2012 FIA GT1 : Nogaro - Double Nogaro joy for Ortelli and Vanthoor

2012 FIA GT1 - Nogaro Winners : Stephane Ortelli / Laurens Vanthoor - #32 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT - Audi R8 LMS

WRT made it two out of two in the 2012 season today, when Stephane Ortelli and Laurens Vanthoor claimed victory in the first Championship race of the season, at Nogaro, in France. Ortelli's last win in the FIA GT Championships was in 2007, at Nogaro, when he won the GT2 category with Gianmaria Bruni. Bright sunshine and big crowds, this first event of a new era saw the two Audi R8 LMS cars finish in first and second places, with Frank Stippler and Oliver Jarvis taking second.

The final podium place went to Tomas Enge and Albert von Thurn und Taxis in the Reiter Engineering Lamborghini Gallardo No.24.

After a brilliant opening stint from Enge on a greasy Circuit Paul Armagnac, von Thurn und Taxis held off the late challenge of the No.4 Hexis McLaren of Alvaro Parente and Gregoire Demoustier at the finish.

Pole-sitters Toni Vilander and Filip Salaquarda in the AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italia No.3 were fifth.
Enge made a storming start from seventh on the grid, throwing the LP600 around the Circuit Paul Armagnac with little regard for the tricky conditions. The Czech driver assumed the lead as early as the fourth lap and led until the pit stop/driver change.

As the track began to dry, von Thurn und Taxis held the lead momentarily but was eclipsed by both Audis as they proved equal to the drying conditions to open their 2012 account in emphatic style.

What the drivers say …

Laurens Vanthoor, Belgian Audi Club Team WRT Audi R8 LMS No.32 (1st)

“It was a fantastic race, I must say I was quite nervous at the beginning because this was the my first race in a GT car with a roof over my head. It is a little bit more comfortable – and I didn’t get wet.
“We had a good race - it was a difficult start for me because I had to adapt to the situation and it was difficult to pass the Ferrari but once I got past I got into my rhythm and I slowly got closer to Tomas Enge.

“After the pit stop, Stephane (Ortelli) did an excellent job, he was very fast and he did not hesitate at all when making a pass and he finished the job in the perfect way.”

Stephane Ortelli, Belgian Audi Club Team WRT Audi R8 LMS No.32 (1st)

“It is such a great win for us, I cannot believe we won the first race. We had been testing on Tuesday in the damp and we did not expect to have a car that would cope as well in these conditions. We have a very good car, it was really consistent in the wet.

“I have to congratulate Tomas (Enge) he did a fantastic job, it was really good to watch. Winning the race is a dream start, and making it a one-two for Audi is just amazing.”

Frank Stippler, Belgian Audi Club Team WRT Audi R8 LMS No.33 (2nd)

“This is a great results. I’m proud to be part of the Belgian Audi Club Team WRT, this is a good team to be in for the world championship and I hope that we can have a strong season.”

Oliver Jarvis, Belgian Audi Club Team WRT Audi R8 LMS No.33 (2nd)

“I think we have had a very strong start in very difficult conditions for everyone, but I think it is very close out there, we have some great teams and some great drivers, I think it will be a close season. In other conditions, at other tracks you’re going to see other teams win and other drivers doing well.”

Tomas Enge, Reiter Engineering Lamborghini Gallardo LP600 No.24 (3rd)

“I was really surprised how well the Lamborghini handled. I had quite a wet track and Albert (von Thurn und Taxis) had drying conditions so it was much trickier for him. We had a good pit stop and Albert drove really well to secure third position. We hope to continue like this for tomorrow and the following races.”

Albert von Thurn und Taxis, Reiter Engineering Lamborghini Gallardo LP600 No.24 (3rd)

“It was quite difficult in the end because as the track was drying up the car was proving more and more difficult to handle. As the line became dry I was struggling to keep the rear tyres in shape. I’m very happy to keep the McLaren behind us to finish on the podium. This is more than I expected from my first world championship race. I am delighted.”

2012 FIA GT1 - Round 1 Nogaro - Race result

Pos	Car	Class	Drivers	Car	Time	Laps	Gap
1	32	GT1	Stephane Ortelli / Laurens Vanthoor	Audi R8 LMS	1:00:26.801	40
2	33	GT1	Frank Stippler / Oliver Jarvis	Audi R8 LMS	1:00:30.532	40	3.731
3	38	GT1	Marc Basseng / Marcus Winkelhock	Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG	1:00:31.222	40	4.421
4	37	GT1	Nicky Pastorelli / Thomas Jäger	Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG	1:00:33.167	40	6.366
5	4	GT1	Enzo Ide / Francesco Castellacci	Ferrari 458 Italia	1:00:45.726	40	18.925
6	3	GT1	Toni Vilander / Filip Salaquarda	Ferrari 458 Italia	1:00:48.032	40	21.231
7	25	GT1	Darryl O Young / Peter Kox	Lamborghini Gallardo LP600	1:00:48.483	40	21.682
8	24	GT1	Albert von Thurn und Taxis / Tomas Enge	Lamborghini Gallardo LP600	1:01:02.035	40	35.234
9	9	GT1	Mike Parisy / Matt Halliday	Porsche 911 GT3 R	1:01:16.420	40	49.619
10	18	GT1	Yelmer Buurman / Michael Bartels	BMW Z4 GT3	1:01:27.108	40	1:00.307
11	17	GT1	Nikolaus Mayr-Melnhof / Mathias Lauda	BMW Z4 GT3	1:01:32.609	40	1:05.808
12	7	GT1	Maxime Martin / Alexej Vasiliev	Aston Martin DBRS9	1:01:53.968	40	1:27.167
13	6	GT1	Andreas Zuber / Sergey Afanasyev	Aston Martin DBRS9	1:01:00.764	39	33.963
14	10	GT1	Milos Pavlovic / Matteo Cressoni	Ford GT	1:01:31.666	38	1:04.865
15	8	GT1	Benjamin Lariche / Ren Wei	Porsche 911 GT3 R	1:00:35.910	37	9.109
16	2	GT1	Gregoire Demoustier / Alvaro Parente	McLaren MP4-12C	29:07.047	18	31:19.754
17	1	GT1	Frederic Makowiecki / Stef Dusseldorp	McLaren MP4-12C	4:39.611	3	55:47.190