Brno is renowned for close, exhilarating racing in the FIA GT Championship, and the 2006 edition lived up to all expectations, with one Saleen and two Aston Martins on the podium.
Although local hero Jarek Janis and his German team-mate Sascha Bert dominated the race in their Zakspeed Saleen S7, the battles for the remaining positions raged throughout the three hours. The GT2 race was undecided until the very end, with JMB-GruppeM Racing's Tim Sugden and Iradj Alexander coming through to take the chequered flag. After morning showers, the rain kept away and the spectators were able to enjoy the very best that GT racing has to offer.
Results provisional pending appeal lodged by no. 2 concerning decision 30
Victory for Zakspeed
After finishing as the runners-up in Silverstone, Zakspeed Racing's duo of Jarek Janis and Sascha Bert dominated the second round of the FIA GT Championship. The team's no. 9 Saleen S7 was fastest in free practice; Jarek Janis claimed pole position, as well as the fastest race lap, and last, but by no means least, Bert and Janis won the race, finishing over a minute ahead of their nearest rivals, the Phoenix Racing Aston Martin DBR9.
Phoenix was the only other car to lead the race, Andrea Piccini having taken the lead at the start, holding Janis back for the first 13 laps. "This weekend is like a dream comes true. I'm really happy to be here in the first place." Jarek said.
Sascha Bert was equally delighted. "During the winter nobody was thinking about us, but I have a great team-mate, Jarek did a great job, and it is fantastic to be here, in this press conference, in the middle of the table! We are leading the Championship, so I hope we can carry on and do a good result at the next race. With such a team, and partners, and Michelin tyres, it is possible to have more good results!"
The duo has taken the lead of the GT1 Drivers Classification, three points ahead of Silverstone winners Bertolini and Bartels, while Zakspeed is now joint second in the GT1 Teams Classification. In the Manufacturers' Cup, Saleen has already more points after two races, than they scored in the whole 2005 season. The last Saleen victory in the FIA GT Championship was in Imola 2004, when Vitaphone Racing's duo of Bartels and Alzen claimed the win.
Janis dedicates win to Edouard Michelin
Jarek Janis dedicated his win, on the Michelin-shod Zakspeed Saleen, to Edouard Michelin, chairman of Michelin, who died in a tragic boating accident in France earlier this weekend. "I would like to thank Michelin because the tyres were very good, and we would like to dedicate this win to Mr Michelin," the talented 22-year-old Czech driver said. The top two cars in this weekend's race were using Michelin tyres, with the leading Pirelli car in third position.
Phoenix and Aston Martin BMS complete GT1 podium
After a gap of over two years, Andrea Piccini and Jean-Denis Deletraz returned to the FIA GT Championship podium, with a fine race in their no. 5 Phoenix Racing Aston Martin DBR9. Also Michelin-shod, the car led the race for the first 13 laps. After the first pit-stops, the car lost one place to the no. 23 Aston Martin, but Piccini regained the lost position 18 laps from the end, and held on, despite a train of cars following closely behind him.
"We received the car only ten days before Silverstone," Jean Denis Deletraz explained. "However, the experience of the Phoenix Racing team is huge and they immediately did a great job and the right choice concerning the car and Michelin helped us a lot."
The Phoenix car crossed the line two seconds ahead of the no. 23 Aston Martin Racing BMS DBR9, with Gollin and Babini taking the third podium position. "The third place was the maximum for today, but very soon it is going to be possible to fight for the first place," Fabio Babini explained afterwards
Silverstone winners Bartels and Bertolini finished fourth in the no. 1 Vitaphone Racing Maserati MC 12, recovering after a spin early in the race. The no. 24 Aston Martin BMS DBR9 was fifth, ahead of the B-Racing Lamborghini Murciélago. The no. 4 GLPK Carsport Corvette took the final point for eighth, despite failing to finish, having spun out further to a collision with the no. 2 Vitaphone Maserati of Thomas Biagi.
The Maserati was awarded a stop-and-go penalty for this avoidable collision, which was converted into a 30-second addition to his race time, putting him in 7th position behind the Lamborghini. The B-Racing car, having put in an impressive performance, also fell victim to the no. 2 Maserati. For this second offence, the black and green car was awarded a drop of ten grid positions in its next FIA GT race, in Oschersleben on 2 July. However, the team has appealed this decision, and therefore the results remain provisional.
