The latest auto news, reviews, prices, product and vehicle releases. Dec
15th
Stay connected Subscribe to our RSS feed
From Gulf12hours.com
The top Italian AF Corse team scored its second successive victory in the Gulf 12 Hours around the spectacular Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.
After winning the inaugural race by just 2.6s, AF Corse had things a little easier this time as former Minardi F1 driver ‘Gimmi' Bruni, Finn Toni Vilander, and Venezuelan Gaetano Ardagna took their Ferrari 458 to a 25s victory over the AF Waltrip 458 driven by Ryan Dalziel, Pierre Kaffer and Alex Popow after 309 laps of the challenging, varied Hermann Tilke-designed circuit.
Smart strategy when the team took two of its four mandatory two minute second half pit stops under a Safety Car, set up the win.
“It was a good call from the team and I'd like to thank Toni and Gaetano as well,” Bruni said. “We didn't put the car off the track all race and we were all quick and consistent.”
Vilander added: “We learned from our opponents (Kessel) who used strategy to strong effect in the first half of the race. It was a great event at a fabulous venue.”
The final podium place went to the Autorlando Porsche of the Dutch Bleekemolen brothers, Jeroen and Sabastiaan, sharing with Venezuelan Emilio Di Guida. Jeroen Bleekemolen in particular drove some heroic stints as the team tried to make up for a 60s stop/go penalty for exceeding the maximum 75 minutes stint length at the very start of the race.
The team seemed set for a strong recovery in the last 90 minutes of the race but the younger Bleekemolen actually felt ill for the final portion, cutting short his chase of the AF Waltrip car.
Fourth place also fell to the Italian-American AF Waltrip team, in the shape of Maurizio Mediani, Michele Rugolo and Steve Wyatt.
The top Italian AF Corse team scored its second successive victory in the Gulf 12 Hours around the spectacular Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.
After winning the inaugural race by just 2.6s, AF Corse had things a little easier this time as former Minardi F1 driver ‘Gimmi' Bruni, Finn Toni Vilander, and Venezuelan Gaetano Ardagna took their Ferrari 458 to a 25s victory over the AF Waltrip 458 driven by Ryan Dalziel, Pierre Kaffer and Alex Popow after 309 laps of the challenging, varied Hermann Tilke-designed circuit.
Smart strategy when the team took two of its four mandatory two minute second half pit stops under a Safety Car, set up the win.
“It was a good call from the team and I'd like to thank Toni and Gaetano as well,” Bruni said. “We didn't put the car off the track all race and we were all quick and consistent.”
 |
| Checkered flag of the 2012 Gulf 12 Hours (Photo: Gulf12hours.com) |
Vilander added: “We learned from our opponents (Kessel) who used strategy to strong effect in the first half of the race. It was a great event at a fabulous venue.”
The final podium place went to the Autorlando Porsche of the Dutch Bleekemolen brothers, Jeroen and Sabastiaan, sharing with Venezuelan Emilio Di Guida. Jeroen Bleekemolen in particular drove some heroic stints as the team tried to make up for a 60s stop/go penalty for exceeding the maximum 75 minutes stint length at the very start of the race.
The team seemed set for a strong recovery in the last 90 minutes of the race but the younger Bleekemolen actually felt ill for the final portion, cutting short his chase of the AF Waltrip car.
Fourth place also fell to the Italian-American AF Waltrip team, in the shape of Maurizio Mediani, Michele Rugolo and Steve Wyatt.