ILMC 2011 – Round 7 – 6 Hours of Zhuhai

Unbeatable Ferrari takes ILMC title, Scuderia AF Corse take team title

Posted: 13.11.2011
Source: Ferrari

Maranello, 13 November – Zhuhai circuit in China was the scene of the final round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup and Ferrari has taken the Constructors’ title in the GTE PRO class, while Scuderia AF Corse has been crowned as the winner of the team category. Gianmaria Bruni and Giancarlo Fisichella came home fifth at the end of the six hour race and that was enough for them to finish ahead of BMW Motorsport in the championship even though latter took first and second today. The Italian team thus repeats last year’s victory brining home the title to the Maranello marque, in a series that will be replaced next year by the new FIA World Endurance Championship.

“This victory is the perfect finale to a season where we were always competitive,” commented Giancarlo Fisichella, after crossing the finishing line. “Having dominated the Le Mans Series, we have now won the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup, a tough championship which saw us go head to head with strong competitors. We came to Zhuhai knowing our strengths, feeling confident that we could add to the list of titles on the Ferrari and Scuderia AF Corse palmares.

“A well thought out strategy adopted by the Amato Ferrari run team, perfect teamwork and my rapport with Gianmaria Bruni made for a very strong outfit.” Of the other five Ferraris in the race, Fred Makowiecki and Stephane Ortelli completed 218 laps to finish third in the Luxury Racing 458 Italia GT2, while in the GTE AM class, the acid green F430 GTC entered by Krohn Racing and crewed by Krohn-Jonsson-Rugolo came third.

ILMC – Ferrari second in qualifying at Zhuhai and F430 on pole in GTEAM

Posted: 12.11.2011
Source: Ferrari

Maranello, 12 November – One month on from the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta, the intercontinental series is back in action at the Zhuhai circuit in China, with tomorrow’s 6 Hour race which is the final round of the season. Next year, this championship will be replaced by the new FIA World Endurance Championship.

This will be the second running of this race and the GTE PRO class is bound to provide some spectacular racing as the AF Corse crew of Giancarlo Fisichella and Gianmaria Bruni try to repeat last year’s win and pick up sufficient points to hang onto the Constructors’ title as well as the team trophy. Today, they were second fastest in qualifying in a time of 1.34.945, right behind the BMW Motorsport car they must beat for the championship, which took pole in 1.34.506. The Luxury Racing team has two 458 Italias entered, crewed by Ortelli-Mackowiecki and Beltoise-Farnbacher-Firman, who are fourth and fifth fastest in 1.35.413 and 1.35.867 respectively.

There are six cars in the GTEAM class and the CRS Racing F430 GTC came out on top at the end of 15 minutes of qualifying in 1.35.229. Next came the Proton Competition Porsche and the Krohn Racing Ferrari. The Scuderia AF Corse F430 GTC of Marco Cioci and Philip Ma was sixth. Ma, from Hong Kong has been taking part in this year’s Asia Pacific Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli.

ILMC: Zhuhai hosts the final challenge

Posted: 11.11.2011
Source: Ferrari

Maranello, 11 November – The countdown for the final round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup is underway this weekend at China’s Zhuhai circuit. It is the seventh and final round of this closely contested series which sees the AF Corse team, that has already won the Le Mans Series, currently leading the team classification with 99 points, followed by BMW Motorsport on 85.

The dominant force has been the AF Corse entered Ferrari 458 Italia GT 2 in the hands of Giancarlo Fisichella and Gianmaria Bruni.

The Italian duo has made it to the podium in all six races, including no less than three wins at Spa, Silverstone and at Road Atlanta in the Petit Le Mans. The crew came home second at the Le Mans 24 Hours and the Imola 6 Hours, while in the season opener at Sebring, they finished third. This was enough for Ferrari to head the Constructors’ classification, 32 points ahead of BMW.

A short 15 minute qualifying session takes place tomorrow at 14.15 to determine the grid for the start of the six hour race which gets underway at 11 on Sunday morning.