BMW factory driver Rossi achieved a runner-up finish in the second GTWCE Sprint Cup race at a British venue. Rossi drove the WRT BMW M4 GT3 with Maxime Martin. The race, which lasted an hour, was won by Ricardo Feller and Mattia Drudi driving an Attempto-run Audi R8 LMS GT3. Rossi finished less than four seconds behind the winners.
Benefitting from Early Problems
Martin started the race in third position and pitted from that position. After the tyre stops, which followed a brief safety car period, Rossi emerged in second place behind Drudi. Rossi initially had reigning champion and team-mate Charles Weerts behind him in one of the WRT sister cars, before creating some breathing space. Weerts came back at Rossi in the closing stages, finishing just 0.8s behind.
Martin and Rossi benefitted from the problems encountered by the two Audis that ran 1-2 in the early stages of the race. The Sainteloc entry led by Christopher Mies lost vital seconds during the pitstops on the handover to Gregoire Demoustier, who briefly took to the gravel at Sheene Curve on his out-lap. Christopher Haase had followed them in the early stages aboard his Cometoyou Racing, which also lost time in the pits.
Late Charge by Marciello
Raffaele Marciello in the Auto Sport Promotion Mercedes-AMG GT3 finished in sixth place, holding off a late challenge from Lucas Legeret who drove the Cometoyou car. Marciello had won the opening race at Brands with Timur Boguslavskiy. Boguslavskiy had qualified in 19th position for the second race, making little progress in the opening phase. However, a super-fast pitstop by ASP set Marciello up for his late charge.
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