Maranello, 22 September

A podium in Fuji, disappointment at the Nurburgring. This Sunday for the 458 GT featured mixed fortunes in the results obtained at these two historic circuits.
In Japan, the circuit which provides the backdrop for the highlight in the film “Rush,” was hosting the second round of the Asian Le Mans Series. At Fuji the 458 GT3 entered by AF Corse and crewed by Steve Wyatt, Michele Rugolo and Andrea Bertolini finished second in class, ninth overall, behind the Aston Martin of Yu-Lyons. Another Ferrari, a 458 GT2 was entered, the only one in its class: Akira Iida, Shinji Nakano and Shogo Mitsuyama brought the Taisan Ken Endless team’s car home in twelfth overall.
At the Nurburgring, at the same place, but not the same track where Niki Lauda was the victim of the accident which is one of the key moments in “Rush,” no Ferrari made it to the podium in the fifth and final round of the Blancpain Endurance Series. It was particularly disappointing for the Kessel Racing team, which had arrived in Germany leading the Drivers’ classification with the trio of Rigon-Ramos-Zampieri:  two successive penalties in the first part compromised the Swiss team’s race, which could do no better than twentieth place at the end. The Drivers’ title thus went to Maximilian Buhk, who won today in his Mercedes, with help from Bernd Schneider and Maximilian Gotz.
The best result for the 458 GT3 came from Esta Motorsport, fourth overall with Alessandro Pier Guidi, Matteo Bobbi and Alexander Skryabin. Right behind them was the Russian SMP team’s car, with a crew made up of the Ladygin brothers and Shaitar which therefore took the victory in the Pro-Am category. Unlucky in this class were the two AF Corse 458 GT cars, who went out of the race on lap two (Danyliw-Beretta) and on lap 42 (Babini-Hommerson-Machiels.) The title thus slipped from the grasp of the Italian team and ended up in the hands of the RJN Nissan GT. In the Gentlemen class, victory went to the French Sport Garage team’s 458 GT3.