2010 FIA GT1 Algarve round

Layout of the Algarve International Circuit

The 2010 FIA GT1 Algarve round was an auto race held at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, Portimão, Portugal on 17–19 September 2010. Serving as the seventh round of the 2010 FIA GT1 World Championship season, the FIA GT1 race served as part of the larger Portimão Supercar event and was joined by the FIA GT3 European Championship, GT4 European Cup, and Superleague Formula. The former FIA GT Championship previously raced at the Algarve circuit in 2009.

Background

Success Ballast[1]
Entry Ballast
No. 7 Young Driver AMR 40 kg (88 lb)
No. 24 Reiter 30 kg (66 lb)
No. 13 Phoenix Racing / Carsport 20 kg (44 lb)
No. 1 Vitaphone Racing Team 10 kg (22 lb)
No. 10 Hexis AMR 10 kg (22 lb)
No. 33 Triple H Team Hegersport 10 kg (22 lb)

As part of the FIA Balance of Performance, Ford GTs were allowed the team to increase the size of their air restrictors for more power, although the cars also had to carry an extra 12 kg (26 lb) of ballast.[2] Further, six teams entered the Portimão round with success ballast. The No. 7 Young Driver which won the previous round at the Nürburgring carried 40 kg (88 lb), while further top four finishers Reiter, Phoenix, and Hexis also gained ballast. The No. 11 Vitaphone entry, which led both the Drivers' and Teams' Championships entering Portimão, retains 10 kg (22 lb) of the 20 previously carried in the previous round, while the No. 33 Hegersport car shed 40 kg of ballast carried over from the Nürburgring.

Michael Bartels and Andrea Bertolini of Vitaphone retained the Drivers' Championship lead they had held since the Paul Ricard round, holding a fourteen-point gap over Thomas Mutsch of Matech. Tomáš Enge and Darren Turner shared third place a further twelve points behind Mutsch. In the Teams' Championship, Vitaphone also held the points lead by a margin of 26 points over Reiter, while Young Driver were four points further back.

Qualifying

Phoenix's Marc Hennerici was able to put the team's sole Corvette on pole position in the final qualifying session by a margin of three hundredths of a second. Marc VDS initially earned their best qualifying position to date by claiming the front row in the No. 40 Ford GT, but were later penalized to the back of the grid after their car failed a stall test during technical inspection. The penalty promoted the No. 23 Sumo Power Nissan to the front row, while the Vitaphone duo locked out the second row on the grid.

Qualifying result

For qualifying, Driver 1 participates in the first and third sessions while Driver 2 participates in only the second session. The fastest lap for each session is indicated with bold.

Pos No. Driver 1 Team Session 1 Session 2 Session 3 Grid
Driver 2
1 13 Germany Marc Hennerici Germany Phoenix Racing / Carsport 1:42.912 1:42.597 1:42.394 1
Greece Alexandros Margaritis
2 40 Belgium Maxime Martin Belgium Marc VDS Racing Team 1:42.802 1:43.022 1:42.424 23
Belgium Bas Leinders
3 23 United Kingdom Peter Dumbreck United Kingdom Sumo Power GT 1:43.102 1:42.583 1:42.724 2
Germany Michael Krumm
4 2 Brazil Enrique Bernoldi Germany Vitaphone Racing Team 1:43.188 1:43.327 1:42.827 3
Portugal Miguel Ramos
5 1 Italy Andrea Bertolini Germany Vitaphone Racing Team 1:43.088 1:42.721 1:42.843 4
Germany Michael Bartels
6 38 Netherlands Nicky Pastorelli Germany All-Inkl.com Münnich Motorsport 1:43.398 1:42.901 1:43.537 5
Germany Dominik Schwager
7 34 Austria Nikolaus Mayr-Melnhof Germany Triple H Team Hegersport 1:43.439 1:42.465 1:44.605 6
Italy Alessandro Pier Guidi
8 33 Germany Altfrid Heger Germany Triple H Team Hegersport 1:43.557 1:43.153 No Time 7
Germany Alex Müller
9 37 France Christophe Bouchut Germany All-Inkl.com Münnich Motorsport 1:43.153 1:43.429 8
Germany Marc Basseng
10 25 Germany Frank Kechele Germany Reiter 1:42.750 1:43.510 9
Netherlands Jos Menten
11 7 United Kingdom Darren Turner Germany Young Driver AMR 1:43.110 1:43.581 10
Czech Republic Tomáš Enge
12 11 France Julien Jousse Belgium Mad-Croc Racing 1:42.819 1:43.727 11
Netherlands Xavier Maassen
13 8 Germany Stefan Mücke Germany Young Driver AMR 1:43.397 1:44.303 12
Portugal Pedro Lamy
14 9 France Frédéric Makowiecki France Hexis AMR 1:43.102 1:44.596 13
France Yann Clairay
15 4 Japan Seiji Ara Switzerland Swiss Racing Team 1:42.953 1:44.607 14
Sweden Max Nilsson
16 12 France Laurent Cazenave Belgium Mad-Croc Racing 1:43.568 1:45.124 15
Finland Pertti Kuismanen
17 6 France Nicolas Prost Switzerland Matech Competition 1:43.762 16
Switzerland Neel Jani
18 41 Finland Markus Palttala Belgium Marc VDS Racing Team 1:43.796 17
Belgium Renaud Kuppens
19 3 Austria Karl Wendlinger Switzerland Swiss Racing Team 1:43.812 18
Switzerland Henri Moser
20 10 Switzerland Jonathan Hirschi France Hexis AMR 1:43.904 19
Monaco Clivio Piccione
21 24 Netherlands Peter Kox Germany Reiter 1:44.008 20
Germany Christopher Haase
22 5 Germany Thomas Mutsch Switzerland Matech Competition 1:44.083 21
United Kingdom Richard Westbrook
23 22 United Kingdom Jamie Campbell-Walter United Kingdom Sumo Power GT 1:44.686 22
United Kingdom Warren Hughes

