Remarkable drama during the closing minutes of the Michelin 12H MUGELLO this afternoon delivered a first win for MANAMAURI ENERGY BY EBIMOTORS in the opening race of the Michelin 24H SERIES European Series, following a four lap penalty for the largely dominant CCC Kessel Racing.

David Fumanelli, who starred with a new lap record, looked set to take victory by a lap in the No.8 Ferrari 296 GT3. But when news of the penalty was delivered, resulting from the squad not fulfilling the minimum driving time by its AM/AM Spirit graded drivers, the overall and PRO-AM success on home ground was assured for MANAMAURI’s Sergiu Nicolae, Sabino de Castro and Fabrizio Broggi.

MANAMAURI led from Kessel at the end of part one of the race on Saturday, 22 March, in tricky wet conditions, and although the Ferrari looked to have overturned the Porsche it was the Italian team which emerged with a popular win – the fifth success for Porsche in the Michelin 12H MUGELLO.

“Yesterday was really difficult, but my two team-mates were fantastic driving in the wet and they left me on the dry today – they told me ‘keep it safe, go slow’ because we had a margin and we managed everything”, said an elated Fabrizio Broggi, “It’s unbelievable, it’s our first win and I’m speechless – I don’t know what to say!”

Second overall and winning the AM class after a hugely competitive drive across the rain-affected first seven hours on Saturday, 22 March, and today’s concluding wet-then-dry five hours, was the Heart of Racing by SPS Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO of Ian James, Gray Newell and Hannah Grisham.

The outright GT3 podium was completed by Era Motorsport’s PRO-AM entry of Ryan Dalziel, Jake Hill, Kyle Tilley and Dwight Merriman in the No.81 Ferrari 296 GT3, a fantastic result in the squad’s maiden race in Europe. CCC Kessel Racing ended fourth, third in PRO-AM, with Fumanelli, Marco Frezza and Alessandro Cutrera.

Red Camel-Jordans.nl took a dominant win in the 992 class, finishing eighth overall, with drivers Rik Breukers, Luc Breukers and Fabian Danz in the No.909 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992). The 992 AM class victory went the way of RPM Racing drivers Niclas Jonsson, Tracy Krohn and Philip Hamprecht.

In GT4, the Venture team of Matthew George, Matthew Higgins, Christopher Jones and Neville Jones earned the win after an excellent run during the concluding five hours. Leading by a lap on Saturday, the squad doubled its advantage on day two in the No.421 Mercedes-AMG GT4. The GTX class also had a very clear winner, the No.702 Vortex 2.0 of brothers Arnaud and Olivier Gomez.

Creventic presented the Spirit of Race Award this weekend to German racer Kenneth Heyer, who participated for fifth placed finishing Red Ant Racing in GT3, even after suffering immense personal tragedy – his sister tragically passing away after giving birth last week. Heartfelt thoughts from all at Creventic go out to Kenneth and his entire family.

GT3

Fumanelli had aced qualifying in the CCC Kessel Racing Ferrari and stormed into an early lead in the wet at the start of Saturday’s seven hours. Prior to the first of a number of Code 60 periods, which peppered part one of the Michelin 12H MUGELLO, Fumanelli led by an impressive 20 seconds.

Josef Kral, piloting the Scuderia Praha Ferrari 296 GT3, had delivered an eye-catching start from 14th on the grid and he led early in hour two as heavier rain began to fall. Another of the Ferrari 296 GT3 entries, the Era Motorsport car with Hill at the wheel, also came into the picture in hour two.

Through the raft of Code 60s one third of the way through the race, Manuel Lauck led in the Proton Huber Competition Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) and the continuing wet conditions and fluctuating rain seemed to be preferrable for the Porsches – MANAMAURI ENERGY BY EBIMOTORS also moving into the podium fight, first with Nicolae and then with team-mate de Castro leading.

Into the latter hours of Saturday’s action the weather continued to impact proceedings with rain arriving and then moving away again – around the same time a small number of teams chose to gamble on trying slick Michelin tyres. Hill in the No.81 Ferrari starred, able to switch the dry tyres on quickly and moving into the top five by the end of the seven hours.

Prezza for CCC Kessel Racing took slicks at the team’s last stop and set fastest lap on his way to second at the flag, behind de Castro in the wet tyre-shod MANAMAURI Porsche. Grisham was an impressive third for Heart of Racing by SPS, the top three all on the lead lap.

Overnight rain meant a wet track again for Sunday’s concluding five hours and Fumanelli, with a new set of wets, launched well at the rolling start to lead as the pole-starting MANAMAURI Porsche, in the hands of de Castro, dropped down the order on its old set of treaded Michelins.

Due to an early spinner a Code 60 was required, and James in the Heart of Racing by SPS car pitted for fuel. Fumanelli followed suit but a lap later when racing had resumed, so de Castro led again for MANAMAURI. When the CCC Kessel Racing Ferrari reappeared, Fumanelli was night and day faster than de Castro with his newer wets providing much more performance.

The crossover point for changing to slicks came at the start of hour two, MANAMAURI’s Porsche jumping first as Nicolae got back behind the wheel. Fumanelli went into the lead again and James was second in the No.27 Mercedes before the Kessel Ferrari pitted for slicks, Frezza taking over.

With half of part two to go Broggi led by a lap in the No.95 Porsche 911 from Cutrera in the No.8 Ferrari – the latter lapping significantly faster – and as the temperature continued to rise, and the track improve, with 90 minutes to run Cutrera had taken over in the lead.

Fumanelli got back in the Kessel car for the final stint, rejoining behind Broggi in the Porsche, and he pumped in a series of incredible laps on his fresh slicks – including a new lap record of 1m46.060 seconds. Decimating the half minute gap to AM graded Broggi, Fumanelli passed with an hour to go.

Kessel needed a late splash of fuel but all still looked in order. Within moments, though, the devastating news of the four lap penalty was delivered. Italy’s MANAMAURI ENERGY BY EBIMOTORS were immediately aware, sparking delirious scenes in the pit garage as victory was theirs.