ELMS: Podium for Rahel Frey and Hirschi
SECOND AND THIRD IN SILVERSTONE In the 4-hour European Le Mans Series race in England, the Ferrari women's team with Rahel Frey made it onto the podium in the GT class as did Jonathan Hirschi overall. The highlights indicate that the fourth round of the European Le Mans Series on the eve of the World Championship round at Silverstone was turbulent. Violent accidents with [...]
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The highlights indicate that the fourth round of the European Le Mans Series on the eve of the World Championship round at Silverstone was turbulent. Heavy accidents with fortunately only slightly injured drivers, yellow phases and intermittent rain required good nerves from the drivers and strategic skill from their teams.
Hirschi third - despite or because of drive-through penalty
After finishing second in the previous race in Barcelona, Jonathan Hirschi and his French partners Tristan Gommendy and Alexandre Cougnaud came third overall in an Oreca 07-Gibson from the ELMS king class LMP2. Their gap to the top after four hours and 118 laps was just 18 seconds, to P2 only ten.
If it hadn't been for a pit drive-through penalty, which the jury deemed the driver from Neuchâtel had to take for dangerous behavior during a caution period, victory might have been in the cards. In the championship, the Graff Racing trio is in third place with 53 points behind the two-time season winners and Silverstone runners-up Van Uitert/Rusinov (81) and the England winners Rojas/Lafargue/Chatin.
Kessel women with good chances for medal position
The standings look similarly good for Rahel Frey, Michelle Gatting and Manuela Gostner. The three women from Kessel Racing brought their Ferrari 488 home in a strong second place in the GT class. They were in the lead four times for a total of 23 laps, most recently from lap 77 to 93. After that, the Solothurn driver was unable to keep Porsche Junior factory driver Thomas Preining in Proton Competition's 911 RSR behind her.
However, the ladies had the second Kessel Ferrari with the Italians Pianezzola, Cadei and Piccini, who were also ahead for a long time, under control towards the end, as were the four other GT competitors. The reward was the second podium after the opening race at Le Castellet, which they had also finished in second place.
They are tied for second place in the championship with two other teams, 21 points behind the leaders. So with 52 points still up for grabs, anything is still possible.