Races

Qualifying Race

Alexandros Margaritis led the field away from pole position, taking command for the first half of the race. After the pit stop and driver change, Sumo Power's Peter Dumbreck was able to catch up to leader Marc Hennerici, eventually passing the Corvette into Turn 1 in the final ten minutes of the race. The Vitaphone Maserati of Andrea Bertolini, following close behind the two, was eventually able to also pass Hennerici and secure second place

Race result

Pos No. Team Drivers Manufacturer Laps Time/Retired
1 23 United Kingdom Sumo Power GT United Kingdom Peter Dumbreck
Germany Michael Krumm
Nissan 34
2 1 Germany Vitaphone Racing Team Germany Michael Bartels
Italy Andrea Bertolini
Maserati 34 −2.474
3 13 Germany Phoenix Racing / Carsport Germany Marc Hennerici
Greece Alexandros Margaritis
Corvette 34 −9.222
4 7 Germany Young Driver AMR Czech Republic Tomáš Enge
United Kingdom Darren Turner
Aston Martin 34 −26.210
5 5 Switzerland Matech Competition Germany Thomas Mutsch
United Kingdom Richard Westbrook
Ford 34 −29.079
6 33 Germany Triple H Team Hegersport Germany Altfrid Heger
Germany Alex Müller
Maserati 34 −39.464
7 11 Belgium Mad-Croc Racing Netherlands Xavier Maassen
France Julien Jousse
Corvette 34 −39.581
8 38 Germany All-Inkl.com Münnich Motorsport Netherlands Nicky Pastorelli
Germany Dominik Schwager
Lamborghini 34 −39.982
9 22 United Kingdom Sumo Power GT United Kingdom Warren Hughes
United Kingdom Jamie Campbell-Walter
Nissan 34 −40.108
10 9 France Hexis AMR France Frédéric Makowiecki
France Yann Clairay
Aston Martin 34 −40.428
11 4 Switzerland Swiss Racing Team Sweden Max Nilsson
Japan Seiji Ara
Nissan 34 −40.680
12 24 Germany Reiter Netherlands Peter Kox
Germany Christopher Haase
Lamborghini 34 −41.549
13 2 Germany Vitaphone Racing Team Portugal Miguel Ramos
Brazil Enrique Bernoldi
Maserati 34 −43.590
14 25 Germany Reiter Netherlands Jos Menten
Germany Frank Kechele
Lamborghini 34 −44.500
15 8 Germany Young Driver AMR Germany Stefan Mücke
Portugal Pedro Lamy
Aston Martin 34 −47.150
16 10 France Hexis AMR Monaco Clivio Piccione
Switzerland Jonathan Hirschi
Aston Martin 34 −58.365
17 12 Belgium Mad-Croc Racing Finland Pertti Kuismanen
France Laurent Cazenave
Corvette 34 −1:51.030
18 34 Germany Triple H Team Hegersport Austria Nikolaus Mayr-Melnhof
Italy Alessandro Pier Guidi
Maserati 33 −1 Lap
19 41 Belgium Marc VDS Racing Team Belgium Renaud Kuppens
Finland Markus Palttala
Ford 33 −1 Lap
20 6 Switzerland Matech Competition France Nicolas Prost
Switzerland Neel Jani
Ford 25 −9 Laps
21
DNF
40 Belgium Marc VDS Racing Team Belgium Bas Leinders
Belgium Maxime Martin
Ford 22 Retired
22
DNF
3 Switzerland Swiss Racing Team Austria Karl Wendlinger
Switzerland Henri Moser
Nissan 18 Damage
23
DNF
37 Germany All-Inkl.com Münnich Motorsport Germany Marc Basseng
France Christophe Bouchut
Lamborghini 13 Retired

