Tresor Attempto Fined €20,000 Over Drive Time Incident

Tresor Attempto Racing was fined €20,000 ($21,800 USD) at the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa for “fraudulent conduct” to avoid detection for a breach of the drive time rules.

A stewards’ report stated that the German team claimed that Lorenzo Patrese had got behind the wheel of the Silver Cup No. 99 Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II during a pit stop on Sunday morning when video evidence later found that Pietro Delli Guanti was still driving.

It meant that Delli Guanti exceeded the maximum continuous driving time of three hours and 15 minutes imposed by the sporting regulations.

A report from the stewards stated that Tresor Attempto’s behavior went against the “principles of fairness” and it was duly handed a substantial fine as punishment.

The team has the right to appeal the decision in accordance with the FIA International Sporting Code. Sportscar365 has contacted Attempto to ask if it plans to appeal the fine.

“The stewards received a report from the race director stating that driver Pietro Delli Guanti exceeded the maximum continuous driving period,” read the stewards’ bulletin.

“After having summoned the team manager, they alleged that there was a mistake in the driver ID and that Lorenzo Patrese was in at 5:24.10 [a.m.] according to the request of correction of transponder submitted.

“After further investigation with video support, it was clear that there has not been a driver change and that it was still driver Pietro Delli Guanti in the car.

“The stewards agree that this fraudulent conduct from the Competitor is an infringement against the principles of fairness in the Competition.”

At the time when Delli Guanti went over the continuous driving time limit, the No. 99 Tresor Attempto Racing Audi was leading the Silver Cup class.

It then lost more than 100 laps to the Silver winner and dropped to seventh in the final classification after a puncture and a broken oil cooler impacted its run.

Attempto Racing’s Pro-class Audi finished seventh overall in the hands of Ricardo Feller, Dennis Marschall and Mattia Drudi, while the No. 66 Bronze Cup entry was eighth.

Delli Guanti, Patrese and Aka are third in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup Silver standings with two rounds remaining.