Mugello, Klingmann-Hesse (BMW M4 GT3) and Zanon-Tribaudini (Lamborghini Huracan ST Evo2) win the two GT3 and GT Cup races of the 3rd round of the Italian GT Sprint Championship

The Germans Jens Klingmann and Max Hesse (BMW M4 GT3) in the GT3 class and Ignazio Zanon and Stephane Tribaudini (Lamborghini Huracan ST Evo2) in the GT Cup class claimed victory in the two races held this afternoon at the Mugello Circuit, as part of the third round of the Italian GT Championship Sprint series.

In the top class race, the BMW Italia-Ceccato Racing team drivers finished ahead of the two Audi R8 LMS (Tresor-Audi Sport Italia) driven by Cola-Moncini (+2”366) and Mazzola-Delli Guanti (+3”412), while in the GT Cup race, the VSR crew took the top step of the podium ahead of Borelli-Casè (Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo2-AF Corse) and Rosario Messina (Lamborghini Huracan ST Evo2-MM Motorsport).

Tomorrow, the final two races will be held (GT Cup at 12.40 and GT3 at 14.40), both of which will be broadcast live on Acisport TV (SKY 228) and Raisport (Ch 58), as well as live-streamed on the championship's official website and social media channels.

GT3: The first race of the top class was decided in the final minutes, marked by a double start and a couple of safety cars necessitated by several incidents. The most significant occurred in the opening meters of the race, involving Michelotto, Bontempelli, and Marazzi, who were unable to restart. Shortened to 45 minutes plus one lap, the race saw the young Finn Nurmi dominate the first stint. Despite the first safety car intervention due to an accident, he handed over the Ferrari 296 GT3 to his co-driver Ferati while in the lead.

However, the 21-year-old Swiss driver, at the restart after the second safety car, was unable to withstand the attacks of Max Hesse, making a mistake that forced him off the track and into a collision with the barriers. The 18-year-old BMW driver was impeccable and, after taking over the car from his teammate Klingmann, who had done a great job of maintaining second position in the first stint, crossed the finish line first, earning the BMW drivers the top spot in the overall standings.

Under the checkered flag, the Monaco-based team finished ahead of the two Audi R8 LMS from Tresor-Audi Sport Italia, both of which made splendid recoveries, thanks to Cola-Moncini, who climbed from seventh to second, and Mazzola-Delli Guanti, who took the third step of the podium after recovering from tenth on the starting grid.

In fourth place overall, and first in the GT3 PRO-AM, were Jelmini-Berto, who managed to stay in contact with the leaders throughout the race, followed by Alatalo-Di Giusto (Aston Martin Vantage-L&A Infinity), who achieved their best race of the season, the leaders of the GT3 PRO-AM standings, Ebrahim-Malvestiti (BMW M4 GT3-BMW Italia/Ceccato Racing Team), and the VSR drivers, Cazzaniga-Frassineti (Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo2), penalized by the loss of the front bonnet cover, which was later repaired during the driver change.

Completing the top ten were Zanon-Moulin in eighth place, recovering from 18th on the grid, Bartholomew-Denes in ninth, and Giraudi-Wiebelhaus (Mercedes AMG GT3-Antonelli Motorsport) in tenth, who also made a splendid recovery from the tenth row of the grid.

GT3 race 1 classification

GT Cup: From 11th on the grid to the podium's top step: a fantastic performance by race-1 winners in the single-make class, Zanon-Tribaudini. The Team VSR crew completed a tremendous comeback, built in the first stint by Zanon and completed with a fantastic finale by the French driver. Like the GT3 race, the GT Cup race also required a second start after a pile-up of five drivers who went off the track due to an oil leak from the Belgian Renmans' Ferrari 488. The finish was also characterized by a second safety car that reopened the game, giving the final push to Tribaudini who recovered three positions to finish on the top step of the PRO-AM podium ahead of Borelli-Casè, winners of the 1st Division driving the Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo2 of AF Corse, and Rosario Messina (Lamborghini Huracan ST Evo2-MM Motorsport), who was alone for the entire race, a great second in PRO-AM.

In fourth place and second in the AM was Ferdinando D'Auria (Lamborghini Huracan ST evo2-HC Racing) who preceded Patrinicola-Pegoraro (Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo2-Best Lap), third in PRO-AM, and Navatta-Palma (Porsche 992 GT3 Cup-Raptor Engineering), first in PRO-AM 2nd Division ahead of the GT Italian debutants, Rodriguez-Van Den Hengel (Porsche 992 GT3 Cupo-SP Racing). In the AM 2nd Division, the victory went to Presezzi-Jacoma (Porsche 992 GT3 Cup-Centri Porsche Ticino), who preceded Grisi-Abbati with the twin car of SP Racing.