Weekend notebook: double title for Ferrari in the Ultimate Cup Series
For the third year in a row, the Visiom team clinched the GT Endurance Cup of the Ultimate Cup European Series, winning the final round of the season at the Paul Ricard circuit at the wheel of the 488 GT3 Evo. At Le Castellet, Lyle Schofield of SR&R was also crowned champion in the overall GT Sprint Cup and the Ultimate Cavallino Tridente Cup.
GT Endurance Cup. Jean-Bernard Bouvet and Jean-Paul Pagny, in the car together with Romain Ianetta, won the 6 Hours of Paul Ricard, the final act of the season, confirming themselves for the third consecutive time as series champions. The number 1 Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo of the Visiom team closed with a fourth victory, after triumphs at Paul Ricard in the season-opener, at Mugello and Magny-Cours. Starting from pole position, the Frenchmen held the lead firmly throughout the race, crossing the line first and consolidating the top spot in the overall standings, earning Bouvet and Pagny their third title. Ianetta, who contested only three rounds this season, nevertheless finished third. David Hallyday, who shared the car with the two champions in the winning Mugello round, ended the season eighth.
GT Sprint Cup. Thanks to three wins this season and consistent results that also earned him several bonus points, Lyle Schofield was crowned champion at Le Castellet. The Irish driver, at the wheel of the number 353 296 Challenge of the Manfredi Ravetto team, also won the Ultimate Cavallino Tridente Cup, finishing ahead of Patrick Michellier, with the number 73 296 Challenge of CMR, who took three podium finishes over the weekend, and Emilio Rocchi with the sister car of the SR&R team. At Paul Ricard there was a winning debut for Swiss driver Lukas Azzato who, at the wheel of the number 100 296 Challenge of Kessel Racing, managed to take three victories and a second place in the same UCTC class. In Race 4, third place went to Francois Benedet, at the wheel of the 430 GT3 of F.i Squadra Corse, making its official debut in the series.