Emil Frey Racing: The third one-two 🎥
LEADER TO FINALE Emil Frey Racing scored its third one-two of the year at the penultimate race weekend of the International GT Open in Barcelona. The Safenwil-based team now travels to Monza for the finale in the lead. The first of the two races at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, each lasting 70 minutes with driver changes, was turbulent - see highlights - and [...]
The first of the two races at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, each lasting 70 minutes with driver changes, was turbulent - see highlights - and disappointing for Emil Frey Racing. The starting position was good: In heavy rain on the Spanish coast, Norbert Siedler and Giacomo Altoè qualified the two Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO from Safenwil for grid positions 2 and 4.
Tire Poker
But the start went anything but as planned. The Austrian was already rammed in the first corner and spun away, fortunately leaving the car undamaged. Meanwhile, the Italian was the beneficiary of the situation and took the lead.
As the track gradually dried, the question of tire choice arose during the pit stop window. The team opted for new rain tires for the #63 of Altoè/Costa Balboa and slicks for the #14 of Siedler/Grenier. With no more rain, the southern duo dropped back to P11 on treaded tires, while Canadian Mikael Grenier brought the other car home in fourth place, despite a bump at the chicane (see video).
Third double victory of the year
After a rainy Saturday, the Circuit de Catalunya showed its sunny side on Sunday. Emil Frey Racing already put itself in the best light in qualifying with an outstanding best time from Albert Costa Balboa and fourth place on the grid from Grenier.
The Spaniard controlled the action until the driver change, which the sister team completed one lap ahead of him. As Siedler was therefore on warmer tires, Altoè let him pass without a fight after taking over his car. The Austrian remained in the lead until the finish and the Italian completed the third one-two for the Swiss Lamborghini team in the 2019 GT Open.
The highlights from the second race:
Leading the way to the final
The big season finale takes place in Monza on October 12 and 13. Emil Frey Racing leads the standings by a narrow margin in both the drivers' and team championships. The team boss is cautiously optimistic after this latest success.
Lorenz Frey-Hilti: "This weekend once again showed our great teamwork. After the wrong tire choice for the one car on Saturday, we fully attacked again on Sunday and proved the performance of the Lamborghini. I'm very pleased that we were able to celebrate another great one-two. Even though we're leading the championship before the final race of the season, a lot can still happen."
