PWC - Vilander Clinches Another World Challenge Title with Ferrari

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (2 Sept., 2018) – After fighting for positions all the way to the finish line, Ferrari driver Toni Vilander clinched the 2018 Pirelli World Challenge combined GT championship with a run to fourth place at Watkins Glen International on Saturday.   Having captured the combined GT Sprint and GT SprintX championships, Vilander was hoping to claim the sprint GT title in Sunday’s season finale, but came up just eight points shy of a third World Challenge championship on the season.   GT   Sunday’s race saw Vilander once again fight to fourth at the finish, leaving him just eight points shy of claiming the sprint GT championship.   “I said on the radio after the race, ‘Guys, we won two out of three, let’s be happy,’” Vilander said. “It’s been a great year overall.”   “We had a bad start – the (lap one) incident caused a bit of a problem,” said team owner Remo Ferri. “We didn’t qualify well, and I think that’s the key – we should have qualified much better.  But we won two championships. We had a great year, a great team, great car, great driver, it’s a great sport for everybody. We put a lot of effort into this, a lot of work with long hours, and a lot of money, but in the end, it’s great to be in the championship.”   Sunday saw the Long Beach round winner, Daniel Mancinelli in the No. 31 Oprena Ferrari 488 GT3 eliminated in a Turn 1 incident on the opening lap.   “I was on the inside line in Turn 1, and I had a big hit from the outside,” Mancinelli said. “My day is finished. I’m very disappointed, but some guy from behind gave me a big hit.”   The champions  will be celebrated at the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Show in Indianapolis this December.