Guilvert – Michal dominate the first round of Magny-Cours

We left the French Pro-Am Champions on a disappointing note in Nogaro with a Audi R8 LMS GT4 n°42 – Saintéloc Racing in difficulty on the Gers track, but the triple title holders found the right tempo on the Magny-Cours track.

But before seeing Grégory Guilvert and Fabien Michal triumphing at dusk, it was Team Fullmotorsport who livened up the start of the race... in both good and bad ways.

Starting from pole, Sacha Bottemane (No. 8 Audi R4 LMS GT6) maintains the advantage at the first corner ahead of Mateo Herrero (Alpine A110 GT4 n°110 – CMR), while Christophe Hamon (Audi R8 LMS GT4 n°5 – Fullmotorsport) gets the better of Alain Ferté (Alpine A110 GT4 n°35 – Bodemer Auto).

The major event of the event occurred after 5′ of racing, when Sacha Bottemane was harpooned by his teammate Christophe Hamon, the latter wishing to attack Mateo Herrero. Hamon then takes the lead, Bottemanne falls back to 14th place, when Ferté, victim of a collision with Herrero, sees his Alpine damaged on the front left.

A Full Course Yellow is then deployed after a little less than a quarter of an hour following the rider's exit from the track.Aston Martin Vantage GT4 n°79 – AGS Events of Stéphane Desbrosse at turn n°1.

The restart after the entry into action of the safety car is given a little less than 39′ from the finish, Christophe Hamon, penalized by 5″ to be observed in the pits for the collision with Bottemane, remaining in the lead ahead of Alain Ferté, while Fabien Michal (Audi R8 LMS GT4 n°42 – Saintéloc Racing) places his mount in third position.

The reigning French Pro-Am champion seems to have done “the job” since after the driver changes, it is his teammate Grégory Guilvert who emerges in the lead. At the head of a capital 4″ ahead of the competition, the driver of the Saint-Etienne team benefits in part from the fight behind him between Eric Trémoulet (Mercedes-AMG GT4 n°64 – Jouffruit by Vic'Team) and Grégoire Demoustier, Ferté's torchbearer on theAlpine No. 35, to widen the gap.

A few positions behind, Adrien Tambay (Audi R8 LMS GT4 n°14 – Saintéloc Racing) collides with Stéphane Lémeret (Alpine n°110 – CMR), before Timothé Buret (Mercedes-AMG GT4 n°88 – AKKA-ASP) sends Nicolas into a spin Cheers (Alpine A110 GT4 n°36 – CMR). These two incidents will be worth a drive-through for Tambay (already forced to retire) and Buret.

Nothing to disrupt the progress of Grégory Guilvert, winner with Fabien Michal at dusk, with a 4″ margin over the Mercedes-AMG – Jouffruit by Vic'Team of the Eric Trémoulet – Olivier Jouffret tandem. The 100% Pro-Am podium is completed by the Ferté – Demoustier pair.

In the Silver Cup, victory went to the No. 8 Audi R4 LMS GT6 – Fullmotorsport of Lonni Martins and Sacha Bottemane. A consolation after the incident between the two cars during the race. The duo is ahead of Anthony Beltoise (Audi R8 LMS GT4 n°21 – Saintéloc Racing), author of a magnificent comeback in the peloton, following in the footsteps of his teammate Olivier Estèves.

The Silver podium is completed by the Toyota GR Supra GT4 n°34 – CMR of Antoine Potty and Erwan Bastard and the Mercedes-AMG GT4 n°74 – CD Sport of Sébastien Baud and Enzo Joulié. The Am category is won byAlpine A110 n°76 – Bodemer Auto by Jean-Charles Rédélé and Laurent Coubard.

Note that theAlpine n°222 – Mirage Racing of Rodolphe Wallgren, teammate of Gaël Castelli, double winners at Nogaro, only finished 13th, after a spin at the start of the race after suffering contact.

The second race of the weekend will take place tomorrow at 12:10 p.m. and can be followed live video on our website.