Nurburgring GT1: Reiter Lamborghini takes first win of season with Peter Kox and Stefan Rosina
Lamborghini took its first FIA GT1 World Championship victory of the season when Peter Kox and Stefan Rosina triumphed in Saturday's qualifying race at the Nurburgring
The team came out on top courtesy of superlative pitwork that jumped the Reiter Engineering Gallardo LP560 from fourth before the pitstop sequence into the lead at its conclusion.
Kox emerged with a three-second lead after stopping right at the end of the pit window and was able to extend his advantage over the WRT Audi of Frank Stippler before backing off in the final stages.
Kox, who notched up his first world championship victory at the 'Ring, said: "This is the first time that a stop has gone well, but we always knew we had a competitive car. Thanks to the Reiter guys, because they have tried so hard this year."
Second place went to the other WRT Audi R8 LMS ultra driven by Stephane Ortelli and Laurens Vanthoor. Ortelli had led to the pitstops, but a slower stop and out lap from Vanthoor ultimately prevented them from taking a first win since a double victory on the opening weekend of the season at Nogaro.
Munnich Mercedes drivers Markus Winkelhock and Marc Basseng closed the gap to the points-leading Vita4One BMW duo Yelmer Buurman and Michael Bartels after narrowly beating them to third place. Basseng fought a rearguard action to hold off the advances of Buurman over the closing stages.
The pole-winning Hexis McLaren led in Stef Dusseldorp's hands before a protracted peroid behind the safety car. The car shared by the Dutchman and Frederic Makowiecki went out with a suspension problem shortly after the race went green.
The FIA GT3 European Championship, which shared the grid with the world championship, was sealed by Heico Gravity-Charouz drivers Dominik Baumann and Maximillian Buhk with their fifth victory of the season.
Results - 28 laps: Pos Drivers Team/Car Time/Gap 1. Kox/Rosina Reiter Lamborghini 1h00m53.948s 2. Vanthoor/Ortelli WRT Audi + 2.525s 3. Basseng/Winkelhock Munnich Mercedes + 8.512s 4. Buurman/Bartels Vita4One BMW + 8.964s 5. Demoustier/Parente Hexis McLaren + 12.507s 6. Pastorelli/Jager Munnich Mercedes + 14.013s 7. Jarvis/Stippler WRT Audi + 15.869s 8. Vilander/Salaquarda AF Ferrari + 17.669s 9. Lauda/Mayr-Melnhof Vita4One BMW + 24.495s 10. Ide/Castellacci AF Ferrari + 26.994s 11. Lariche/Groppi SUNRED Ford + 1m10.638s Retirements: Makowiecki/Dusseldorp Hexis McLaren 8 laps Parisy/Bleekemolen Reiter Lamborghini 1 lap
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