Virtual disappointment for Ferrari at Nürburgring

The Iron Lynx and Rinaldi Racing Ferraris finished way off the podium in the SRO Esports GT Pro Series, the usual appetiser for the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup.

Contacts. The first turn, an anticipated and feared point in the real-world race, created some extreme situations with contacts and run-offs. Nielsen, who started from eleventh on the grid in the Iron Lynx 488 GT3 Evo 2020, seized the opportunity to move up to seventh overall and fifth in the Pro class. Benjamin Hites in the Ferrari of Rinaldi Racing was involved in some of these contacts and gained only three places before ceding fifteenth position to Companc. 

Penalties. Unfortunately, Nielsen suffered a drive-through on lap 10 for a clash with a Mercedes in the early stages. After serving his time, the official Ferrari Competizioni GT driver found himself behind Benjamin Hites in sixteenth. However, the Chilean took advantage of the start of the mandatory stops to climb the standings, while Nielsen immediately made his pit stops. The Dane's luck didn't improve, with the Iron Lynx car running off track. With the stop window closed, the two Ferraris were out of the podium zone in the Pro and Silver classes. Thus, they didn't pick up any points for the real-world standings.

Reset. Nielsen took the chequered flag sixty minutes after the lights went out, finishing fourteenth overall and seventh in the Pro class, while Hites secured fifteenth and eighth in the Silver class. Although the virtual counterpart of the Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020 found the German track unsuitable terrain, the hope is that the real 3 Hours of Nürburgring will deliver a different result.