May 28 - At the splendid model car track of Übach-Palenberg - a copy of the Spa Francorchamps track - Geert Mertens, Christoph Kremer and Jan Gürt-zen won with their Red Bull Maserati MC12 the first round of the 2006 Franco Gianotti Trophy. The ten remaining rounds will be contested at the Barcelona Worlds on August 21-22, 2006. Mertens & Co could conquer the lead of the race at the 10th of 24 segments. Up to then they were 5 laps short of the leading #28 Aston Martin DBR9 of Nick de Wachter/Tamar Nelwan/Gabriel Inäbnit, being out on the lead since 5 segments. However, a too low ground clearance made the Dutch Aston loosing 8 laps in the pits, so that after 10 segments the Red Bull Maserati was leading the Aston by 3 laps. After a superb stint by Jan Gürtzen (on the difficult white lane) and a unique stint by Mertens himself, they could maintain the lead until the end of the night section. At mid-race their advance over the #28 Aston was always 3 laps. The other Aston Martin, shared by Michael Niemas and Philip Kremer was then 12 laps behind the leading Maserati. However, should Niemas had put lights in his car before the start, and not during racing time, the German #29 Aston Martin DBR9 could have been a strong co-leader, since they lost exactly 12 laps in the pits.
During the second half of the race Niemas/Kremer were the fastest racers on the track, taking 8 laps back on the Maserati in 12 segments: however, not enough to win the race. Towards the end they succeeded to pass the Dutch sister car and to lap it once, but they could no prevent that the first round of the 2006 Franco Gianotti Trophy went to the Maserati of Mertens & Co. It was an extremely thrilling race and until the last minutes nobody could predict who of the three leading cars should reach as first the chequered flag. In the point standings for the Gianotti Trophy Mertens and Christoph Kremer did an excellent business collecting 19 points in total, against 15 for De Wachter, Nelwan and Inäbnit and 14 for Niemas and Philippe Kremer.

FIRST ROUND FIRST WIN FOR MASERATI - Everybody expectede that one of the Aston Martins should win the Spa 24 hours, but the Maserati was 4 laps faster at the finish line.

THE ENTRY
We found 10 cars at the start, all GT1. Aston Martin was present with 2 cars, just as Maserati and Corvette. Ferrari had 3 cars on the grid, 2 Larbre Compétition F550s and one R.A.R. F550. The remaining car was the Graham Nash Salleen S7R of reigning junior world champion Daniel Gonzalez and Francesc Reyes. Missing at the start were "Piki" and Youri van Rossem, having been replaced on the #29 Niemas Aston Martin by Philippe Kremer. Missing too was the Vitaphone Maserati of Salvatore Noviello and Daniele Malangone, so that their team mate Geert Mertens - the 2000 world champion - had to switch to the #15 Red Bull Maserati, where he found Christoph Kremer and Jan Gürtzen as team mates. The absence of Noviello is due to his medical condition after two heart attacks.  Also missing were Andreas Laufenberg and the European champion Christian Schnizler who could not be missed on their main club event. Last but not least there was no Ferrari 575GTC for the Czech team of Josef Korec, Vladimir Horky and Antónin Vojtik. It's even not sure if they'll show at the Barcelona Worlds. That Dieter Jens, Matthias Parke, Thomas Spicker and Stephan Wiesel were all absent may perhaps be explained by the fact that this time they could not sell their cars at the highest prices; moreover those nostalgic enthusiasts of vintage cars have no big affinity with such modern cars as 2005 FIA GT cars.

THE QUALIFICATIONS
First to go for a fastest lap was Niemas with the #29 Aston Martin DBR9. There was so much dust on the track that the DBR9 had nearly no grip. Niemas came not further than the last but one time (10"389). Robby Cuppens (B) - last year still top qualifier at the Le Mans 1970 Memorial - had also problems with a too low grip and did no better than 10"504. The first to improve Niemas's time was the fast Spaniard Albert Vidal with the #12 Larbre Compétition Ferrari F550: 10"050. First to go under the 10 seconds was Kai Kivekas (SF) with 9"777. We had to wait Geert Mertens to see how his Red Bull Maserati imroved that time: 9"536. With lonely two cars left it was up to Nick de Wachter (NL), the triple 2004 world champion, to do again better: 9"366 for the #28 Aston Martin. As lasr starter Daniel Gonzalez failed to do better with the #8 Graham Nash Saleen S7R: his 9"584 was only good for a third place on the grid, behind the TQ-ing #29 Dutch Aston Martin and the #15 Red Bull Maserati.

