Pier Guidi Was Unaware of Pit Lane Blockage During Final Stop

Alessandro Pier Guidi “could have done another lap” had he been made aware that the pit entry was blocked by the No. 19 GRT Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 in what turned out to be the decisive moment in the centenary edition of the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa.

The No. 51 AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3, which Pier Guidi shared with Alessio Rovera and Davide Rigon, appeared to be on course to victory in the Belgian endurance classic, only for the team’s race to unravel in bizarre fashion amidst the final round of stops.

TV images showed the No. 19 Lamborghini, driven at the time by Hugo Cook, stranded and stationary at pit entry right as Pier Guidi came in to make his last pitstop of the race.

With Cook blocking the way, Pier Guidi was unable to pass and was forced to wait until the Lamborghini was towed clear before he was able to get by and make his pitstop.

The delay cost Ferrari a second 24H Spa victory in four years, although Pier Guidi eventually charged back to second place behind the winning No. 7 Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo.

Speaking post-race, Pier Guidi explained that both he and the AF Corse squad were unaware of the blockage at the time the No. 51 approached pit entry.

He added that, with what was left of his maximum permitted stint length, he would have been able to go round and complete an additional lap had he been aware of the problem.

“Actually, I have not a lot to think,” Pier Guidi said.

“I was trying to look if there was a space to go but there wasn’t. It was in the middle and then it was also the truck, a car of the organization tried to pull the car, so I had no where to go.

“I asked to the guys if they didn’t see the message on the screen but unfortunately no one put the fuc**** message on the screen.

“The pit lane was blocked but I didn’t know because actually I could have done another lap.

“I was very tight with the driving time but I could have done it.

“In the end if we were informed that the pit lane was blocked, we probably wouldn’t have pitted and we would have won the race.

“With the ifs and buts, we say in Italian, ‘You don’t go anywhere.’ We lost the race and that was it.”

The No. 51 Ferrari had pushed into the lead of the race when Pier Guidi passed both the No. 7 Aston Martin and the No. 998 ROWE Racing BMW M4 GT3 of Dan Harper on their out laps with just under four hours to go.

“They told me we were close and to push and to try and have the undercut,” Pier Guidi recalled.

“Because at the end, normally with the degradation of the tires in the end of the stint, you’re slower than the beginning.

“So I pushed hard in the out lap and the first corner. Basically it was enough to catch them in the pit exit.

“I had more speed because I was arriving from Eau Rouge at full speed and they were out of the pits and I was able to take the lead.

“Actually it was good because it was very difficult to overtake but in clean air it was easier to manage the pace.

“Of course, when you’re in clean air you always have an advantage. We had a little bit more pace, but just in clean air.

“I’m not sure it was easy to overtake. Doing this kind of undercut was good.”