- #16 True Racing KTM takes first ever GT2 win in second Spa encounter
- Am winner Ulrich secures inaugural GT2 crown for Sportec Motorsport
- Pro-Am title will go down to the final round at Paul Ricard in October.
True Racing’s #16 KTM X-Bow claimed its first Fanantec GT2 European Series Pro-Am win in dramatic fashion in the final race of the weekend at Spa-Francorchamps.
The fourth different Pro-Am winner in four events of the championship’s first season, Sahedi Samini and Stefan Rosina’s victory is also the first for KTM in the class, achieved in part with some slick work during the mandatory pit stops.
Christoph Ulrich delivered a superb second stint to negate the extra compensation time spent in the pits following his race one win earlier in the day, clawing his way back from third to regain the Am lead and – more importantly – the first ever GT2 Am title.
Pro-Am: True Racing KTM reclaims lead from Speed Factory Porsche to score first win
It was high drama from the start of the final GT2 battle of the weekend with the #81 race one-wining PK Carsport by Heinz Audi missing its P3 grid slot and starting from the pit lane. That left Michael Vergers to make an immediate move on the pole-sitting #16 KTM for the lead into La Source.
Although out front, the #5 Speed Factory Porsche was unable to pull out any more than a 1.9 second gap before a safety car period for the stricken #88 LP Racing Audi with 36 minutes to go demolished his advantage.
With an extra two seconds compensation time to serve in the compulsory pit stops, Sarmini was able to take over from Rosina and claim the lead, which he retained to the flag.
Whilst the lead battles played out, the #33 Audi was on a charge from last to third in the space of three laps and looked to join the lead battle after Vergers ran deep into the Bust Stop chicane. Anders Fjordbach temporarily took second until Rosina repaid the favour, re-taking second at Les Combes ahead of the safety car.
All that hard work looked to have come undone at the restart, however, when the #33 slowed and made for the pits with a suspected issue. Slick work from the High Class crew, however, ensured Mark Patterson was able to take over and bring the Audi home in a very respectable third.
A late retirement for the #5 Porsche, then in the hands of Aurelijus Rusteika, with a puncture and possible brake fire down the end of the Kemmel Straight brought out the red flags, bringing the contest to a premature end.
Am: Ulrich earns inaugural Fanatec GT2 European Am title
Sportec headed into the final encounter of the weekend needing just a five-point sway for Ulrich to claim the title, but the rest of the Am field weren’t going to make it easy for the Swiss racer.
The #7 KTM came under pressure from Hans-Joachim Stuck after conceding third on the road to the hard-charging #33 Pro-Am Audi. A run wide from Ulrich at Bruxelles temporarily let the #24 KTM through, but Ulrich carried enough momentum to regain the place before both cars pitted in unison.
The longer stop for the Sportec car by dint of the compensation penalties put Ulrich a fair wedge behind Kris Rosenberger, now in charge of the #24 Reiter KTM, but the battle was far from over.
Head down, Ulrich patiently picked off Leoardo Gorini’s Porsche for second, leaving just Rosenberger between Ulrich and the title, which he duly secured with a brave move around the outside of Les Combes in the closing stages to pull 1.2 seconds clear at the flag.
That was enough to secure the crown, with Ulrich going down in history as the first-ever driver to win a title in the Fanatec GT2 European Series, which returns to action at Circuit Paul Ricard, France on 1-3 October.