SEGMENTS 1-6
Fastest away was the#17 R.A.R. Ferrari F550 (the Russian one) of Gert Klinge, achieving a first lap in 9"401, with Daniel Gonzalez (Saleen) and Nick de Wachter a bit slower. It took 4 full laps on cleaning the dusty tires before the #29 Aston Martin took off at the bottom of the field. In front the Saleen was setting the pace up from lap 2. Only the Dutch #27 Aston seemed able to follow. After 1 segment positions were: 1. #8 Saleen (Gonzalez) 95 laps, 2. #27 Aston Martin (De Wachter) 92 laps, 3. #15 Maserati (Chr. Kremer) 90 laps, 4. #17 RAR Ferrari F550 87 laps, 5. #6 GLKP Corvette (Phillipaerts) 86 laps, 6. #28 Aston Martin (Ph. Kremer) 85 laps, 7. #11 Larbre Ferrari F550 (Kivekäs) 83 laps, 8. #12 Larbre Ferrari F550 (Sarrabio) 81 laps, 9. #22 SRT Corvette 80 laps, 10. #9 Vitaphone Maserati (Hasager) 75 laps. 

During the second segment Francesc Reyes, having replaced Gonzalez, could keep the lead, but now followed at 1 Lap by the Dutch #27 Aston DBR9 and at 3 laps by the #15 Red Bull Ferrari. Klinge could keep his 4th place with the RAR Ferrari at 6 laps, followed 1 lap further by the German Aston DB9, having passed the yellow Corvette. Postitions remained nearly unchanged during the two following segments, except that the German DB9 was now fifth, and that the German SRT #22 Corvette had passed the yellow Corvette of the Belgians. During the 5th segment Gonzalez took the Saleen over from Reyes, now speeding up as hard as he could, in order to widen the gap. He realised a fastest race lap in 9"011 (nobody should do any better for the rest of the race). When he had already 2 laps over the Dutch Aston DBR9 the motor can was slightly bent: indeed the screw side of the ProSlot motor is too thin so that after a heavy collision the pinion comes off the spur gear. On repairing the bothers the Saleen is passed by the Dutch DBR9, later also by the German DBR9, having now passed the Russian Ferrari. Towards the end of the fifth segment the Saleen, having lost 23 laps in the pits, rejoins the track in 4th postion, just ahead over the Finnish #11 Larbre Ferrari having passed the Russian Ferrari. During the sixth segment Tamar Nelwan can increase his advance over the Red Bull Maserati to 3 laps. The Spanish Larbre Ferrari F550 looses 50 laps in the pits to change the motor and the Russian F550 looses 25 laps on tire bothers. After 6 segments positions are: 1. #27 DBR9 (De Wachter/Inäbnit/Nelwan) 546.35 laps (5 pts), 2. #15 Maserati MC12 (Mertens/Chr. Kremer/J. Gürtzen) on 5 laps (4 pts), 3. #29 DBR9 (Niemas/Ph. Kremer) on 7 laps (3 pts), 4. #8 Saleen S7R (Gonzalez/Reyes) on 21 laps (2.5 pts), 5. #11 Ferrari F550 (Kivekas/ Tyler/Nurkannen) on 25 laps (2 pts), 6. #6 GPLK Corvette (Phillipaerts/ Cuppens/Ooms) on 38 laps (1.5 pts), 7. SRT Corvette (Zanders, K. Kuhn/ M. Kuhn/Meyer) on 42 laps (1 pt), 8. RAR Ferrari F550 (Klinge/Recker/J. Gürtzen) on 47 laps (0.5 pt), 9. Vitaphone Maserati (Hasager/Christian-sen) on 79 laps, 10. #12 Ferrai F550 (Sarrabia/Vidal/Girald) at 102 laps.

SEGMENTS 7-12 (NIGHT SECTION)
On starting the night section in the dark none of the Spanish drivers is present so that after 9 lost laps Reyes decides to keep the #12 Ferrari gooing. Also in the pits is Niemas: he forgot to put lights in his car before the start) and needs to do it now during racing time. He looses 12 laps and team mate Philip Kremer rejoins the track just ahead of the #12 Ferrari F550 from Tim Tyler.  On the RAR Ferrari Klinge is now rocketing like a canon ball, passing the two Corvettes (2 laps apart from each other) and the Finnish #11 Ferrari F550. The Saleen runs in big problems when at once the front lights are falling out. So the Russian Ferrari can move into 4th position. After 9 segments difference between the Dutch DBR9 and the #15 Maserati MC12 is always 5 laps. Fastest car on the track is now the German DBR #9 reducing its 17 laps arrears to 11 laps, and holding the 3rd place. After 10 laps both Astons are found with a too low ground clearance. It costs the Dutch DBR9 8 laps in the pits, so that the Maserati takes over the lead, now 3 laps ahead over the Dutch DBR9. When Achim Zanders, after a great stint, can eventually pass the Belgian Corvette, the car hits the wall and the front gound clearance is too low. The car looses 28 laps in the pits and drops from 6th to 9th position.

