
For the fourth round of the season, the FIA GT Championship heads north, to the familiar surroundings of the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben, in Germany. This will be the ninth time that the Championship will set up its paddock in Oschersleben, since it became the first international series to race at the track in 1998.
The 2008 season of the FIA GT Championship has seen plenty of excitement so far, with close races and great variety. And it shows in the points – the top six drivers are separated by just one point ! Heading for Oschersleben in Germany, the drivers of the nr 3 SRT Corvette C6R and the drivers of the nr 1 Vitaphone Racing Maserati MC12, share the top of the points, with 20 each. One point behind are the Adria winners of Hezemans and Gollin driving with the GMAC Phoenix Carsport team.
Interestingly, at the same stage of the season last year, the top six were separated by four points, with the leaders – Bouchut and Mücke – on 18. So after wins for the Aston Martin DBR9 and the Corvette C6R, the other makes in the field will be looking at claiming their first win of the season. One of those includes the usually dominant Vitaphone Maserati team which so far this season, are winless. However, the nr 1 car has 30 kg penalty weight, which could be difficult on the twisting circuit, while the nr 2 car has a five-place grid penalty for causing an avoidable accident in Adria, and will therefore start with a disadvantage. But the German team, in its home race, look to be a big threat to the other teams.
As for the Corvettes, Phoenix Racing is on a roll after Adria, where the team took pole with Marcel Fässler and finished first and third, and will be hoping to continue their progress. Belgian team SRT finished in a favourable fourth place in Adria, giving them five points while reducing their penalty weight by 20 kg, which should make them even more competitive in Germany. Moving to the Saleens, Larbre Competition was fifth in Adria, its best result to date. Belgian team Peka Racing, whose Corvette was the fastest car on the track last year in Oschersleben, made progress with their Saleen S7R, but their 2008 season has not been one to boast about with poor results including a DNF in Adria.
Next Page
|