Race and title winners at Adria
CLEAN SWEEP BY MASERATI-PIRELLI:
RACE AND TITLE WINNERS AT ADRIA
A 1-2 by the MC12s on Pirelli bags the title for the Vitaphone Racing drivers.
Thanks to the "Italian" DBR9s, four cars in the first five on P Zero Racings.
Adria (I), 15 October 2006 - After having pocketed the Team title at Budapest, the P Zero Racing-fitted Maserati MC12s of Team Vitaphone also netted Pirelli the Drivers' title as Bertolini-Bartels scored their fifth win in the nine races run so far in the 2006 FIA-GT Championship. The Modena two-seaters triumphed deservedly at the Venetian circuit after a race that saw them always in the top positions, battling with the Pirelli-fitted DBR9s of Aston Martin Racing-BMS and the extremely fast Saleen S7-R, which later slowed due to technical problems.
The 500-kilometre race at Adria was a keenly fought event in which race tactics made a difference, tactics that, in the case of the Maserati MC12s competing on new tread compound Pirelli tyres, made all the difference. Michael Bartels, the 2006 FIA-GT champion together with Andrea Bertolini, was in extraordinary form throughout and said, "I am obviously delighted to have achieved such an important result with this very young team. I would like to thank everyone for the support we have been guaranteed. Pirelli sustained us in the best possible way, providing us with really competitive tyres throughout the season and at every circuit. Even on a track as difficult for the tyres as Adria, the P Zero Racings produced an incredible yield in both qualifying and the race".
Credit should also go to the "Italian" Aston Martins also on Pirelli P Zero Racings, for having come fourth and fifth with Babini-Pescatori and Gollin-Ramos, who put up a decidedly fierce fight that was well worth their meritorious final result. The GT2 class is still open in the Drivers' classification, although the top places are monopolised by the AFCorse Ferraris on Pirelli. Melo-Bobbi, the favourites at the start, lost precious points after hitting a slower car and that dropped them down the order, while a podium place obviously gave back assertion and a chance to their team mates Salo-Aguas. All will be decided on that score at the championship's final race in Dubai.
Paul Hembery, Director of Pirelli Competizioni, was clearly pleased after the race and he spoke of how his organisation's most important objective had been achieved. He said, "The success of the Maseratis and the optimum performance of the Aston Martins on P Zero Racings - as shown by the fastest lap by Babini-Pescatori - confirm the validity of our tyres, starting with the layout of the cars to which they are fitted. The 2006 GT season has been a real success for Pirelli, which has shone on all fronts: as well as the FIA-GT series, P Zero Racings also won at Le Mans and Sebring and in the Le Mans Series".
Adria race, ninth round of the 2006 FIA-GT Championship:
1. Davies-Biagi (Maserati MC12), 3h00'59''760
2. Bertolini-Bartels (Maserati MC12), +9"092;
3. Kumpen-Longin-Hezemans (Corvette C6R), +41''181;
4. Babini-Pescatori (Aston Martin DBR9), +1'00''390;
5. Gollin-Ramos (Aston Martin DBR9), +1 lap/giro.
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7. Aguas-Salo (Ferrari 430 GTC, 2. GT2).
For more information and pictures on Pirelli's motorsport activities visit: www.pirellicompetizioni.com
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