Monza has been a tougher weekend than expected for Michele Beretta and Andrea Piccini who, along with Stefano Gattuso, were at the start of the 2017 Blancpain Endurance Series event. The italian drivers of Ombra Racing’s Lamborghini Huracan GT3, after a good start in the first free practice session where they set in the Top 15, lost the pace in the qualify, closing only as 36th.
In the race things seemed to be better: at the green light, Gattuso avoided the huge crash and pile up approaching the first chicane and started a comeback that led him to close the first hour of the race in the 16th position. Unfortunately, during the fight with Winkelock, the two came in contact and the Race Direction decided to put a fairly objectionable drive-trought on Lamborghini n.12.
At the first pit stop, Michele Beretta jumps in the car, but was almost immediately forced to pay the penalty for Gattuso, losing ten positions. Back on track, he started a fast and effective racing game, recovering ground to get close to the Top 20.
Piccini, who get in for the last stint, went up to the 16th position before being forced to an extra pit-stop when his right rear tyre went almost off.
Michele Beretta: “We certainly expected a less complicated weekend, and the result does not reflect the real values in the field. After the free practice, where we haven’t the best setup, we did a good job in the race, which allowed us to go back to the top 15 at the end of the first hour, also helped with a good start. Unfortunately, the good race of all the crew has been frustrated by two additional stops that have relegated us in the back.”
Andrea Piccini: “It was a tough weekend, during which all the team did their best to try to recover the gap highlighted since the second free. In qualifying, we were unable to exploit the potential of the tire, perhaps for a too conservative set-up choice and we slipped back a gap of 1″ from the first to understand the competitiveness of the championship. In the race, with a bit of luck in the early stages and a good rhythm of all three drivers, we had the first points in the hand. Unfortunately, we only bring home the twenty-second position. We do not demoralize, indeed, we will try to get the details of this weekend, to get more competitive at the next race in Silverstone.“