Connect with us

Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe

Gilardoni, Iaquinta Seal Title in Bizarre Circumstances

Crash for rival Fraboni prior to Monza finale hands DL Racing pair the title as Leipert crews win both races…

Photo: Lamborghini Squadra Corse

DL Racing’s Kevin Gilardoni and Simone Iaquinta claimed the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe title in slightly bizarre circumstances at the Monza season finale, while the race wins were shared by Leipert Motorsport pairings Brendon Leitch and Nicolas Stati, and Henri Tuomaala and Matias Salonen.

Gilardoni and Iaquinta’s path to the title was eased by a chaotic first lap to the opening race when Jerzy Spinkiewicz clattered into the Oregon machine of their title rival Silas Rytter at the first chicane.

With the DL duo finishing second, they were on the brink of sealing the championship ahead of the finale but their glory was then assured when Rytter’s teammate Patrik Fraboni crashed the No. 36 Lamborghini Super Trofeo Huracan EVO2 on the way to the grid for the wet second contest.

Gilardoni had led from the first lap of Race 1, as cars ran five abreast heading into the first corner with the inevitable contact unfolding as Spinkiewicz went on the grass on the inside, before clattering into Rytter and Milos Pavlovic.

Gilardoni cut the second part of the chicane to emerge with the lead and maintained the advantage after the resultant safety car period ended and through the pit stops.

However, Iaquinta then made an error on the penultimate lap, running wide at the second Lesmo and letting Stati through.

Iaquinta attempted to fight back out of the Parabolica for the final time but fell just 0.062 seconds shy of victory.

The No. 72 DL Racing crew were later penalized for both a fractionally too short pit stop and for Gilardoni’s corner-cutting but they still held second place while Tuomaala and Salonen completed the podium.

Anthony Pretorius had qualified on pole aboard the No. 11 Micanek Motorsport machine but fell to third amid the opening corner shenanigans.

Although stablemate Bronislav Formanek was passed by Tuomaala, the class victory in fourth overall was more than enough for the Micanek crew to seal the Pro-Am title.

Andrzej Lewandowski claimed the Am honors for Auto Sport Racing after passing the CMR car of Stephane Lemeret in the closing stages, while DC Motorsport’s Peder Demant Moller and Nina Ostegaard took LB Cup glory to bolster their championship hopes.

There was a rain shower before the second race and this caught out Fraboni on the way to the grid, ensuring a second overall title for Gilardoni and a first for Iaquinta.

But Race 2 was a tricky contest for the champions as they started from the back of the grid, progressed up to the midfield and then were handed a ten-second penalty for Iaquinta unbuckling his seatbelts too early, leaving them classified 16th.

The opening three laps were held behind the safety car amid the tricky conditions with several cars spinning and some even picking up track-limits warnings during the caution.

Polesitter Marzio Moretti from the Pro-Am class was flying when the race eventually went green, extending a ten-second lead before the safety car was scrambled again with several cars stranded, including a heavy impact for Alessio Ruffini out of Ascari.

The leading Auto Sport Racing Service car fell back when Paolo Biglieri took over from Moretti during the stops, but they still took the Pro-Am victory in sixth overall.

Instead the win went to Salonen and Tuomaala who were among the first to pit and thereby gained a considerable advantage on their rivals, finishing ten seconds ahead of Stati and Leitch.

The No. 22 Scuderia Villorba Corse car of Hugo Giraud and Nathanael Berreby were third to score their first podium of the season.

Second in the Am class for the No. 46 Micanek Motorsport Lamborghini of Renaud Kuppens and Jakub Knoll gave them the title, while Lewandowski sealed a double Monza win having led the division throughout.

Six crews arrived at the finale in contention for the LB Cup honors but in the end Moller and Ostergaard won the championship comfortably having finished second behind Scuderia Villorba Corse pilot Claude-Yves Gosselin in Race 2.

RESULTS: Race 1/Race 2

Related Topics

Stephen Lickorish is Sportscar365's European editor, covering the FIA World Endurance Championship, GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS, European Le Mans Series, among other championships.

Click to comment
Advertisements
Advertisements
Advertisements

More in Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe