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French FFSA GT Championship - Round 6 Final - Circuit de Paul Ricard

30th September -3rd October 2021

Event report and photos by Raymond Bonnello

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As part of an exceptional weekend, the final of the French FFSA GT Championship did not fail to arouse interest with 36 GT4s, representing seven different brands (Mercedes,Audi,Aston Martin,Alpine,Toyota,BMW and Porsche) expected.

With two 60-minute races, including one at night on Saturday at 9:30 p.m., the end of the season was going to be exciting.

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Two free practice sessions on Friday (at 3:50 p.m. and at 10:00 p.m. to get the drivers used to the darkness), the two qualifying sessions followed on Saturday at 12:20 p.m.

As night fell, the start of the first race was given at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday evening.

The twelfth and last race of the season was scheduled for Sunday at 2:10 pm.

Qualifying practices

The first qualifying session was dominated by three Audi drivers, each taking pole position in their category.

Michal Fabien (Audi R8 LMS GT4 / Sainteloc Junior Team #42) in Pro-Am, Hamon Christophe (Audi R8 LMS GT4 / Team Fullmotorsport #5) in Am and Bottemanne Sacha (Audi R8 LMS GT4 / Team Fullmotorsport #6) in Silver.

Audi #42 dominated the second qualifying session Grégory Guilvert imitating his team-mate with a lap of 2’12’337, a new record for the FFSA GT at the Circuit Paul Ricard.

Eighth overall, Valentin Hasse-Clot (Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 / AGS Events #007) narrowly took pole position in the Silver Cup.

In the Am Cup, after Christophe Hamon's pole position for the first race, Pascal Huteau (Audi R8 LMS GT4 / Team Fullmotorsport #5) was inspired by his teammate.

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Race 1

Starting from pole position, Fabien Michal and Grégory Guilvert never left the front lines and went for their second victory this season.

A success that allowed them to fully return to the title race.

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From then on, five crews stood in 19 points while 25 units were awarded to the winners of the very last race of the season.

Thomas Drouet was the best placed, but the pairs Michal-Guilvert (at 11 points), Servol-Prost (at 12), Wallgren-Castelli (at 14) and Gomar-Parisy (at 19) could benefit from the slightest failure of the Mercedes-AMG GT4 # 16.

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By finishing in the wake of the winners Sacha Bottemanne and Lonni Martins (Audi R8 LMS GT4 / Team Fullmotorsport #6) in the Silver Cup, Romain Leroux and Valentin Hasse-Clot (Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 / AGS Events #007) were placed sheltered from their opponents to win their first title of French FFSA GT Champions.

There was no more suspense in the Am Cup either.

Starting from the very first row of the starting grid after a superb qualifying session, Christophe Hamon and Pascal Huteau have never left the leadership of the Am Cup.

This seventh victory in eleven races gave Hamon and Huteau a title that was unchallenged.

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Race 2

With five crews still vying for the crown in Pro-Am, the suspense was at its height when the very last race of the 2021 FFSA GT French Championship was launched.

Sixty minutes later, when his teammate Fabien Barthez (Mercedes-AMG GT4 / AKKA ASP #16) passed the checkered flag in third place, Thomas Drouet could give a big sigh of relief!

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Already winners on Saturday night, Sacha Bottemanne and Lonni Martins won their second victory of the weekend in the Silver Cup.

Released from all pressure after securing the title the day before, Valentin Hasse-Clot and Romain Leroux dominated the category before having to enter the pit lane as a result of a damaged front.

That didn't stop the AGS Events team from winning the Teams Championship, however.

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Champions since Saturday night, Pascal Huteau and Christophe Hamon simply wanted to end the season in style.

Dominating early in the race, the duo of Team Fullmotorsport (Team champion) did not have the chance, a puncture forcing them to retire.

All profit for Laurent Coubard and Jean-Charles Rédélé (Alpine A110 GT4 /Bodemer Auto #76), who found for the first time the top step of the podium.

An ideal way to secure the title of vice-champions!

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Championship Ranking Drivers

Pro-Am

1 : Thomas Drouet 133 points

2 : Fabien Michal / Gregory Guilvert 125 points

3 : Nicolas Gomar / Mike Parisy 124 points

Am

1 : Pascal Huteau / Christophe Hamon 242 points

2 : Jean-Charles Rédélé / Laurent Coubard 203 points

3 : Didier Dumaine / Christophe Carrière 154 points

Silver

1 : Romain Leroux / Valentin Hasse-Clot 209 points

2 : Lonni Martins 189 points

3 : Paul Evrard / Timothe Buret 169 points

Championship Ranking Team

Pro-Am

1 : Akka ASP 196 points

2 : Sainteloc Racing 171 points

3 : Mirage Racing 156 points

Am

1 : Team Fullmotorsport 244 points

2 : Bodemer Auto 207 points

3 : AGS Events 166 points

Silver

1 : AGS Events 209 points

2 : CMR 195 points

3 : Team Fullmotorsport 194 points

This is the end of the 2021 season which, as a result of the pandemic, has not allowed me to share with you the French FFSA-GT4 champoinat.

Hoping that 2022 will be more clement.

See you again from 16 to 18 April in Nogaro,and those Coupes de Pâques, for the launch of the 2022 season!

Based on SRO press report