The second Weekend Racing Roundup of May features the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, which got its season underway at the Grand Prix of Spain. The International GT Open teams were also racing on the Iberian Peninsula this weekend, at Estoril in Portugal.
Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup
The new season of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup started at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain this weekend. It was a perfect weekend for 29-year-old German driver Michael Ammermüller, who also raced in GT3 in recent years, taking pole position and the first win of the season.
Porsche Junior drivers Sven Müller and Connor De Phillippi collided on the opening lap, resulting in a two-lap safety car period. After the restart Ammermüller pulled away, eventually finishing seven seconds clear of second-placed Kuba Giermaziak.
Race – 1. Ammermüller (Lechner Racing Middle East), 2. Giermaziak (VERVA Lechner Racing Team), 3. Engelhart (MRS GT Racing)
International GT Open
The Ferrari teams dominated the second round of the International GT Open season at Circuito Estoril in Portugal. Unfortunately only 13 cars, including two cup cars, took part in the two races this weekend.
Raffaele Giammaria and Ezequiel Perez-Companc won the first race. Balfe Motorsport driver Phil Keen led during the first part of the race, but the Ferrari lost time in the pits, resulting in AF Corse’s Filipe Barreiros taking the lead, ahead of Perez-Companc.
The Argentine soon passed the Portuguese and took the lead. Alessandro Balzan closed the gap in the final minutes, but was unable to pass Perez-Companc in the end.
In race two there were two Argentine drivers on top of the podium, with AF Corse’s Emiliano Lopez and Matias Russo taking the top spot. Pole sitter Alessandro Balzan was forced into the pits with a problem.
After the stops AF Corse driver Pasin Lathouras led from Russo, but the Argentine won the fight and took the checkered flag in first place.
Race 1 – 1. AF Corse (Perez-Companc/Giammaria) Ferrari, 2. Villorba Corse (Balzan/Benucci) Ferrari, 3. AF Corse (Barreiros/Guedes) Ferrari.
Race 2 – 1. Baporo Motorsport (Lopez/Russo) Ferrari, 2. AF Corse (Lathouras/Rugolo) Ferrari, 3. Balfe Motorsport (Balfe/Keen) Ferrari.
Other Series
At Brands Hatch the TF Sport Aston Martin Vantage of Paul Bailey and Andy Schulz won the first two races of the GT Cup series, with JMH Automotive’s Aaron Scott taking the win in the third race.
Team RaceArt’s Roger Grouwels and his Dodge Viper GT3-R won the opening round of the Supercar Challenge at Zolder, while Henry Zumbrink’s Volvo S60 V8 won the second race on Sunday.