Championship Race

Following the Qualifying Race win, the Sumo Power Nissan led into the first turn, ahead of the No. 1 Vitaphone Maserati. Further down the field the No. 38 Münnich Lamborghini spun onto the outside runoff where it was collected by the No. 2 Vitaphone Maserati. Jamie Campbell-Walter's Nissan was also hit in the first turn, causing steering damage and forcing the team's retirement. At the opening of the pit window, the two leaders pitted together, but Sumo Power suffered from a tire change problem which dropped them down the race order, handing the lead to Vitaphone's Andrea Bertolini. The Phoenix Racing Corvette was promoted into second after the pit stops before being overtaken by Richard Westbrook in the No. 5 Matech Ford. Westbrook attempted to chase down the leading Maserati, but was only able to come within a second and a half at the end of the race.

Race result

Pos No. Team Drivers Manufacturer Laps Time/Retired
1 1 Germany Vitaphone Racing Team Germany Michael Bartels
Italy Andrea Bertolini
Maserati 34
2 5 Switzerland Matech Competition Germany Thomas Mutsch
United Kingdom Richard Westbrook
Ford 34 −1.402
3 13 Germany Phoenix Racing / Carsport Germany Marc Hennerici
Greece Alexandros Margaritis
Corvette 34 −15.482
4 23 United Kingdom Sumo Power GT United Kingdom Peter Dumbreck
Germany Michael Krumm
Nissan 34 −24.623
5 40 Belgium Marc VDS Racing Team Belgium Bas Leinders
Belgium Maxime Martin
Ford 34 −31.945
6 9 France Hexis AMR France Frédéric Makowiecki
France Yann Clairay
Aston Martin 34 −32.483
7 24 Germany Reiter Netherlands Peter Kox
Germany Christopher Haase
Lamborghini 34 −32.850
8 25 Germany Reiter Netherlands Jos Menten
Germany Frank Kechele
Lamborghini 34 −34.845
9 33 Germany Triple H Team Hegersport Germany Altfrid Heger
Germany Alex Müller
Maserati 34 −41.948
10 7 Germany Young Driver AMR Czech Republic Tomáš Enge
United Kingdom Darren Turner
Aston Martin 34 −43.495
11 8 Germany Young Driver AMR Germany Stefan Mücke
Portugal Pedro Lamy
Aston Martin 34 −44.434
12 6 Switzerland Matech Competition France Nicolas Prost
Switzerland Neel Jani
Ford 34 −46.306
13 10 France Hexis AMR Monaco Clivio Piccione
Switzerland Jonathan Hirschi
Aston Martin 34 −47.565
14 11 Belgium Mad-Croc Racing Netherlands Xavier Maassen
France Julien Jousse
Corvette 34 −54.916
15 41 Belgium Marc VDS Racing Team Belgium Renaud Kuppens
Finland Markus Palttala
Ford 34 −1:10.419
16 12 Belgium Mad-Croc Racing Finland Pertti Kuismanen
France Laurent Cazenave
Corvette 33 −1 Lap
17 37 Germany All-Inkl.com Münnich Motorsport Germany Marc Basseng
France Christophe Bouchut
Lamborghini 32 −2 Laps
18 4 Switzerland Swiss Racing Team Sweden Max Nilsson
Japan Seiji Ara
Nissan 32 −2 Laps
19 34 Germany Triple H Team Hegersport Austria Nikolaus Mayr-Melnhof
Italy Alessandro Pier Guidi
Maserati 32 −2 Laps
20 3 Switzerland Swiss Racing Team Austria Karl Wendlinger
Switzerland Henri Moser
Nissan 31 −3 Laps
21
DNF
38 Germany All-Inkl.com Münnich Motorsport Netherlands Nicky Pastorelli
Germany Dominik Schwager
Lamborghini 13 Retired
22
DNF
22 United Kingdom Sumo Power GT United Kingdom Warren Hughes
United Kingdom Jamie Campbell-Walter
Nissan 1 Damage
23
DNF
2 Germany Vitaphone Racing Team Portugal Miguel Ramos
Brazil Enrique Bernoldi
Maserati 0 Collision

References

  1. ^ "FIA Entry List Algarve (PRT) – 19 September 2010" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. Retrieved 2010-09-18.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "Upgrades for Marc VDS in Portimao". gt1world.com. SRO Group. 2010-09-16. Archived from the original on 19 September 2010. Retrieved 2010-09-18.


FIA GT1 World Championship
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