V8 Racing Leads 12H Italy-Mugello After Four Hours

The V8 Racing Renault RS01 FGT3 (No. 333, Luc Braams/Max Braams/Nicky Pastorelli/Miguel Ramos) leads the Hankook 12H Italy-Mugello after the first part of the race.

After completing 120 laps, Nicky Pastorelli crossed the line in first place, followed home by the No. 702 Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus SCG 003C.

The SCG 003C finished a lap down, but will start side-by-side with the Renault RS01 FGT3, which will have to make a pit stop early in part 2. The race will resume at 09:30 a.m. local time tomorrow.

Rolf Ineichen, in the No. 963 Lamborghini Huracan GT3, started from pole position and held onto the lead for the opening laps, before being passed by the No. 911 Precote Herbert Motorsport Porsche 991 GT3.

During an early Code 60 the No. 10 Hofor-Racing Mercedes SLS AMG took the lead when the Porsche came in for an early stop.

The lead then kept changing as teams came in to make pit stops, with MJC – Furlonger, Optimum Motorsport, Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus and Massive Motorsport all leading the race at one point.

Twenty minutes from the end of part 1, Nicky Pastorelli passed the No. 14 Optimum Motorsport Audi R8 LMS to take the lead.

The A6-Am sub class saw the No. 17 IDEC Sport Mercedes SLS AMG GT3 take the overnight lead, ahead of the No. 23 Equipe Verschuur Renault RS01 FGT3.

Pole sitters HTP Motorsport, along with two Car Collection Audi R8 LMS and the Spirit Race Audi R8 LMS ultra, were moved to A6-Pro before the start, which means six cars are fighting for the class win.

In SPX it is the No. 666 Vincenzo Sospiri Racing Srl Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo that leads after part 1, with the No. 77 GDL team Asia Lamborghini right behind in second place in class.

LMS Engineering leads SP2 with its No. 206 Audi TT RS2, while the No. 101 Hofor-Kuepper Racing BMW E46 M3 Coupe leads A3.

There were 63 starters after the No. 30 Ram Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 was forced to withdraw before the race with engine problems.

The SP2 pole sitting No. 24 RTR Projects 2 KTM X-BOW GT was one of the retirements, as was the No. 911 Precote Herberth Motorsport Porsche 991 GT3 R.

Suspension damage resulted in a very long pit stop for the No. 777 MP Sports Mercedes SLS AMG GT3, which means it is out of contention for the race win.