Weekly Racing Roundup (1.24.22)

Baron Ferrari Wins 6H Abu Dhabi

Vienna-based Ferrari squad Baron Motorsport took a dominant victory at the 6 Hours of Abu Dhabi with Axcil Jefferies, Mikkel Mac, Roman Ziemian, Ernst Kirchmayr and Philipp Baron driving.

The No. 86 Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020 dominated Saturday’s non-championship 24H Series round from pole position and saw the checkered flag one lap ahead of its nearest competitor.

Ted van Vliet and Lamborghini Super Trofeo ace Max Weering finished second in their JR Motorsport BMW M6 GT3 after a pass within the final 15 minutes on the Saalocin by Kox Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R of Nico Pronk, Stephane Kox and Peter Kox.

After its non-start at the previous weekend’s Hankook 24 Hours of Dubai, Herberth Motorsport’s Abu Dhabi podium bid was thwarted by penalties.

The Porsche outfit ended up just over two minutes behind Kox Racing after racking up more than two minutes’ worth of sanctions over the course of the race.

Lamborghini Huracan  GT3s from Leipert Motorsport and ARC Bratislava rounded out the top six overall and in the GT3 class, which consisted of eight entries.

A total of 31 cars took the start with GT4, Cup, TCR and one-off machinery all involved in Creventic’s second endurance event of the year after Dubai.

RESULTS: 6H Abu Dhabi

News & Notes

***Bavaria-based Team GT has announced plans to make its GT3 debut in International GT Open. The operation’s Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo will run in the Pro-Am class with Bernhard Laber and Alain Valente sharing the wheel. “We are delighted to join the GT Open, which we have been eyeing for a time,” said team manager Max Penner. “With its great tracks, competitive races and high performance level, it offers the perfect package for our debut in GT3 racing.”

***Olimp Racing has switched GT3 brands with the purchase of two Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020s. The Polish squad, which has raced Mercedes-AMG and Audi machinery in GT Open, tested at Portimao and December and was at Estoril earlier this week.

***Inter Europol Competition has signed Portuguese teenager Guilherme Oliveira – formerly of Spanish F4 – to its LMP3 lineup for the Asian Le Mans Series. ELMS regular James Dayson and Nico Pino, who drove for the team in a couple of ELMS events last year, complete the roster.

***Sophie Peyrat has been appointed as the event director for the TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa, marking her return to SRO Motorsports Group. Peyrat was formerly the Intercontinental GT Challenge powered by Pirelli championship manager until her initial 14-year spell with SRO came to an end last year. She will work alongside 24H Spa general manager Laurent Gaudin.

***A 24-hour sound experience was installed in the Wilbur-Wright tunnel running into Le Mans city center over the weekend. The public art project reverberated some of the noises that are associated with the famous 24-hour race, such as singing engines and tire changes. The broadcast lasted between 6:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

***2005 Le Mans Series GT1 champion Christian Pescatori is the new team manager of Nova Race, which runs a Honda NSX GT3 Evo in Italian GT. Pescatori succeeds Nicola Sinigaglia in the role. Nova Race also has a Mercedes-AMG GT4 and a Honda Civic Type R in its stable.

***Ginetta Junior graduates Freddie Tomlinson and Joe Wheeler will tackle the British GT Championship’s GT4 class in a G56 run by Assetto Motorsport. Tomlinson is the son of Ginetta chairman Lawrence Tomlinson, while Wheeler is the son of the late former TVR chairman Peter Wheeler.

***A new single-make Radical championship has been launched in Australia. The Radical Cup Australia is a joint venture between the nation’s east and west Radical distributors managed by GWR Australia and Arise Racing respectively. The inaugural season is due to start at Phillip Island on March 18-20 and includes stops at Sydney Motorsport Park (May 27-29), Queensland Raceway (Aug. 5-7), The Bend (Oct. 14-16) and a TBA fifth venue.

***Scott Malvern and Nick Jones will continue with Team Parker Racing for a seventh straight season in British GT. It will be the second season for the pair in Parker’s Porsche 911 GT3 R. Team Parker Racing celebrated its 25th anniversary last Friday.

***ByKolles fired up its Vanwall LMH car for the first time last week in footage posted on the manufacturer’s Instagram page. The first rollout is reportedly “imminent”.

On this weekend: IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (Daytona)