One other steamy afternoon on an abrasive monitor not identified for its overtaking alternatives started – maybe inevitably underneath these circumstances – with a number of automobiles within the gravel entice within the first sequence of corners.
Two separate incidents on the ‘Omega’ right-hander meant an early crimson flag and a handful of automobiles – together with the likes of BMW racer Sheldon van der Linde and Mercedes man Maro Engel – can be unable to take the restart.
With the sphere having crossed a timing beam earlier than the crimson flag was thrown, the race resumed behind the security automotive in the identical order that had been established throughout the transient first try: Bortolotti, Luca Stolz and Jack Aitken, whose try to seize the lead across the outdoors of the primary nook had value the Ferrari driver a spot on the preliminary begin.
Bortolotti was in cost from the restart all the way in which to the flag. Although his chasers saved him in sight for many of the day, he stretched his lead out to round three seconds simply earlier than ducking into the pits one lap after the window opened.
A easy cease by his SSR Performance group enabled him to emerge comfortably forward of his rivals, all of whom additionally stopped early within the window.
The Italian did have a mid-race scare when he seen his oil strain dropping. His group was at a loss to elucidate it, and informed him to race on as greatest he may.
His lead dropped to underneath a second at round three-quarter distance, however Bortolotti was capable of lengthen it to greater than a second as soon as once more and handle the hole to the top.
Saturday winner Stolz, whose Workforce HRT Mercedes was saddled with 20kg of success ballast for this race, led the chasing pack all through the afternoon.
Jack Aitken, Emil Frey Racing Ferrari Ferrari 296 GT3
Photograph by: Alexander Trienitz
Probably the most thrilling second of the race got here when Aitken tried to vary that scenario after rising from his pitstop alongside Stolz, who had are available one lap earlier.
Aitken raced side-by-side with Stolz all through the primary advanced of corners, utilizing extra than simply the asphalt at one level. Then all of it unravelled as they emerged from Omega: Stolz lastly shook off the Briton, who then had a small second within the first of the lengthy collection of left-handers.
Abt Audi’s Ricardo Feller noticed this as a possibility, went for a half-gap and hit Aitken’s left rear. The injury was sufficient to place the Ferrari out of the race.
From that time onwards, the rostrum was set, with Feller following Stolz dwelling forward of Franck Perera (SSR Efficiency).
Thomas Preining had taken the championship lead from Bortolotti after the latter may solely handle ninth on Saturday following ABS issues and a penalty.
The Manthey EMA man took fifth in Sunday’s race regardless of heavy strain from Thierry Vermeulen‘s Ferrari within the second half of the competition – nevertheless it wasn’t sufficient to forestall Bortolotti from returning to the highest of the factors desk forward of the penultimate race weekend in Austria.
Race outcome: