./Lucas (#11), Autovitesse Garage R. Affolter, + 4 laps
Source: Lamborghini Super Trofeo
