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Jerez Winter Series Races Report
It was an exciting racing Saturday in Jerez for the second 2013 Winter Series event, as both races saw closely-fought finales, with Duncan Cameron-Matt Griffin imposing the Mtech Ferrari 458 GT2 in Race 1 and Aleksander Talakanitsa Sr and Jr (AT Racing) doubling the Ricard’s success in Race 2. Michal Broniszewski, driving alone the Kessel Ferrari GT2, finished twice on the podium.
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In GTS, SMP Russian Bears completed a very successful Winter Series taking another win with Pol Rosell-Roman Mavlanov (and four podiums out of four races), while Race 2 saw the maiden win of Team Ukraine, with Raffaele Giammaria-Andrii Kruglyk.
Race 1: Cameron-Griffin (Mtech) beat everybody in closing laps
The Ferrari Mtech of Duncan Cameron and Matt Griffin emerged as winner in a thrilling finale of Race 1 of the Jerez Winter Series. In a cold and dry afternoon, the British Ferrari 458 won the final battle against Michal Broniszewski, who drove alone the Kessel Ferrari GT2, and Pol Rosell-Roman Mavlanov (SMP Russian Bears), who dominated in the GTS class.
Aleksander Talkanitsa sr took the pole for Race 1, ahead of Broniszewski, Rugolo, Rosell, Cameron and Kruglyk. At the start, the Belarussian keeps the advantage and pulls away ahead of Rosell, Rugolo and Broniszewski, but at the start of lap 5, a puncture at the end of the straight sends him into the gravel in the first corner. The SMP Russian Bears Ferrari will keep the lead until the driver change, and Roman Mavlanov, who has taken the wheel from Pol Rosell, shows excellent pace. Only in the closing laps, he is joined by Broniszewski, starting a lively duel. This favors Griffin catching up the leading due and the Irishman will pass both rivals to take a brilliant win, ahead of Broniszewski and Mavlanov, who takes victory in GTS ahead of Castellacci and Giammaria.
Race 2: The Talkanitsas take a second Winter Series success
The Talkanitsa family took a second win in the 2013 Winter Series, replicating the Ricard’s success in Race 2 in Jerez. The win came in the closing laps, after a duel with Race 1 winning Mtech Ferrari, which was later stopped by a puncture. Team Ukraine took its maiden win in GTS, with Raffaele Giammaria and Andryii Kruglyk finishing an excellent second overall.
Griffin had put the Mtech Ferrari GT2 in pole for Race 2, ahead of Talkanitsa jr, Broniszewski and Giammaria. At the start, there was a thrilling moment when Roman Mavlanov spun in the straight after a slight contact, but hopefully he did not hit anyone.
First phase of the race saw Griffin holding a clear lead ahead of Broniszewski and Talaknitsa in full duel, then Giammaria, Castellacci and Gattuso. After the pit stop, Cameron keeps the lead ahead of Talkanitsa sr, Kruglyk, Flohr, Zanuttini, Broniszewski and Rosell. The situation seems stable until the closing laps when Talkanitsa catches Cameron and takes the lead on lap 24. The Briton will suffer a puncture two laps later, which sadly ends Mtech’s race.
Kruglyk will take second overall (ahead of Broniszewski) and give Team Ukraine its maiden win in GTS, ahead of Rosell, for the fourth time on the podium of this Winter Series, and the AF Corse Ferrari of Michele Rugolo and Claudio Sdanewitsch, for the first time on the class podium, a good reward for the German’s return to racing after his accident at Spa in 2012.
PaddockTalk Perspective
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