+ SR Motorsport by Schnitzelam duo judge safety car gamble perfectly to steal victory
+ Potty takes Silver Cup win in P2, Mraz and Marioneck secure comfortable Masters triumph
+ Gialdini and Njor crowned overall champions with race to spare
+ Result: Race 1, Portimão
Wilhelm Kuhne and Moritz Wiskirchen won the penultimate race of the GT2 European Series powered by Pirelli season at Portimão thanks to a brilliant strategic play from the SR Motorsport by Schnitzelam squad, while CMR duo Ethan Gialdini and Mikkel Njor wrapped up the overall series title with a fifth-place finish.
This result seemed highly unlikely when the race began. Antoine Potty (#6 i4Race Maserati) held the lead from pole, while behind him the #18 LP Racing Maserati of Niccolo Pirri and Njor’s #3 CMR Ginetta squabbled over P2. In Pro-Am, Lawrence Tomlinson made an excellent start to gain four places, climbing to the head of the order and significantly boosting his title chances.
Potty took advantage of the scrap behind him to pull away at the head of the order. With 15 minutes on the clock the Belgian led by around three seconds from his two Silver Cup rivals. In fourth, Thomas Yu Lee led the Masters class in his #8 LP Racing Maserati, immediately followed by class rival Viktor Mraz (#89 RTR Projects KTM) and then Pro-Am leader Tomlinson.
But disaster struck for the CMR man when his Ginetta ground to a halt on the 20-minute mark. The car had suffered a suspected driveshaft failure and its race was over; what's more the team's Pro-Am title hopes were now in tatters.
The stranded Ginetta brought out the safety car, which entered the track just as the pit window opened. This proved to be the crucial moment in the race as the #110 SR Motorsport by Schnitzelalm Mercedes-AMG seized upon a strategic opportunity. While the rest of the field pitted and was picked up by the slow-running safety car, Kuhne remained out for an additional two laps.
The German was able to circulate faster than the rest of the field and effectively gained a lap on his rivals. When he handed over to Moritz Wiskirchen, the #110 Mercedes-AMG had moved to the front of the order. Wiskirchen therefore took the restart ahead of Potty, Stefan Rosina (#18 LP Racing Maserati), and Gialdini.
There was less than 10 minutes to run when the action resumed, and the big question was whether the sister SR Motorsport by Schnitzelalm entry of David Thilenius and Jay Mo Härtling could score enough points to put the Pro-Am title beyond doubt with a race to spare. Härtling took the restart fourth in class and needed to make up just one spot to score the necessary points.
He looked to have done the job immediately by blasting past the #85 Iron Dames by SP Maserati of Sarah Bovy. However, the German ace was judged to have made the move exceeding track limits; the resulting 10-second penalty dropped the #111 Mercedes-AMG down the order and out of a title-winning position.
Out front Wiskirchen took the chequered flag to secure his and Kuhne's maiden GT2 Europe victory. Potty came home second and claimed Silver Cup honours, followed by the #1 LP Racing Maserati of Phillipe Prette and his son Louis. The Pirri/Rosina Maserati was fourth, followed by Njor and Ethan Gialdini's #3 CMR Ginetta. This secured the overall GT2 Europe drivers' title for the young duo, who wrapped up the Silver class crown last time out at Zandvoort.
In Masters, a P6 finish secured a commanding win for Viktor Mraz and Lennart Marioneck in the #89 KTM. Mraz and swapped places with class rival Yu Lee during the opening stint, but the latter dropped back considerably during the second half, allowing Marioneck to collect a comfortable win.
Pro-Am is the final title to be decided in this afternoon's season-closing contest. Thilenius/Härtling hold a 21-point advantage and need only a P8 finish to wrap up the championship.
