(Motorsport-Total.com) – Nobody expected this victory: Jens Klingmann, Ahmad Al Harthy and Sam De Haan (Team WRT) win the three-hour race of the GT World Challenge Europe (GTWCE) in Monza. The trio starts with the WRT BMW #30 in the Bronze Cup and leaves the favored professional competition behind them at the end. A first in the history of the racing series!
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The WRT-BMW #30 from the Bronze Cup celebrates the overall victory Zoom
“Overall victory for a bronze car – that’s never happened before,” rejoiced BMW works driver Klingmann. “We can be incredibly proud of it, because something like that seemed so out of reach. I can’t really explain how that could have happened.”
In fact, the victory for Klingmann, Al Harthy and De Haan came as something of a surprise, as the trio only started from 30th position overall and were involved in a collision shortly after the start, which left them almost a lap behind.
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Jens Klingmann, Ahmad Al Harthy and Sam De Haan win Zoom
The experienced WRT team, which is responsible for BMW’s factory operations in the World Endurance Championship (WEC), then tried an alternative strategy, which paid off. “I think our strategy was outstanding,” says Klingmann. “The WRT team did a fantastic job – thank you for this great evening.”
Chaos race helps with WRT success
Klingmann is the only professional driver at the wheel of the winning BMW, because in the Bronze Cup (all classes explained!) the crew can only consist of one professional with platinum classification, a maximum of two semi-professionals from the silver category and one bronze amateur. In the Pro class, which normally decides the overall victory, there are three professional drivers at the wheel.
In Monza, for the first time in the history of the racing series, a vehicle that does not compete in the Pro class took the overall victory. “We made history today,” rejoiced Al Harthy. “Standing up on the podium and seeing our flag flying there is an incredible feeling.”
The fact that it came to this was also due to the chaotic course of the race. There were several accidents in the early stages, which knocked ambitious favorites out of the race. Later, other top teams were also slowed down by accidents or problems, including the winners of the 24-hour race in Spa.
WRT celebrates double victory in Monza
“What a crazy race!” grins BMW Motorsport Director Andreas Roos. “In this extremely complicated race, the WRT team showed its class and celebrated a one-two victory thanks to great strategic decisions.”
Because: Sheldon van der Linde, Dries Vanthoor and Charles Weerts finished second with the WRT BMW #32, although this trio was also involved in the starting accident. “After the first corner, where I was hit and turned around, none of us believed anymore that we would end up on the podium,” admits Sheldon van der Linde.
“This is a total surprise. The WRT team’s strategy was absolutely master class,” praised the South African, who started in the favored Pro category together with Vanthoor and Weerts and celebrated class victory there. “This podium place belongs to them.”
Valentino Rossi in fifth place
For MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi, who drives the WRT BMW #46 alongside Raffaele Marciello and Maxime Martin, the race ends in fifth place. “Our pace was also very good, so fifth place is a bit of a shame,” Martin said angrily. “In the end, the strategy didn’t quite work out in our favor. But nevertheless, team success is clearly the top priority today.”
Ferrari completes the podium: Alessio Rovera, Vincent Abril and Alessandro Pier Guidi drive the AF Corse Ferrari #51 to third position. Pier Guidi had previously pushed past Vanthoor in the first corner of the last lap, but shortened the chicane and had to give up second place.
The final of the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup will take place from November 28th to 30th on the Formula 1 circuit in Jeddah. Before that, the winners of the Sprint Cup will be determined in Barcelona (October 11th to 13th).
