GT World Challenge Europe Sprint
EU-GT3: Portimao: Hexis AMR weekend summary
HEXIS AMR - never say die! HEXIS AMR's weekend got off to a difficult start in the two categories in which the team's cars were entered on the magnificent Portimao circuit in the south of Portugal. But it finished on a high note with two ...
Edited: Sep 23, 2010, 3:16 AM
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HEXIS AMR - never say die!
HEXIS AMR's weekend got off to a difficult start in the two categories in which the team's cars were entered on the magnificent Portimao circuit in the south of Portugal. But it finished on a high note with two encouraging results! The cars' performance in qualifying for the FIA GT1 World Championship was disappointing as the results failed to meet the team's expectations, and it was the same story in the qualifying race. In the main event, Mako/Clairay stormed up though the field to sixth place scoring precious points. In the European FIA GT3 Championship, Mako again sliced his way up through the field on Sunday to see the flag in fifth place with the help of an on-form Manu Rodrigues, which helped the team to put the double retirement in race 1 behind it.
Manu and Mako's frenetic fado!
HEXIS AMR fought back in the Algarve after the two frustrating meetings at Jarama and Paul Ricard. The first day's running in Portimao did not go off all that well, either. The two Aston Martin DBRS9s were well down the time sheets in qualifying and they both retired in race 1. Luckily, the stunning drive on Sunday morning by the Franco/Franco-Portuguese duo Fred Mako / Manu Rodrigues put the team back in their rightful place. Fred started the race in eleventh place and had to fight hard in the hotly- contested mid-field group to hoist the no.1 into the top 10 when it was time for driver changes. Rodrigues used a mixture of skill and aggression to overtake several cars and he saw the flag in fifth place.
Thomas Accary's spin at the start of the race dashed all hopes of a comeback for no.2, which was then given two penalties. Luc Paillard knew that a points' finish was beyond his reach, but he still set some excellent times in what was a lonely race for the HEXIS AMR driver.
Philippe Dumas, team manager: "The performance level has gone up a few notches in this championship with the arrival of new cars. We're finding it more and more difficult to compete with them, especially as the Aston Martins are the oldest cars in the field. We're really up against it but we have to accept the situation as it is. Our fifth place today is almost as good as a victory!"
As in 2009, the Zolder circuit will host the final round of the European FIA GT3 Championship on 9th/10th October.
-source: hexis-amr.com
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