K-PAX dominates and does a 1-2 at COTA Race 1

The 2019 Blancpain GT World Challenge America season started on fire at the Circuit of the Americas, with K-PAX doing a Bentley 1-2 as Rodrigo Baptista and Maxime Soulet brought the No. 3 Continental GT3 to the Race 1 victory.

The race started with the K-PAX Bentleys aligning to block the field on Turn 1, which kept their 1-2 as the No. 9 car leading the No. 3. The Porsche 911 GT3R was also making presence in the top of the field, with the two Alegra Motorsports entries and the No. 58 Wright car fighting in the top six group.

Unfortunately for the K-PAX Bentleys, the first Safety Car intervention came with eight minutes of racing as the No. 63 DXDT Mercedes lost control at the esses and crashed heavily in the barriers. This soon escalated into a red flag as further repairs would be needed in the area, which stopped the clock with 13 minutes. It took 30 minutes to make the repairs and then lift the red flag, though the cars returned to the track behind the Safety Car.

The green flag was back but the Bentleys were holding position, but then Daniel Morad in the No. 22 Alegra Porsche started to test the waters with the No. 3 K-PAX Bentley of Rodrigo Baptista, making some feints and moves to unsettle the Brazilian.

Morad eventually had to cool down and this was the opening that the No. 61 R. Ferri Ferrari was looking to make a move and attack, and this was putting the No. 22 under pressure, and after trading paint, the No. 61 jumped to third by force. After the pit stops, it was time for the K-PAX Bentleys to play it rough for the lead, with Maxime Soulet holding the No. 3 in place.

With K-PAX Racing working well and their drivers going on the limit, a good gap was opened to the No. 58 Wright Porsche, which had to settle for a defensive stance against the No. 61 R. Ferri Ferrari. Eventually even the Bentleys cooled down and settled for their places, with the win going for the No. 3 car.

Blancpain GT World Challenge America - COTA Race 1 results

The other class winners had easier races, with the No. 31 TR3 Ferrari of Wei Lu and Jeff Segal and the No. 7 Squadra Corse Garage Italia Ferrari of Martin Fuentes and Caesar Bacarella winning respectively the Pro-Am and Am Cup classes.

PHOTO: Bentley Motorsport