Scuderia Praha Wins 24H Portimao; New Mercedes Debuts

Photo: Creventic

Bohemia Energy Racing with Scuderia Praha claimed its fourth consecutive victory in 24H Series competition on Sunday, winning the Hankook 24 Hours of Portimao.

The Czech team’s Ferrari 488 GT3, driven by Matteo Malucelli, Jiri Pisarik and Josef Kral dominated the uninterrupted twice-around-the-clock contest at the circuit in southern Portugal.

Pisarik took the checkered flag after 721 laps, one shy of the event record, and crossed the line seven laps ahead of the second-place car, GPX Racing’s Porsche 911 GT3 R. 

The Emirati team scored its best result in the series to date, holding off a late-race charge from Wochenspiegel Team Monschau’s Ferrari which took its first overall podium.

GPX’s Porsche was driven by Alexandre Cougnaud, Nicky Pastorelli, Jordan Grogor and Jean-Pierre Valentini, while the WTM Ferrari was shared by David Perel, Georg Weiss, Leonard Weiss and Jochen Krumbach.

The A6-Am class win went to Herberth Motorsport with its Porsche in fourth overall, just ahead of CP Racing’s Mercedes-AMG GT3.

GT4 honors were picked up by Leipert Motorsport with its Mercedes-AMG GT4 shared by Dominik Baumann, Marcus Paverud, Harald Schlotter and Ilmari Korpivaara, who survived a high-attrition SPX class.

They finished 17 laps clear of the next GT4 car, a BMW M4 GT4 entered by Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport in the outright GT4 class.

Successful Debut for Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo

Mercedes-AMG’s new GT3 challenger had a successful debut at Portimao, finishing sixth overall in its first race appearance.

The new car, which will officially replace the current Mercedes-AMG GT3 next year, was unveiled last month at the Nürburgring 24.

Running in the SP4 category, Maxi Buhk, Rik Breukers, Charles Putman, Kenneth Heyer and Hubert Haupt completed 704 laps to finish 17 laps down on the overall winner and ahead of several other GT3 cars in the A6 and A6-Am classes.

RESULTS: 24H Portimao

Jake Kilshaw

Jake Kilshaw is a UK-based journalist. He is a graduate of Politics and International Relations.