GT1: Bernoldi and Negrao snatch popular Brazilian win

 Brazilian duo Alexandre Negrao and Enrique Bernoldi have taken victory at their native GT1 World Championship event with a victory at the Interlagos circuit.

The #2 Vitaphone-Maserati had finished fourth in Saturday's qualifying race but made use of a swift pitstop to hunt down and pass the leading car just nine laps from home in Sunday's main event.

Poleman Tomas Enge (#7 Young Driver Aston Martin) had maintained his lead at the start and remained out front as the pit window opened. Darren Turner took over and retained Enge's advantage, but it was series debutant Xandi Negrao who emerged in P2 following a quick turnaround from the Vitaphone crew.

Turner's rear mirrors were soon filled by the Maserati as Negrao delighted the home fans by pressuring the British racer for the lead. On lap 29 Negrao finally found the gap he'd been looking for and muscled his way past the Aston in a bruising move.

The Maserati was then able to open a small gap whilst Turner fell back in to the clutches of the #13 Phoenix Racing / Carsport Corvette of Alex Margaritis and Marc Hennerici. However the Aston was able to hold on to take runner-up spot with the Corvette closely following it home to secure the final podium spot.

“I have no words to describe how I’m feeling," Negrao said after his victory. "It was an amazing weekend."

"Today we had a good strategy saving the new tyres for the end. Towards the end I saw that the Aston was struggling a bit more with the tyres than me so I was waiting for the time to go ahead. I had to overtake a bit too aggressively but sometimes you have to go for it."

“It is very nice to race the car with two No.1 drivers,” Bernoldi said of his new team-mate. “He did a really good job. As things have been so difficult this year I really appreciate this win. It’s great to do it in front of our home crowd.”

Meanwhile championship leaders Andrea Bertolini and Michael Bartels (#1 Vitaphone-Maserati) could only finish ninth and have seen their advantage cut to 28 points over Enge and Turner. However with only 33 on offer at next weekend's season finale the Vitaphone pairing remain strong favourites for the title.

Third placed finisher Hennerici drops out of championship contention, as does Matech Ford driver Thomas Mutsch who could only finish 14th in Brazil.

The season-closing event takes place at Argentina’s Potrero de los Funes Circuit this weekend (December 5).

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James Weeks.