Audis dominate GT Open test

The W Racing Team Audi R8 LMS cars dominated the first International GT Open group test of the season as the machine shared by Greg Franchi and Bert Longin set the quickest times on both days.

The duo’s best effort of 2:21.018s was more than two seconds faster than the sister WRT car shared by Francois Verbist and Enzo Ide, with Alain Baron third in a Kessel Racing Ferrari 458 Challenge.

The test was mostly attended by GTS class cars, with just one GT2-spec Super GT category entry joining the field as Michele Rugolo and Claudio Sdanewitsch tried out an AF Corse Ferrari 430, setting the fourth best lap time.

Swiss squad Kessel Racing was out in force over the two days, running six Ferraris, while BMW attended the test with Augusto Farfus and Jorg Muller as the German manufacturer continued its development of the upgraded BMW Z4 GT3, although they didn’t officially record the car’s lap times.

International GT Open testing times – Spa-Francorchamps

Combined

1 Greg Franchi / Bert Longin, W Racing Team, Audi R8 LMS, 2:21.018
2 Francois Verbist / Enzo Ide, W Racing Team, Audi R8 LMS, 2:23.242
3 Alain Baron, Kessel Racing, Ferrari 458 Challenge, 2:24.857
4 Michele Rugolo / Claudio Sdanewitsch, AF Corse, Ferrari 430 GT2, 2:25.025
5 Alex Mortimer / Peter Bamford, Team RPM, Ford GT, 2:25.692
6 Mino Caccia / Massimo Mantovani, Kessel Racing, Ferrari 430 Scuderia, 2:27.251
7 Stefano Gattuso / Gian Andrea Crespi, Kessel Racing, Ferrari 458, 2:27.281
8 Fons Scheltema, Kessel Racing, Ferrari 458 Challenge, 2:34.001
9 Alexis De Bernardi, Kessel Racing, Ferrari 458 Challenge, 2:35.092
10 Steven Goldstein, Kessel Racing, Ferrari 458 Challenge, 2:36.504
11 Miguel Angel De Castro / Andrew Waller, Drivex, Ferrari 430 Challenge, 2:37.154
12 Alessandro Montani / Howard Blank, AF Corse, Ferrari 430 Challenge, 2:39.212
13 Jean Chabert / Howard Blank / Bruce Philputt, Francorchamps Motors Brussels, Ferrari 430 GT3, 2:42.417

Watch the International GT Open LIVE on Motors TV in 2011.


Andy Wilkinson

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