Blancpain Endurance Series 2015 – third round - Circuit Paul Ricard – France
It was under a sunny but windy Week End that was run this third round of the Blancpain Endurance Series.
Only airplanes have left traces in the sky.
Bronze Test - Friday, June 19th (10:00)
The hostilities began, Friday morning, with the Bronze Test. They will be 37 to take part in this session.
It was dominated by the BMW Z4 #77 (BMW Sports Trophy Team Brasil) in 1:58:621 in the average of 175.7 Kph on a long track of 5791 m.
In AM CUP Class it's the Audi R8 LMS Ultra #24 (Team Parker Racing) which it is found on top of the timesheets, whereas PRO-AM CUP Class the Ferrari 458 Italia #11 (Kessel Racing) was the fastest.
Free Practice - Friday, June 19th (13:15)
The Lamborghini Huracan GT3 #63 (GRT Grasser Racing Team) was the dominant of free practice ahead the Mercedes SLS AMG GT3 #18 (Black Falcon) 0.054sec. Twelve cars are in the same second.
Pre-Qualifying Session - Friday, June 19th (16:15)
It's again the Lamborghini Huracan GT3 #63 located at the top of the timesheets after 90 minutes of this Pre-Qualifying Session. This time the second place is devolved to the Ferrari 458 Italia #333 (Rinaldi Racing) followed by the Bentley Continental GT3 #84 (Bentley Team HTP).
It's in the seventeenth position that we find last competitor in the second, 0.982sec exactely, the Audi R8 LMS Ultra #75 (ISR).
Qualifying Session - Saturday, June 20th (10:05)
It is the Italian Mirko Bortolotti, the Lamborghini Huracan GT3 #63 (again), which was the fastest in 1:56.638. this Saturday, June 20th morning. He outstrips the Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 #23 (GT Academy Team RJN) of 0.189sec and the Bentley Continental GT #84 of 0.341sec.
the Ferrari 458 Italia #333 and the Bentley Continental GT3 #7 (Bentley Team M-Sport) complete the top five. 22 cars are in the same seconde.
In PRO-AM Class the pole position is for the black Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 #22 (Nissan GT Academy Team RJN) whereas in AM CUP Class the pole position come down to Ferrari 458 Italia #25 (Glorax Racing).
Race - Saturday, June 20th (start at 17:00)
Summer weather, top-quality opposition with 60 GT3, 6 hours of racing what more ? Fight !
After a chaotic start following a extra warm-up lap, the safety car was deployed, consequence of the collision between several competing Bentley Continental GT #8, Ferrari 458 Italia #333 and McLaren 650S #58 (Von Ryan Racing) causing the withdrawal of the Ferrari and the McLaren.
If the poleman dominated the majority of the first part of the race, the GT-R NISMO GT3 #23 Nissan precede the Lamborghini Huracan #63 of 6.720sec after three hours.
In full fight for the head, Lamborghini Huracan #63, received a drive-through.In the last two hours the suspense will not reach its peak until the end !
The fight for victory involved the Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 #23, the Bentley Continental GT3 #8 and BMW Z4 GT3 #46 (BMW Sports Trophy MarcVDS).
After 6 hours of a breathless race the Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 #23 crossed the finish line in front of the Bentley Continental GT3 #7(M-Sport Bentley). Started from the pits, the BMW Z4 GT3 #46 made a fantastic comeback to finish on the third step of the podium.
This victory has put warm Nissan's heart one week after the 24 hours of Le Mans.
In PRO-AM Class victory went to the Ferrari 458 Italia #11 (Kessel Racing) (fifth overall as well) while in AM CUP Class another Ferrari 458 Italia (#25 Glorax Racing) won the jackpot Outstripping the BMW Z4 #78 (Team Russia by Barwell) of 6.231sec.
