The seventh event of the Int. GT Open took place at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya (Spain). Leipert Motorsport made a guest entry for the third time this season with Poland’s Maciej Blazek and Germany’s Mark Wallenwein in a Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO 2. The MOTUL-supported team once again competed in the ProAm classification.
Leipert Motorsport started as a guest entrant in the Int. GT Open with starting number 42. During the test drives and free practice sessions, the team and the drivers initially worked on the chassis set-up and collected as many laps as possible. The drivers became faster from one practice session to the next. Due to the switch to the ProAm class, the team had to put up with a ten-second longer pit stop, the so-called handicap time for an amateur with silver status.
Blazek drove a strong qualifying session for the first race. He was one of the fastest bronze drivers in the field and put the Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO 2 in 9th place on the grid in the 20-car ProAm class. During the race, the two drivers then had to contend with a few hurdles. The Lamborghini suffered slight damage in two contacts in the field of 35 GT3 cars, which had a negative impact on its performance. Blazek was able to stay just behind the top 10. The longer pit stop meant that Wallenwein no longer had a chance to work his way forwards. The Leipert-Lamborghini crossed the finish line in 14th place in the ProAm classification.
Wallenwein also drove a solid qualifying for the second race. He secured 23rd place on the grid in the overall classification. The race initially went according to plan. Wallenwein continued to work his way forwards until the pit stop and was within striking distance of the top 10. After the driver change, Blazek was able to keep up the pace and had his sights firmly set on a place in the top 10. However, the field spent the last 10 minutes of the race behind the safety car after an accident. Unfortunately, a further improvement in position was no longer possible. Wallenwein/Blazek finished in 11th place in the ProAm classification.
Managing Directors Marcel Leipert & Marc Poos:
‘We are delighted to have made our third guest entry in the international GT Open. The series is very competitive and has a high standard. Our two drivers found their feet after a short familiarisation period and did a good job. In the qualifying sessions and in both races, we were absolutely competitive and within striking distance of our class opponents. The performance was strong, but due to the conditions during the races we were not yet able to convert it into the desired results this time. The GT Open season finale will take place in Monza in three weeks’ time and we plan to be on the grid again.’
The next and final round of the Int. GT Open 2024 will take place at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza (Italy, 18-20 October).
