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58 Cars attend the FIA GT Monza Test Days


FIA GT

FIA GT

Ambiance

Ambiance

D.Svepes-S.Edwards  Saleen SR7

D.Svepes-S.Edwards Saleen SR7

A.Kirkaldy-T.Mullen  Ferrari 430 GT2

A.Kirkaldy-T.Mullen Ferrari 430 GT2

K.Wendlinger-R.Sharp  Aston Martin DB 9

K.Wendlinger-R.Sharp Aston Martin DB 9

M.Ramos-A.Negrao  Maserati MC 12

M.Ramos-A.Negrao Maserati MC 12

A.Kumpen-B.Longin  Saleen SR7

A.Kumpen-B.Longin Saleen SR7

V.Coggiola-G. Coggiola  Porsche 997 RSR GT3

V.Coggiola-G. Coggiola Porsche 997 RSR GT3

M.Russo-Lp.Companc  Ferrari 430 GT2

M.Russo-Lp.Companc Ferrari 430 GT2

FIA GT

FIA GT

K.Wendlinger-R.Sharp  Aston Martin DB 9

K.Wendlinger-R.Sharp Aston Martin DB 9

F.Babini-J.Davies  Ferrari 430 GT2

F.Babini-J.Davies Ferrari 430 GT2

B.Leinders-R.Kuppens  Vertigo

B.Leinders-R.Kuppens Vertigo

A.Balzain-M.Mugelli  Ferrari 430 GT2

A.Balzain-M.Mugelli Ferrari 430 GT2

P.Kox-R.Rusinov  Lamborghini Murcielago

P.Kox-R.Rusinov Lamborghini Murcielago

X.Maassen-C.Bouchut  Corvette C6R

X.Maassen-C.Bouchut Corvette C6R

D.Svepes-S.Edwards  Saleen SR7

D.Svepes-S.Edwards Saleen SR7

M.Ramos-A.Negrao  Maserati MC 12

M.Ramos-A.Negrao Maserati MC 12

A.Kirkaldy-T.Mullen  Ferrari 430 GT2

A.Kirkaldy-T.Mullen Ferrari 430 GT2

A.Bertolini-M.Bartels  Maserati MC 12

A.Bertolini-M.Bartels Maserati MC 12

 

The sun shone on Monza for the official test days of the 2008 season of the FIA GT and GT3 European Championships, when a grand total of 58 cars, including some representatives of the GT4 European Cup, assembled at the powerful Italian track.

The media launch, on the first day, saw a record number of journalists and photographers in attendance, with 122 heading to Monza for the press conference, photo shoot and media laps, as well as the opportunity to see the 2008 liveries and drivers for the first time.

Stephane Ratel, chairman of SRO, promoter of the FIA GT and GT3 European Championships, presented the forthcoming season, where grids of over 30 cars are expected in the twelfth season of the FIA GT Championship.  With the calendar remaining similar to that in 2007 as far as the European rounds are concerned, the big new event will be the season finale in Argentina, at the impressive Potrero de los Funes track, still under construction.  Big improvements for the television coverage were also announced, with a move to High Definition TV at seven rounds, as well as additional on-site facilities and exciting new developments from on-board camera supplier Gigawave.

With new regulations meaning that each full-season entrant was obliged to enter one car in the test days, 27 cars took part in the six FIA GT sessions.  The best lap, of 1:45.486, was set by Belgian team Selleslagh Racing Team, whose Corvette C6R was in the hands of triple FIA GT Champion Christophe Bouchut and his new team-mate, Xavier Maassen from the Netherlands. Second-fastest was Gigawave’s Aston Martin DBR9, shared on this occasion by Philipp Peter and Darren Turner, who will be part of the team’s line-up for the Total 24 Hours of Spa.  Over the two days, the top six times were within half of a second, with four different makes represented. In GT2, the best time was set on the second day, with the Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari 430 GT2 of Fabio Babini and Jamie Davies lapping in 1:50.358, one tenth of a second faster than new team CR Scuderia, also with a Ferrari 430 GT2.  The G2 class saw the Gillet Vertigo in action, with a new engine, as well as Go To One Charouz Racing System, with one of their Mosler MT900R cars.

All eleven models due to take part in this season’s FIA GT3 European Championship were also running in Monza, where 24 cars were present.  The times proved to be extremely close, with the new Porsche 997 GT3 Cup S car, entered by Prospeed Competition, proving to be the fastest, setting a lap of 1:53.066 on the first day.  However, it was only one thousandth of a second faster than the reigning Teams Champion, the nr 1 Martini Callaway Corvette Z06. The top ten cars were all within a second of each other – including eight different makes of car : the Dodge Viper, Aston Martin DBRS9, Ascari KZ1R, Jaguar XKR, Ford GT and Ferrari 430 GT3.  The Lamborghini Gallardo GT3, Ford Mustang FR500 GT3 and Morgan Aero were not far behind, as all models set times within approximately one and a half seconds.  The sunny weather allowed the impressive field of eleven different cars to take to the track for a photo shoot.

Seven cars due to take part in the GT4 European Cup were also running at Monza, including three Jet Alliance Aston Martin N24 cars and G&A Racing’s BMW Z4 in the GT4 class.  The best time was set by Klaus Engelhorn in the Jetalliance Aston Martin.  Three Sports Light cars also took part, including the brand-new racing version of the KTM X-Bow, run by Reiter Engineering, and KS Motorsport’s Ginetta G50.