Manthey Loses Sepang GT Win After Hartog Penalty

The No. 10 Manthey Porsche 911 GT3 R has been stripped of its class victory in Saturday’s Asian Le Mans Series opener at Sepang after Loek Hartog was penalized for contact with GetSpeed’s Fabian Schiller at the final corner.

An unpredictable fight for GT class honors went down to the wire in the first leg of the 4 Hours of Sepang as an alternative pit strategy set up a last-lap showdown between Hartog and Schiller’s No. 9 GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo.

Schiller looked as if he would stave off Hartog until running slightly wide at the Turn 15 left-hander on the last lap, opening the door for the Porsche driver to attack, but the two cars made contact as Hartog wrested away the lead.

Post-race, it was decided by officials to hand Hartog a one-place penalty, demoting the No. 10 car he shared with Klaus Bachler and Antares Au to second behind the GetSpeed car of Schiller, Anthony Bartone and Shigekazu Wakisaka.

The relevant stewards’ bulletin read: “The stewards reviewed CCTV evidence and consulted the driver advisor on an incident at Turn 15 involving cars 9 and 10. CCTV shows that car 9 was ahead of car 10 as they approach Turn 15.

“Entering Turn 15, car 9 can be seen to brake late and deep into the corner. Car 10 following closely looked to brake earlier and able to get to the apex kerb with his left side of the car.

“Car 9 had at this point started to rotate his car and accelerate towards the exit leaving enough room for car 10, who was now level with him on his left side.

“Car 10 who was using the curb seemed to over rotate and subsequently get some oversteer which caused him to slide and make contact with car 10.

“Further contacts were made whilst the cars exited the corner with the end result in car 10 being forced wide by car 9 and losing a position.”

The No. 9 car came out on top of a race punctuated by four safety car periods, the last of them caused by contact between the sister No. 37 QMMF by GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG and the No. 21 Ferrari 296 GT3 that set up a 42-minute race to the flag.

“It was a crazy race,” commented Bartone. “It was a race of survival with rain in some corners and dry in others. I was on slick tires during my stint, so I had to manage the car and keep it at the front.

“The finish was crazy with Fabian and the Porsche. This series is very strict with car-to-car contact, and we have been on the other end of those calls. We led most of the race at the end, so of course, we will take it.

“Shigekazu and Fabian put in great drives today, and the GetSpeed guys were on point with strategy and pit work. We will celebrate, regroup, and be ready to go tomorrow.”

Elsewhere, the No. 30 RD Limited Oreca 07 Gibson was reinstated to sixth overall having originally been removed from the classification for failing to make it back to parc ferme under its own power following the checkered flag.

However, following a discussion with the team, it was determined than an issue with the car shared by James Allen, Tristan Vautier and Fred Poordad was to blame and the decision was taken to restore the car’s original finishing position.

RESULTS: 4 Hours of Sepang (revised)