GTO: Series Monza preview

Huge Expectation Ahead Of Traditional Monza Event

The Monza GT Open is at our doorstep (the 6th round of the International GT open is taking place on 3-4 October) and as always when the Monza event approaches, expectation is growing big, for a number of good reasons.

The Autodromo Nazionale di Monza is not only a temple of motorsports, a track that sublimates GT racing and the home of the warmest and most acknowledgeable fan crowd; it is also the place where the first GT Open event was held, back in April 2006.

This year, the event is waited with additional anxiety. On one hand, it will be an extraordinarily rich and attracting racing week-end, as for the first time the International GT Open and the Euro F3 Open, the two international series organized by GT Sport, will hold a joint meeting with the Superleague Formula, the innovative and successful single-seater formula which has brought together the exciting worlds of motorsports and football. A number of other series (Italian Prototypes Championship, Formula Academy EuroSeries, Formula Azzurra and the 45th Trofeo Cadetti F.Junior Monza) will join the show, giving Italian fans a rich and busy programme.

On the other hand, the International GT Open is reaching its climax, with a battle title more closely-fought than ever and that sees no less than five teams in contention. Richard Lietz-Gianluca Roda (Autorlando Porsche) are now leading the standings with a mere 2-point advantage (146 vs 144) on Switzerland's Trottet Ferrari of Marcel Fassler- Joel Camathias. Third with 128 points and growing in competitiveness are Patrick Pilet-Raymond Narac, while the Portuguese pair of Autorlando, Manuel Gião-Pedro Couceiro has also joined the party (122) and Advanced Engineerings top duo, Giacomo Ricci-Michele Rugolo (99) has not said its last word.

In GTS, The Ferrari GT3 by Kessel of Philipp Peter-Michal Broniszewski is in a more comfortable position, but always under the threat of the Aston Martins of the Villois Racing entrusted to Wiser-Lancieri and Guerrero-Petrini.

Traditionally, Monza is also one of the best-attended events of the year and this will again be true this year, with a number of teams, Italian and not, joining the regular participants or adding cars to their entry. At present moment, when entry period is still open, we can anticipate to reach the threshold of 30 cars.

The International GT Open is broadcasted live in Italy (Nuvolari), Spain (Canal+) and Portugal (Sport TV), and benefits of extensive delayed coverage throughout Europe thanks to Eurosport 2 and Motors TV.

-credit: gto