FIA GT1 Championship - Spa (B) - Qualifying Race

Belgian Drivers Longin/Verdonck Fifth at the SPA Racetrack

Triple H Team Hegersport’s Belgian Longin/Verdonck duo obtained the best position from among the Maseratis competing today at the FIA GT1’s 5th round Qualifying Race held at the SPA Francorchamps racetrack.
The two home turf drivers raced Maserati MC12 no. 34 toward the finish line and concluded the race in fifth place.

Triple H Team Hegersport’s good effort was rounded out by the performance of the Maserati MC12 no. 33 driven by Heger/Muller, who, having started off from the back rows, were nonetheless able to end the race in thirteenth place after a splendid recovery.

It was, however, an unfortunate day for Vitaphone Racing Team’s Bartels/Bertolini duo. It began with a session of qualifying practices complicated by track conditions, traffic and ballast. It ended at the first turn of the Qualifying Race, when Maserati MC12 no.1 was hit by Sumo Power GT-R’s Nissan no. 22. The collision happened at the exit of La Source. It forced Michael Bartels to head for the pit with heavy damage to the left side of the car; he was thus unable to continue the race. Nevertheless, the Maserati duo still holds the leadership in the driver’s classification with their 77 points.

Vitaphone Racing Team’s second Maserati MC12, driven by Bernoldi/Ramos, started off from the middle of the group and maintained its position throughout the race, concluding it in twelfth place.

Tomorrow, Saturday 31 July 2010, Championship Race from 11.05 am (GMT) to 12.05 pm (GMT)

SPA-Francorchamps
Lenght of the circuit: 7004 m

Temperature 
22°C air - 25°C track

Qualifying Race results:
1. Maassen/Menten – Mad-Croc Racing – Corvette Z06
2. Zonta/Kechele – Reiter – Lamborghini Murcielago 670 R-SV – 1.895 
3. Hezemans/Hennerici – Phoenix Racing/Carsport – Corvette Z06 – 23.371

5. Verdonck/Longin - Triple H Team Hegersport - Maserati MC12 - 35.518
12. Bernoldi/Ramos - Vitaphone Racing Team - Maserati MC12 - 56.667
13. Muller/Heger - Triple H Team Hegersport - Maserati MC12 - 1:07.903
Bartels/Bertolini – Vitaphone Racing Team – Maserati MC12 - ret.