HTP completes Misano sweep with Main Race win


HTP Motorsport was the king of Misano night and also dominated on bright daylight as the No. 84 Mercedes of Franck Perera and Maximilian Buhk went from green to checkered as the dominant force of the Blancpain GT Sprint Cup Main Race, completing a clean sweep in Italy.

Green flag was dropped and the charge of the No. 7 M-SPORT Bentley was slowed down by bothe the leader No. 84 HTP Mercedes and the No. 90 AKKA-ASP Mercedes, but this didn't coocled down the spirit of the Bentley Boy Vincent Abril, that kept the pursuit on Michael Meadows while having the No. 88 AKKA-ASP Mercedes in his mirrors.

While climbing places to recover what was lost, last night runner-up No. 85 HTP Mercedes with Fabian Schiller at the wheel went too optimistic at Turn 4 and punted the No. 63 GRT Lamborghini, spinning both cars and leaving the seventh place to the No. 98 ROWE BMW. The No. 85 HTP Mercedes was eventually penalized, ruining the good progress that guaranteed second place for them yesterday before a post-race penalty.

With the overall race pace not slowing down, the No. 84 HTP Mercedes kept stretching the lead with the No. 90 AKKA-ASP Mercedes being isolated in second place, but in the pit window the 90 lost ground and Steven Kane returned to track with second place for the No. 7 M-SPORT Bentley. Problem for Kane was that the No. 86 HTP Mercedes was closing, being slightly quicker and ready to attack.

During the last 20 minutes of racing the mission of Steven Kane was holding the pressure and keeping the No. 7 M-SPORT Bentley in second, but the charging No. 86 HTP Mercedes kept going in, bringing the No. 88 AKKA-ASP Mercedes and the No. 26 Sainteloc Audi, and although things got really harder in the last minutes Kane controlled the situation. As for the No. 84 HTP Mercedes, the fight for second helped to build up the massive gap it already had to the rest, só Maximilian Buhk brought it with ease to the finish line.

The No. 333 Rinaldi Racing Ferrari took Pro-Am Cup honors, finishing 14th overall.


Results to follow...

PHOTO: Blancpain GT Series

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