First points for B-Racing Lamborghini
With triple FIA GT Champion Christophe Bouchut sharing the no. 13 Lamborghini Murciélago with Peter Kox, a regular Lamborghini driver for Hans Reiter, the black and yellow B-Racing car put on a fine performance today, finishing seventh, but promoted to 6th further to the penalty awarded to the no. 2 Maserati.
Among the unlucky cars, the no. 33 Aston Martin DBR9 of Race Alliance failed to finish, suffering from a lack of grip, and going into the gravel during the middle stint. The no. 11 Balfe Saleen S7-R was suffering from a misfire, and retired in the pits.
JMB Gruppem Racing victorious in GT2
If the GT1 race was close, the GT2 battle was epic. Less than ten laps before the end, the class was being led by the no. 59 AF Corse Ferrari 430 GT2, with Aguas at the wheel. Aguas was under attack from a fast-closing Andrew Kirkaldy in the no. 62 Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari, who had just overtaken his team-mate Tim Mullen in the no. 63 car, who was suffering with its tyres. But as the no. 63 fell back, the two leaders collided, leaving fourth-placed Iradj Alexander to take the chequered flag eight laps later, in the no. 55 JMB GruppeM Ferrari 430 GT2.
The car had been on a different strategy from most of the others, after an early puncture forced them to pit early. Tim stayed out until the 50-lap point, nearly at the maximum of the possible driving time, and handed the car over to Iradj, who put in a fine performance, and claimed the win, making up for their Silverstone retirement.
"It was an incredible finish, Iradj did a great job at the end, and we are very, very pleased." Tim said afterwards. This was Iradj's first FIA GT victory and he was delighted. "A few laps before the end there was oil on the track, so I choose to push in order to make the difference. It was very slippery; it was like on a race on ice!" he exclaimed.
Ebimotors second in GT2
For the second race in a row, the no. 75 Ebimotors Porsche 996 GT3 RSR has finished in second position, Emmanuel Collard and Luca Riccitelli making up for disappointing qualifying performances by the strong race times. Although the Porsche cars may not be as dominant as they were in 2005, when they won all 11 races, their reliability and strength, especially in difficult conditions, meant that they still have an excellent fight in GT2.
"It was a bit special at the end today, the five last laps were crazy," Emmanuel Collard said. "We did not expect such a result at the beginning of the weekend, and it is good for the Championship. It is good fun, and I hope that it is going to be like this during all the season." With another eight points, Collard and Riccitelli are in the joint lead of the GT2 Drivers Classification.
AF Corse retain championship leads
Despite the disappointment for the no. 59 car, which went out when it was leading the class, and for which offence the no. 62 Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari 430 GT2 will receive a penalty of ten grid positions in the next race, AF Corse's no. 58 car of Bobbi and Melo finished in third position. This has placed them in the joint lead of the drivers' classification, with Collard and Riccitelli, and has allowed AF Corse to maintain its lead in the Teams Classification, two points ahead of Ebimotors.
"To be honest I'm not very happy with this result," 2003 Champion Matteo Bobbi explained. "The car was good, we did a good job, and we were obviously fighting for the victory. But we took a drive through penalty[for refuelling violations - Ed], and after that the race was finished for us."
First points for Scuderia Ecosse
The no. 62 Ferrari 430 GT2 ran strongly for much of the race, but a mistake meant that the car went back out on old tyres and it dropped back in the closing stages, meaning that Tim Mullen, who had started from pole, and his new team-mate Phil Bennett, finished in fourth position in GT2. This was the first points for the British team, after problems meant neither car finished in Silverstone.
They were followed by the no. 74 Ebimotors Porsche of Moccia and Busnelli. The no. 59 AF Corse Ferrari of Salo and Aguas was classified sixth after the accident with the no. 62 Scuderia Ecosse car, with Christian Ried and Horst Felbermayr Jr seventh. The final point went to the second JMB GruppeM Ferrari, of Antoine Gosse and Peter Kutemann.