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Reiter
Engineering and Lamborghini returned to Monza for the
opening round of the 2005 FIA GT Championship after a trying
2004 season.
The team came to the Italian track determined to show the
benefits of winter testing and development of the
Lamborghini Murcielago R-GT. Peter Kox and his co-driver,
Norman Simon, had both tested the car at the track during
the official test days at the end of March.
While the car is not yet in its full 2005 specification, the
team knew this would be a tough test against very strong
opposition. Hampered by bad weather conditions during all
practice sessions, Peter Kox was however reasonably happy
with the outcome of the qualifying sessions, placing the car
in 7th position on the grid and only 1.2 seconds off the
fast Maseratis.
The race, however, was more disappointing. A problem with
the electronic engine management system put Peter at the
back of the grid for the green flag start.
He made steady progress through the field, rising up to
12th, until he was hit by Piccini in a GPC Ferrari 575 at
the Parabolica corner. Peter managed to make it back onto
the track, going over the old Monza banking in order to do
so, and continued until just before the end of his first
stint when a sensor failed and they lost power. Having lost
four laps of the race due to the spin, the team then decided
to retire the car. |
