+ Rookies rule in opening race in France
+ Bouveng and Walde beat the clock for breakthrough Pro-Am win
+ Ferrarin and Briché celebrate Am class success
+ Result, Race 1, Circuit Paul Ricard
SR Motorsport by Schnitzelalm drivers Enrico Förderer and Cedric Fuchs enjoyed a dream GT4 European Series debut at Circuit Paul Ricard, guiding their Mercedes-AMG to a dominant victory in Race 1.
The GT4 Germany graduates showed impressive pace after Förderer drafted into the lead from second on the grid and then built a gap back to Lluc Ibañez and Alex Papadopulos in the NM Racing Team Mercedes-AMG that Fuchs then held to the flag.
Victor Bouveng and Joakim Walde beat a penalty and a nervous finish to secure their breakthrough Pro-Am win in the Schubert Motorsport BMW, while JSB Compétition Porsche pairing Nicco Ferrarin and Julien Briché proved untouchable in the Am class.
FÖRDERER TO THE FORE AS ROOKIES RULE
Förderer lined up second on the grid for his first GT4 Europe appearance, but wasted no time when the lights went out, getting the jump on Ibañez to streak into the lead around the outside.
Once ahead, Förderer pressed on and was helped when Bouveng also managed to slip past Ibañez, the fight between the two helping Förderer build an early lead. Ibañez managed to draft back into second, but by the time he did the lead stood at almost three seconds when the top two pitted late into the window. A perfect pit stop helped Fuchs rejoin untroubled, going on to score a dream result for the team and drivers.
Speedy Motorsport drivers Mees Houben and Lachlan Evennett made it a GT4 Europe Rookie one-two. Houben handed across to Evennett from sixth place and the Australian then charged into the podium places before hunting down Papadopulos and making a fine pass for second into turn one late on.
Papadopulos held third ahead of Erik Evans and Nathan Vanspringel in the #61 Academy Motorsport Mustang, with Paul Petit and Grégory Guilvert (Team Speedcar Audi) and Pedro Garcia/Clément Seyler (Racing Spirit of Léman Aston Martin) rounding out the top six. It proved a tough race for defending champions Benjamin Lariche and Robert Consani. An engine problem in their Team Speedcar Audi during Qualifying meant they started back in 20th but they managed to fight into the points in 10th.
SCHUBERT BEATS THE CLOCK AS JSB RULES IN AM
With Bouveng running comfortably inside the top four overall across the first half, he and Walde looked set for their first Pro-Am win, but things were complicated when the Schubert Motorsport BMW was handed a penalty that threatened to derail the result.
Walde was given 10 seconds extra on his race time for speeding in the pits, and that would have crippled the car had the second-placed Önder Erdem not received exactly the same penalty. That left Walde in a race against time with the third-placed W&S Motorsport Porsche of Hendrik Still and Joachim Bölting. With just a few laps left, Walde led Bölting by 9.5 seconds, and managed to extend the gap just enough to secure the win regardless.
Erdem and Gustavo Xavier were third for Razoon – more than racing, ahead of Edvin Hellsten and Daniel Nilsson in the Nova Racing Porsche. After topping every session so far, JSB Compétition drivers Ferrarin and Briché did not put a wheel wrong on their way to the Am class victory. Daniel Blickle and Moritz Berrenberg fought through to second in their W&S Motorsport Porsche with Mikael and Christoffer Brunnhagen completing the podium for Gazoo Racing Sweden.
The second race of the GT4 European Series season is scheduled for 16:30 and will be streamed live on the GT World YouTube channel.
