30.07.2012 CLASS HONOURS FOR FERRARI AT THE SPA 24 HOURS

FERRARI 458 ITALIA - 2012 SPA 24 HOURS

There were honours for Ferrari in the GTE-PRO class at the Spa 24 Hours yesterday in the shape of the AF Corse 458 GT3 driven by Andrea Bertolini, Niek Hommerson, Louis Machiels and Alessandro Pierguidi.

There was success for the AF Corse team who were tackling the Spa 24 Hours last weekend, the fourth round of the Blancpain Endurance Series. After an important win at Le Mans in the LMGTE PRO category for the team run by Amato Ferrari, it added another trophy to its already ample collection with victory in the PRO-AM class of the classic endurance race in the Ardennes.

The Ferrari 458 GT3 in the hands of Andrea Bertolini, Niek Hommerson, Louis Machiels and Alessandro Pierguidi got the upper hand over the Porsche of Haribo Racing Team (second in class and seventh overall) and the McLaren of Von Ryan Racing (ninth overall and fourth in the category) at the end of an action packed race, affected by changing weather and no less than 16 appearances from the safety car.

Third step of the podium went to the Ferrari entered by Sofrev ASP for Olivier Panis, Eric Debard, Morgan Moulin Traffort and Olivier Barthez, the latter being the former French national team's goalkeeper.

The Italian team had aspirations to take the top two places in PRO-AM but an off track excursion put an end to that for the 458 driven by Gaetano Ardagna, Daniel Brown, Giuseppe Cirò and Toni Vilander, who had to retire in the twenty third hour.

The next round of the Blancpain Endurance Series takes place at the Nürburgring on 22 September.
 

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