Five weeks ago the Flying Finn Konsta Lappalainen became the first-ever Finnish Racing driver who have won overall in GT World Challenge Sprint series. Now in final weekend of August he and his british team mate Ben Green continued hunting for more victories in French circuit of Magny-Cours.
In qualifyings Ben Green collect Pole Position for the Emil Frey Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 team and Konsta Lappalainen collect fifth starting position for Sundays race. In Saturdays race Ben Green kept the leading position for the final laps of his stint. However in one tight corner he was pulled from the circuit and therefore he dropped below podium positions. However after drivers change Lappalainen was able to finish the event in fifth position in overall classifications.
For Sundays race team started with high hopes after a dissapointing Saturdays result. However right in the start Lappalainen was pushed out from the circuit by another fellow competitor and thefefore he dropped into last 28th position. During one hour intense racing Lappalainen and his british team mate Ben Green was able to pass 13 rivals and finished the event in 15th position in overall classifications. However even they weren’t able to collect points, Lappalainen and Green are steadly in bronze medal position of the series as there are still final weekend and two one hour races to be driven.
– Before the weekend we knew that we needed to be better than Championship leader and vice leader. The dream was kept alive when Ben Green collect Pole Position for the Saturdays race and I was able to push into 5th position for Sundays race. However the dreams were demolished when Green was pushed out from the circuit in first race and me in second race. Therefore 5th highest points from the intense racing weekend was a big disapointment, Lappalainen told.
– However we were also lucky as our fellow rivals collect same disapointing results and therefore we’re entering the final round with good 23,5 points gap for the 4th position drivers. We need to secure one podium in Barcelona to collect bronze medal of the series. This is our goal for the rest of the season, Lappalainen continues.
Fourth weekend of the series was a thrilling show of Championship belgium leaders Dries Vanthoorin and Charles Weertsin as well as silver position drivers Maro Engel and Lucas Auer. In Saturdays night race Dries Vanthoor and Charles Weerts won the one hour event just by 0,3 seconds. Sundays race Maro Engel and Lucas Auer won the event by 0,5 seconds. Therefore in final racing weekend in Barcelona it’ll be a thrilling weekend between these drivers as well as bronze position drivers Konsta Lappalainen and Ben Green who are 37 points behind silver position in overall standings.
Final results GT World Challenge EU Sprint, Saturday 24th August 2024 Magny Cours #1: Overall top-5:
1. Dries Vanthoor (BEL) & Charles Weerts (BEL), Team WRT, BMW M4 GT3, 37 laps
2. Maro Engel (GER) & Lucas Auer (AUT), Winward Racing Team, Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO, +0.368s
3. Sven Müller (DEU) & Patric Niederhauser (DEU), Rutronik Racing, Porsche 911 GT3 R (992), +2.396s
4. Thierry Vermeulen (NDL) & Giacomo Altoe (ITA), Emil Frey Racing, Ferrari 296 GT3, +9.776s
5. Konsta Lappalainen (FIN) & Ben Green (GBR), Emil Frey Racing, Ferrari 296 GT3, +23.598s
Final results GT World Challenge Sprint Hockenheimring (Germany), 20.7.2024: Overall top-3:
1. Maro Engel (GER) & Lucas Auer (AUT), Winward Racing Team, Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO, 36 laps
2. Dries Vanthoor (BEL) & Charles Weerts (BEL), Team WRT, BMW M4 GT3, +1,089s
3. Konsta Lappalainen (FIN) & Ben Green (GBR), Ferrari 296 GT3, +7,669s
Final results GT World Challenge EU Sprint, Sunday 25th August 2024 Magny Cours #2: Overall top-3:
1. Maro Engel (GER) & Lucas Auer (AUT), Winward Racing Team, Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO, 35 laps
2. Dries Vanthoor (BEL) & Charles Weerts (BEL), Team WRT, BMW M4 GT3, +0.563s
3. Maximilian Götz (DEU) & Jules Gounon (FRA), Boutsen VDS, Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO, +10.626s
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13. Konsta Lappalainen (FIN) & Ben Green (GBR), Emil Frey Racing, Ferrari 296 GT3, +40.443s
GT World Challenge EU Sprint standings 8/10 rounds, PRO-group, top-5:
1. Dries Vanthoor (BEL) & Charles Weerts (BEL), Team WRT, BMW M4 GT3, 101,5p
2. Maro Engel (GER) & Lucas Auer (AUT), Winward Racing Team, Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO, 99,5p
3. Konsta Lappalainen (FIN) & Ben Green (GBR), Emil Frey Racing, Ferrari 296 GT3, 62,5p
4. Thierry Vermeulen (NDL) & Giacomo Altoe (ITA), Emil Frey Racing, Ferrari 296 GT3, 39p
5. Maximilian Götz (DEU) & Jules Gounon (FRA), Boutsen VDS, Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO, 29,5p
