FIA GT: 3rd round

Three podiums in three races for Pirelli Ferrari at Pergusa

Pergusa, May 11th, 2003 - After an exciting qualifying session on Saturday May 10th, in which JMB Ferrari 360 Modena with Bertolini and De Simone reached the pole in N-GT category, during a sunny and hot Sunday took place at the Enna Pergusa circuit. Many spectators attended this unique race, track is almost an oval, famous also because it surrounds a natural basin formed by an extinct volcano.

For the GT category the introduction of the day was very promising for Pirelli thanks to the best time obtained by Fabio Babini on the JMB Ferrari 550 during the warm up but, in spite of this, the engine suffered again in reliability: the race of the JMB Ferrari 550 Maranello finished halfway through the event whilst challenging for the lead. At the end of the race the winners were Fabrizio Gollin and Luca Cappellari on BMS Ferrari 550 Maranello but, like in Magny Cours, the podium has changed again for an out of rules airbox: the amended result promotes Biagi and Bobbi to their third consecutive win in the Championship. Better situation in N-GT category, where the team JMB with Andrea Bertolini and De Simone on Ferrari 360 Modena led almost all the race and finished in second position after an exciting " battle" with the Porsche of the final winners, Tim Sugden and Martin Short.

Despite the high temperatures on asphalt (nearly 40 C), the new tyre P Zero racing specifically developed for these conditions has performed very well. The new softer compound and the new materials of which it is composed allows a better grip with hot temperatures, without any deterioration during long runs.

Next race: Brno circuit, Czech Republic, May 24th - 25th

GT Podium:

1st Biagi/Bobbi Ferrari 550 Maranello 2:56:47.745 171.32 kph
2nd Campbell-Walter/Kinch Lister Storm 2:56:56.028 171.19 kph
3rd Bryner/Calderari/Livio Ferrari 550 Maranello 2:55:31.471 170.87 kph

N-GT Podium:

1st Davies/Mullen Porsche 996 GT3-RS 2:56:32.488 166.52 kph
2nd Bertolini/De Simone Ferrari 360 Modena 2:56:55.849 166.16 kph
3rd Jones/Jones Ferrari 360 Modena 2:56:36.731 163.09 kph

Pirelli PZero teams:

GT category:
- FORCE ONE RACING FESTINA CARSPORT - Chrysler Viper GTS-R
Philippe Alliot, David Hallyday, Mike Hezemans, Anthony Kumpen.

- JMB RACING - Ferrari 550 Maranello
Fabio Babini, Philipp Peter, Boris Derichebourg, David Terrien, Christian Pescatori.

N-GT category:
- JMB RACING - Ferrari 360 Modena
Andrea Bertolini, Fabrizio De Simone, Peter Kutemann, Antoine Gosse

- AUTO PALACE STAR RENT COMPETITION - Ferrari 360 Modena
Guillaume Gomez, Steeve Hiesse

- RWS YUKOS MOTORSPORT - Porsche 996 GT3-RS
Nicolaj Fomenko, Alexei Vassiliev, Walter Lechner Jr., Stephane Daoudi