For the #777 D’Station Racing AMR of Fujii and Fagg, that equation into another second row start within their GT300 class as the race was started was eventually started under new dry conditions.

Early battles from Fujii within the opening laps saw that battle be for the class lead before their first pit stop of the race on lap 29. A heavy ‘off’ for a GT500 car brought out the Safety Car for the first time on lap 38 as Fagg then found himself heavily involved amongst the GT500 frontrunners when the race went back to green.

Cycling through the remainder of the race, their championship rivals within the #2 Toyota was given a drive through penalty just ahead of another GT500 going off into the barriers to bring out the Safety Car again – all of which helped the cause of the #777 P3 in class at the time.

Then with just twelve minutes remaining, a third heavy off for a GT500 car brought out the Safety Car for a third and final time which thwarted the #777 D’Station final charge back up the order following their final pit stop to see them eventually finish P5 overall and yet still behind the #2 car that finished second in class to extend their points deficit between them with two rounds still to go.

Photo credits – Team / Series / social media

With AMR factory driver Marco Sorensen helping team manager and co-driver Tomonobu Fujii open the team’s return to this series after something of a four-year sabbatical, the co-driver position has been taken since then by the team’s former World Endurance Championship driver in Charlie Fagg.

Since then, the AMR Partner team has found their GT300 Championship position elevate from bottom after two rounds to a very competitive third in class by the end of the five rounds ticked off so far. 

Finally, getting to grips with their new Dunlop rubber beneath them has allowed the team to win first out at Suzuka back June alongside a P3 finish at Sugo in September and that is despite having to carry an additional 50kg in success ballast as well.

As far as we can ascertain, it is a return of both Fujii and Fagg at Autopolis for this three-hour race on Sunday amongst a class grid of twenty-seven cars.

Photo credits – Team / Series / social media

The three drivers maintained a top three position for a majority of the race and led 21 laps. Gunn, Riberas and De Angelis each took their turn behind the wheel for a stint during a caution-filled first half of the race. De Angelis handed the Aston Martin to Riberas on lap 277 while in second. Riberas was able to keep the No. 23 in podium contention through his final stints.

Gunn finished the final three hours of the race for the No. 23 team and needed a second-place finish to win the championship, but the Brit came up short, finishing just 1.845 seconds behind the second-place Ferrari. This earned the No. 23 Heart of Racing team its fifth podium of the season.

Mario Farnbacher, Zacharie Robichon, and Marco Sorensen teamed up in the No. 027 Aston Martin Vantage GT3, the trio earned a fourth-place finish after Sorensen qualified eighth for the freshly upgraded GTD PRO team. 

The No. 027 Heart of Racing team steadily worked its way through the GTD PRO field on Saturday with great strategy calls, flawless driving and impeccable pit stops. Sorensen drove the first 50 laps, before the team strategist called the Danish driver down pit lane, beating a caution that closed the pits and placing the team towards the front of the field. From there the trio made great pace to finish in fourth.

The Heart of Racing Team’s racing season isn’t quite over yet, the team heads to Bahrain November 2nd for the FIA World Endurance Championship season finale.

Quoteboard:

Ross Gunn: “It's been an emotional roller coaster of a day. I would say, we got a nice present early on in the race. We knew that we needed some luck on our side to win the championship, and we definitely got that early on. But as Petit Le Mans proves, it's one of the most challenging races in the world and we threw everything at it. I’m so proud to be a part of this team. It's the end of my fourth year now and to see where the team was four years ago to now is just incredible.”

Alex Riberas: “Definitely a bittersweet feeling today. We gave it our all out there, and as a team, I have to say, I couldn't be any prouder of every single member on the strategy side, on the pit stops, the drivers, my teammates, they did a phenomenal job. Ross did one of the best stints I've ever seen. Unfortunately we came up just short of the championship, but we finished the year on a high with another podium and a season that we can be very proud of as a team. I think our worst result was sixth place in the entire year. I think that's a showcase of the consistency and the level of the team that has been outstanding all year long. I can only say thank you to the Heart of Racing and Aston Martin Racing.

