Abril and Marciello finally open their counter in Zandvoort

After a start to the season marked by bad luck, Vincent Abril and Raffaele Marciello finally imposed their Mercedes-AMG GT3 n°88 – AKKA-ASP in Blancpain GT World Challenge Europe, during the first race at Zandvoort.

If the Frenchman easily retained his first place obtained in qualifying at Tarzan, the first lap was marked by a first collision in the peloton between Tom Gamble (Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo n°17 ​​– Team WRT) and Steven Palette (Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo n°26 – Saintéloc Racing) the latter being the main victim, by hitting the protective rail.

Rolf Ineichen (Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo n°19 – GRT) appears as a collateral victim of the incident, with contact with the Audi – Saintéloc in distress. Gamble will be penalized for this episode.

At the restart, Abril saw Bortolotti putting him under pressure, while Felipe Fraga (Mercedes-AMG GT3 n°90 – AKKA-ASP) gained a place ahead of Luca Stolz (Mercedes-AMG GT3 n°4 – Black Falcon) for the gain fifth place.

In the lead, the trio Abril – Bortolotti – Andrea Caldarelli (Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo n°563 – FFF Racing) escaped and remained separated by less than 3″. As the driver change window opens, the three leaders dive into the pit lane.

The order does not change since Marciello starts again in front of Engelhart and Mapelli, the latter having however lost a little time in the procedure.

Here's how the first car's driver change went. #BlancpainGT | #BGTSZandvoort | #GTWorldCh #Europe pic.twitter.com/4Bq7GWYfzs

— Blancpain GT Series (@BlancpainGT) July 13, 2019

The second stint will see no change in the top 3, the #3 Mercedes-AMG GT88 of Marciello – Abril winning ahead of the #3 – GRT Lamborghini Huracan GT63 Evo of Bortolotti – Engelhart and the Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo n °563 – FFF Racing by Caldarelli – Mapelli.

Maro Engel and Luca Stolz secure big points with the #3 Mercedes-AMG GT4 – Black Falcon ahead of Dries Vanthoor – Ezequiel Perez Companc (Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo n°1 – Team WRT).

The Vainio – de Sadeleer tandem (Aston Martin Vantage GT3 n°62 – R-Motorsport) finished 6th and won in the Silver Cup after the problems of the Mercedes-AMG GT3 n°90 – AKKA-ASP of Boguslavskiy – Fraga. Phil Keen and Hiroshi Hamaguchi (Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo n°519 – FFF Racing) win in Pro-Am.

La Ferrari 488 GT3 n°444 – HB Racing de Scholze – Triller, the only one entered in the category, logically won in the Am Cup.