Bothers too on the yellow Corvette, loosing its rear spoiler, and later loosing its motot pinion. Cuppens rejoins the track one lap over the SRT Corvette of the Germans. At mid-race positions are: 1. #15 Maserati (Mertens/Chr.. Kremer/J. Gürtzen) 1088 laps (5 pts), 2. #27 DBR9 (Nelwan/Inäbnit/De Wachter) at 3 laps (4 pts), 3. #28 DBR9 (Niemas/Ph. Kremer) at 11 laps (3 pts), 4. #17 RAR Ferrari F550 (Klinge/Recker/T. Gürtzen) at 89 laps (2.5 pts), 5. #11 Ferrari F550 (Kivekäs/Tyler/Nurr-kanen) at 98 laps (2 pts), 6. #8 Saleen (Reyes/Gonzalez) at 115 laps (1.5 pts), 7. #4 GLKP Corvette (Phillipaerts/Cuppens/Ooms) at 122 laps, 8. #22 SRT Corvette (Zanders/K. Kuhn/M. Kuhn/R. Meyer) at 123 laps, ç. #9 Vitaphone Maserati (Hasager/Christiansen) at 174 laps, 10. #12 Ferrari F550 (Sarrabia/Vidal/Girald) at 176 laps.

SEGMENTS 13-24
On the leading Maserati Mertens & Kremer have to continue without Jan Gurtzen. Especially during the night section he had a superb stint on white, holding off Nick de Wachter and the Dutch DBR9 during the complete segment. Up from now victory goes between the Red Bull Maserati and the two Astons. The German #28 Aston is the fastest on the track and has to fight until the real end to pass the Dutch #27 sister car and to lap it once. After 24 segments the #28 DBR9 is only 4 laps down to the winning Maserati of Mertens/Chr. Kremer/J. Gürtzen. We saw some splendid motoring with the two Astons nose to tail fighting for the second place and the Red Bull Maserati shortly further. It's the most thrilling endurance race in the history of model car racing. 
Behind the leading trio the Russian Ferrari runs in problems and drops gradually from 4th to 7th. That brings the Finnish Larbre Ferrari F550 into 4th position, now followed at more than 30 laps by the wounded Saleen. The struggle between the two Corvettes turns out as a drama for the Belgian youngsters on the yellow Corvette. They drop from 6th to 8th position. Towards the end they have even to defend their 8th place against the #9 Maserati (Hasager/Christiansen), having been on speed only at the qualifications. Postitions change no more and Mertens/Chr. Kremer/J. Gürtzen win the most beautiful race of their life.

BEFORE THE REMAINING 10 ROUNDS OF THE GIANOTTI TROPHY
Mertens and Kremer collected 19 points for the Gianotti Trophy. They are in excellent position to win that series, especially since in Barcelona both will avoid the gruelling competition between the GT1 cars. Indeed Mertens will start on the Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari F430 GT2 and Kremer on a Porsche 996 RSR, also in the GT2 class. In GT1 the big guns will eat each other whilst Mertens and Kremer can win easy points. That proves that the Gianotti Trophy is in the first place a question of race strategy.

NEARLY PERFECT MODEL CAR RACE  
Driving the 10 fastest cars of the real Spa 24 hours on a model car track of the Spa circuit is just a dream. What a difference with racing vintage cars no youngster ever saw racing. Fia GT racing is a big attraction for young racers and a real promotion for the hobby sport. Just some minor shortcomings: a Saleen in the wrong colours, two CR6 Corvettes instead of CR5s. Let's hope that at the X-Mas races we will reach nearly 100 pct perfection by racing all the 2006 cars of Spa at the ...Spa model car track. Great effort by Tamar Nelwan & Achim Zanders! [JPVR]

Fastest lap during the race: Daniel Gonzalez (E) GNR Saleen S7R in 9"011

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2004 Francorchamps 24 h

IMCA Report 2003 Francorchamps 24 hours

IMCA Report 2002 Francorchamps 24 hours