Roman De Angelis: “I think the race went really well. Honestly, we did everything that we could have as a team and as a group of drivers to try to win the championship. Unfortunately, we fell short by one position. I’m really, really proud of everyone at the Heart of Racing, and honestly, really proud of Ross as well. The last stint he did was super impressive. Obviously, we know how great he is, but that was just awesome to see. We can all go home proud, thinking we basically did everything we could. I’m super fortunate to be given the chance to drive the No. 23 this weekend.”

Zacharie Robichon: “Our goal this weekend for the No. 027 was to see the No. 23 win the championship and we just came up so short, but not from a lack of effort from the team. Everybody did such a great job. Ross at the end of the race was just fantastic. I think the timing of the last caution didn't help them. From our side, it was a very average race, I would say. For me there was lots to learn, but it was fun sharing the car with Mario and Marco. This was a nice opportunity to be able to race in the GTD PRO class, but definitely an eye opening experience for me.”

Marco Sorensen: “I really feel for both Ross and the whole team, they actually deserve to get the championship. The No. 027 Aston Martin had a decent pace. I would say throughout the whole race, it was nice to be able to fight with the other cars. The race, for some reason, this year compared to last year was actually very clean, and it made it a more enjoyable Petit Le Mans. I think we can be happy about the race. We gained a few positions in the race with good strategy, and pit stops. I’m quite happy that we managed to actually be P4.”

Mario Farnbacher: “I would say we did everything we could to help the 23 today. First of all, it was a shame, it didn't work out, but I think the No. 23 and the No. 77 had a really good fight for the championship in the end. As far as the No. 027 our goal was to keep the car clean and to be in a good position at the end. I tried to learn each time I was in the car. I think P4 is a good result.”

Source material - HoRT

Having seen the best of the weather in the morning Qualifying, the thirty-two strong grid was being formed as threateningly dark clouds built up in the not so far distance meaning that many crews elected for wet weather tyres even though the grid was then still dry.

Charging into the tight right hander for the first time, contact between two cars within the second half of the grid saw both make heavy contact with each other and the outer circuit wall where one erupted into a ball of flame as their fuel cell was ruptured before slewing across the track. Mercifully, neither driver was to receive significant injury, and both were able to self-extricate themselves from what was left of their cars, but the race was then destined for a prolonged Safety Car as the necessary clean-up operation and circuit repairs were made.

By this time the rain had arrived with a vengeance but within that half opening lap before the Safety Car was called, some had moved up the order before the yellow flags neutralised the race. With many hanging on with slicks until the pit window, others were to spin off in the conditions.

With the best Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin Racing Vantage GT3 having qualified in P13 overall, it was to the be gold class #21 car of Matisse Lismont and David Pittard who would come out on top within the teams quartet of cars as by the time the Safety Car was withdrawn – there was little over five minutes of racing left.

Having lost the #11 car of James Jakes after the first lap (racing solo this weekend after his original co-driver was taken ill at a late stage to the weekend) and then the car developing an internal issue, both the #007 and #12 ended up in the gravel for some more heartache with another DNF apiece.

Eventually crossing the line P11 overall, a P3 podium position in Gold was a great reward for their efforts despite the briefest of racing periods.

Sundays finale was all togther different as the sun and the track temperatures eventually returned after something of a delayed start to the track programme due to poor visibility.

With the drivers this time reversed, race two would prove itself to be almost incident free and that allowed those who needed to race to win championships just that although another AMR Vantage GT3 wasn’t to be left out of that fun – although it was just for fun considering their season long turmoil with performance. With further BoP adjustments being made between races, this time the new Vantage GT3 Evo looked and was quick but that was something too little too late for their season aspirations.

Having had AMR driver Drudi run another faultless stint, it was done to Nicolas Baert to see off the unwanted attention of the Garbage 59 McLaren during the closing stages to finally seal that crews first podium finish of the year in second overall. The #21 crew were unable to make the final race weekend a double as they come home fourth in Gold whilst the #12 car of Dante Rappange and Lorens Lecertua this time did manage to finish the race fifth in silver whilst the solo driven #11 car was again another DNF with only a handful of laps completed.

That is now the Sprint Series completed – congratulations to all the new class Champions this time around as the series now looks ahead to its Endurance Cup conclusion way over in Saudi Arabia at the end of November.

Photo credits – Team / Series / social media