Back to Brno for round 7

The summer months are over, and after the excitement of the 24 Hours of Spa and the Bucharest City Challenge, the FIA GT Championship is returning to the more usual format and surroundings.  Brno, which has been on the calendar every year since 2000, will host the seventh round of the 2008 season on the beautiful, undulating circuit which is so popular with teams and drivers alike.

The 5.402 km Brno circuit has seen some excellent races over the past eight years, and there is no reason why 2008 should be any different.  The past six races have seen five different winning cars, from three different makes, with the most recent being Phoenix Carsport, whose Corvette C6R of Deletraz and Fässler was victorious in Bucharest.  However, the recent races have meant that the main Championship contenders, including the points leaders, Vitaphone drivers Bertolini and Bartels, are now heavily laden with success ballast, which is extremely penalising on this track, with its uphill sections.  A fine opportunity for some of their rivals to claim the honours in the Czech Republic !

These include the likes of Austrian team Jetalliance,  for whom Brno is effectively a home race, Gigawave – who have claimed numerous podiums but who are still looking for their maiden win – SRT, whose duo of Bouchut and Maassen proved their winning skills in Monza, and PK Carsport, whose Saleen showed its speed in Bucharest, finishing just off the podium in fourth.  However, Vitaphone won in Brno last year with the Maserati MC 12, and despite their penalty weight, should never be ruled out !

In GT2, AF Corse are still in command in both team and driver classifications, after Bruni and Vilander won three races out of the first four. But after wins for BMS Scuderia Italia in Spa, and CR Scuderia in Bucharest, their rivals are hoping for more.  Brno has traditionally seen some fine Porsche victories, and Prospeed Competition, currently fighting for second place in the classification, are sure to put on a good battle in the Czech Republic.

After a long summer break, the FIA GT3 European Championship will be heading back for the track, racing in Brno for the second time.  Last year the circuit proved to be a Corvette track, with the American cars placed first and second in both one-hour races. 2008 has belonged to the Ford GT so far, with victories in the first five races of the season.  Oschersleben finally broke the Ford stronghold, when young Czech drivers Martin Matzke and Jiri Skula took their first GT3 win – the perfect way to head for their home round.  Martini Callaway drivers Peyroles and Ruffier, after a consistent start to the season, currently lead the points table; they were victorious last year in Brno. But the Ford GT drivers will be keen to regain the advantage – while the local heroes will also be looking to make the most of their home advantage.  A thrilling weekend in store !

The GT4 European Cup will hold its penultimate meeting of 2008 in Brno; this will be the first visit of the series to the Czech circuit.  Reigning Champion Eric de Doncker has a narrow lead in the points, after three podium finishes for his home round at Spa-Francorchamps.  With the Brno circuit being sometimes compared to a smaller version of Spa, the Mustang FR500C should be equally at ease in the Czech Republic.  However, the Belgian will face plenty of opposition – from his nearest points rival, Klaus Engelhorn, in the Jetalliance Aston Martin N24, as well as from his fellow countryman Jurgen van Hover, in the Speedlover Aston Martin, RJN Motorsport’s Alex Buncombe, who has claimed four wins in the Nissan 350Z since joining the series in Oschersleben, and Michael Mallock, who will return to the series in the RSWilliams Aston..  In Sports Light, the Donkervoort cars will once again face the KTM X-Bows for some exciting action.

Completing the busy Brno timetable, the Formul’Academy Euro Series, already seen at Spa, will add exciting single-seater action from the stars of tomorrow.  With the season heading towards a thrilling climax, everything is still to play for with the young drivers.  Last but definitely not least, there will be national action from the Pohar Cestovnich Vozu, a touring car cup set up in memoriam of Zdenek Vojtech, who died ten years ago.

 

Back to main site