Double for L’Espace Bienvenue au Ricard, Piguet-Varutti Pro-Am champions

Although they no longer had the opportunity to claim the Silver Cup title, Benjamin Lessennes and Ricardo van der Ende nonetheless had a perfect weekend at the Circuit Paul Ricard. By winning both races, the 2020 champions ensured an exit with honors for their BMW M4 GT4 from L'Espace Bienvenue, a car which will be replaced in 2023 by the new version of the Bavarian.

Starting in pole position, the Belgian and the Dutchman were never threatened, thus securing the honorary title of vice-champions. They won against the Hugo Chevalier-Enzo Joulié duos (Mercedes-AMG GT4 #87 – Akkodis ASP) and Romain Carton-Victor Weyrich (Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 #74 – Racing Spirit of Léman), again on the podium.

Fourth, Erwan Bastard and Roee Meyuhas (Audi R8 LMS GT4 #14 – Saintéloc) are however the undisputed Silver Cup champions of this 2022 season ahead of the Lessennes-van der Ende pair and the Stéphane Lémeret-Stéphane Tribaudini duo (Toyota GR Supra GT4 #30 – CMR), finally bronze medalists in the championship after taking 5th place in the Silver Cup this Sunday.

Julien Piguet and Alban Varutti celebrate their Pro-Am title with their team © SRO / Patrick Hecq Photography

Incredible turnaround in Pro-Am

Who would have dared to believe in such a turnaround? Probably not them! Arrived at the Circuit Paul Ricard 36 points behind Rudy Servol and Nicolas Cheers, Alban Varutti and Julien Piguet knew that they did not have their fate in their hands for this final of the French Championship FFSAGT. But it was written that success would be on the side of Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport #10 this weekend… Victorious in Pro-Am on Saturday, the duo of the AVR-Avvatar team came back to 11 points behind the Prost-Servol pair. And when theAlpine #36 pulled over to the side on the first lap of race 2, as a result of contact for Rudy Servol, the situation completely turned around. From that moment on, a fourth place became enough for Varutti and Piguet, who did even better by going for third position in this last race.

« We didn't really believe it when we arrived here, confided the two men. Then we won on Saturday while theAlpine finished out of the points. Today, their retirement in the first lap obviously changed everything. We feel sorry for Nico and Rudy, and at the same time we are so happy. This unexpected title rewards all the work of the team. »

New to the French circuits this season, the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport ended 2022 with a hat-trick in the Pro-Am category. Christopher Campbell and Timothé Buret took their third victory of the season ahead of their K-Worx teammates, Pascal Huteau and Hugo Mogica, and champions Varutti and Piguet.

Fifth in Pro-Am, behind Grégory Guilvert and Grégory Curson Faessel (Audi R8 LMS GT4 #42 – Saintéloc Racing), Jim Pla and Fabien Barthez (Mercedes-AMG GT4 #16 – Akkodis ASP) took the third step of the championship podium facing Olivier Jouffret and Éric Trémoulet (Mercedes-AMG GT4 #64 – Team Jouffruit by Vic'Team), seventh in this decisive race.

Christophe Hamon and Michaël Blanchemain are the 2022 Am champions in FFSA GT / © SRO / Patrick Hecq Photography

Am Cup: Hamon does it again, a first for Blanchemain

Already champion last year with the Team Fullmotorsport Audi, Christophe Hamon renewed his title of French FFSA GT Champion in the Am Cup. This time, the Ile-de-France native was crowned with his friend Michaël Blanchemain.

« After our victory on Saturday, we had all the cards in our hands, explains Hamon. Everything was going well until 10 minutes from the finish. I was in the lead, but the car started to lose power. I was missing about twenty km/h in a straight line and I was really afraid that the situation would get worse. In the end, it held up, but it will still take me a little more time to realize and savor this second title. »

Taking advantage of the #69 Audi's troubles, it was Aleksander Vaintrub and Stanislav Safronov who took the last victory of the year in the Am Cup, but second place was more than enough for the title to go to Hamon and Blanchemain. Driving solo, Jean-Laurent Navarro (Mercedes-AMG GT4 #238) finished third ahead of Florent Grizaud and Kévin Jimenez. In the #4 Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT72, the GPA Racing drivers took fourth place in this last race, but they finished 3rd in the championship. Only 8th in this final confrontation not having succeeded, Jean-Charles Rédélé and Laurent Coubard (Alpine A110 GT4 #76 – Bodemer Auto) finished, as in 2021, vice-champions of the Am Cup.