The great result has been acheived finally: Andrea Piccini, René Rast and Frank Stippler won the 2012 edition of 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps onboard on one of the four official Audi R8 LMS Ultra, running under Audi Sport Team Phoenix flag. For the 33 year old driver of Sansepolcro is the first win in a long endurance race, successful willed and constructed in detail together with the technical staff who followed step by step the two crews. The indications were positive since the day before and only an unforeseen accident, as was the case last year, could clip the ambitions of a trio that has alternated driving with the stated goal to aim for the best result. Audi, which had dominated even 12 months ago, has confirmed its leadership in the race against the aggressive BMW and after 4 years, thanks to Andrea Piccini, an italian flag is back on the top step of the podium at Spa Francorchamps: the last was in fact Andrea Bertolini in 2008 with the Maserati MC12. Piccini, Rast and Stipller started from 29th place after the combined qualifying session but, after the first hour, they were already in 14th climbing until the second place ahead Palttala's BMW one hour later. It was a superb performance despite rain and fog on the belgian circuit: Piccini, in his stint around 20 in the evening, felt the chance to reach the great results. At midnight, with third marathon behind, the trio Piccini-Rast-Stippler is still in second place behind the BMW Z4 and when the clock has not yet reached the halfway point Andrea Piccini takes the lead. The Audi #16 flyes with Piccini until his break at 4 in the morning: the car was in the first place and the tuscany driver will be back behind the wheel at 8. Behind the leaders, however, there is no intention of giving up: the other BMW Z4 driven by Lauda, Franchi and Kechele settles on the place of honor, but the real battle, the one that will make the 24 Hours exciting until practically the end, is the one with the Audi #1 (Haase, Mies and Ortelli), a duel that keeps vigilant everyone. At 9 Andrea Piccini had a puncture that drop him in the second place. The battle between the two Audi is increasingly uncertain, and the alternation of lead is determined by the pit stops up to 2 hours of the end, when the number 1 is forced to return in the pit for a puncture and it opens the doors of success to Stippler, who definitely takes the lead. Haase, Mies and Ortelli, with their second place, sign a ne-two Audi. "After 10 years of trying, finally got the right time – said a very satisfied Andrea Piccini – much more than I had in the past: I remember in 2006, with Aston Martin, when my crew remained in command for 22 hours, but also in 2002 were well equipped". This is the most import victory of your career? "Yes for sure, I was trying to win this race since the first time" A win that is also due to the work of staff performed to perfection? "I would say that the team was perfect: zero errors, right strategies and fortune at the time of the passage of the safety car, but it is known that it is necessary to achieve certain results a little bit of good fortune." A special dedication? "Myself! It's my victory is a victory and I've been waiting for 10 years, during which something was always wrong! I would rather like to thank both the Phoenix team, which for many years trusts in me, and Audi, which does the same for programs that are developing." At Spa has competed also Giacomo Piccini with the Ferrari F430 Scuderia in GTR class ("Gentleman"), together with Caccia, Paladino and Andreasi. They were able to dominate their category until the midnight when Giacomo has had to forfeit due to the tyre problem that has caused the detachment of the wheel.
