Two second places and one pole position in race-2. With this balance, Michele leaves the Enzo and Dino Ferrari Circuit at Imola and closes the fourth round of the International GT Open.
Race – 1. It was an intense weekend that confirmed the balance that there is in the International GT Open 2021 championship, where Mike took a beautiful front row in qualifying, setting the second best time.
In the race, despite a 20 ”penalty, due to the victories in the previous round, Michele and Frederick (Schandorff) competed at a very high level, being able to gain the second place setting the best lap and keeping behind their direct rival in championship, Andy Soucek (Porsche 911 GT3-R), which finished third.
Race – 2. The qualifying for the second race went even better, the Lamborghini Huracan # 63 started from pole position.
Also in this race, Michele and his partner payed a penalty of 20”, due to the podium in the first race. The seventy minutes of racing were very tight and saw Michele fighting, as already happened in race – 1, with his direct rival in the championship, Soucek. Under the chequered flag, Soucek-Al Zubair’s Porsche 911 GT3 won for a few meters, preceding Michele and Frederick Schandorff’s Huracan # 63, which maintained the leadership of the championship.
At the end of the weekend Michele is certainly pleased with the double podium and the performances:
“We had a good weekend, the car was fast, the team worked well and I think we could have won both races without the penalties (assigned by regulation to those who got on the podium in the previous race). In race-1 we created a good gap on Soucek (rival in the championship) and when we got back in the track after the pit stop we were very close to his Porsche, Frederick made a beautiful overtaking and we finished in front of him. In race – 2 we had 20 “again, we raced well to recover and I only finished one and a half seconds behind Soucek, in the last lap. Honestly I have to say that even if I have had a few more laps, the overtaking would not have been easy, as we had very similar performances.“
With two second places at Imola, also the next races will be penalized.
“Soucek got two points back, but we still are the leaders. Considering that for each podium obtained you are assigned a penalty, it is not easy to be able to start without seconds. This is a good sign, because it shows that we continually get on the podium and go fast, but we know that we need another victory for the championship standings.”
Does the goal for the next round, at the Red Bull Ring, remain the victory?
“We are aiming for victory, but we know that with the time penalties we have, we will have to manage the races mainly looking at our rival Porsche in the championship (Soucek’s). We have a very fast car, which is the result of Lamborghini and the team’s excellent work (Vincenzo Sospiri Racing). I am sure that also at Red Bull Ring will be another great challenge, balanced and spectacular. “
At the end of fourth round, the International GT Open will take a short break until 12 September, when the challenge for the title will resume on the Austrian Red Bull Ring track.
