While the GT World Challenge America grid looks way stronger than in previous years, one thing to put as a factor is the new three-hour format for the series, and in the first endurance battle of the season, the No. 34 JMF Motorsports Mercedes AMG GT3 Evo of Michai Stephens and Mikael Grenier not only stood out as one of the top contenders, but also controlled most of the race to receive the checkered flag first once the 180 minutes elapsed.
The first uphill dash was won by polesitter No. 34 JMF Mercedes, barely avoiding contact from the No. 6 Dollahite Ford in the second corner, but then establishing a clear gap as both cars were advancing faster than the pack led by the No. 27 JMF Mercedes, as Jason Daskalos was holding the No. 12 AF Corse Ferrari behind him, or else he would on striking distance of the No. 69 Archangel McLaren.
Neutralization came early due to BMW on BMW contact as the No. 14 Riley entry stopped on track while the No. 99 from Random Vandals got moving again, but with a heavily damaged rear end, in special the diffuser. The green flag that followed it saw more pressure from the No. 6 on the No. 34, but Michai Stephens was keeping Alex Sedgwick at bay.
While JMF and AF Corse opted to not change drivers in the No. 34 and No. 12, Dollahite sent Cameron Lawrence in place of Sedgwick, with the Ford Mustang GT3 Evo being stuck behind the No. 28 RS1 Porsche, which was leading comfortably the Pro-Am Cup. For most of the second hour, Mads Siljehaug kept the No. 64 CPT Lamborghini in the overall and Pro-Am Cup leads as their strategy was out of the more conventional line, but once it went to the pits with 80 minutes to go, the No. 34 went back to the lead, with nearly five seconds ahead of Frederik Schandorff and the No. 12, while the Pro-Am Cup lead went to the overall third placed No. 28 RS1 Porsche, though it was set to lose the class lead due to a pit stop time violation penalty of 30 seconds.
With the No. 6 busy defending the third place in the Pro Cup from the No. 29 Turner BMW, Grenier and Schandorff were on their own in the overall lead battle for the final 30 minutes, with the Pro-Am Cup battle between the No. 32 GMG Porsche and the No. 31 Wright Porsche splitting the top four Pro Cup cars.
Schandorff eventually couldn’t match Grenier’s pace and lost contact, and when he was able to fight back, the gains were marginal to allow an attack from the No. 12 AF Corse Ferrari, which secured the win for the No. 34 JMF Mercedes.
Ryan Yardley couldn’t put the No. 31 Wright Porsche any closer of Tom Sargeant, which secured a dominant Pro-Am Cup victory for the No. 32 GMG Porsche, with nearly 30 seconds ahead of the nearest opposition in class.
The No. 163 AF Corse Ferrari completed the race as the only Am Cup entry, finishing sixteenth overall.
GTWC America Sonoma - Race Results
The next stop of the calendar will be in Texas, as the Circuit of the Americas will host the second three-hour race of the season on 26 April.
PHOTO: SRO/Fabian Lagunas
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