The season-opening round of the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup took place at the Misano World Circuit in Italy over the weekend. A faultless drive in the main race gave Audi pairing Laurens Vanthoor and Frederic Vervisch victory after 38 laps in the opening round.
The Belgian drivers crossed the line just over a second clear of second place finisher HTP Motorsport Mercedes-AMG of Maxi Buhk and Dominik Baumann. Coming in third was the BMW M6 GT3 in the hands Rowe Racing-drivers Philipp Eng and Alexander Sims.
2016 Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup first round results – top ten
F.Vervisch/L.Vanthoor Belgian Audi Club Team WRT – Audi R8 LMS Belgian Audi Club Team WRT D.Baumann/M.Buhk HTP Motorsport – Mercedes-AMG GT3 HTP Motorsport P.Eng/A.Sims Rowe Racing – BMW M6 GT3 Rowe Racing R.Bell/A.Parente Garage – McLaren 650 S GT3 Garage F.Stippler/F.Salaquarda ISR – Audi R8 LMS ISR M.Seefried/N.Siedler Rinaldi Racing – Ferrari 458 GT3 Rinaldi Racing J.Szymkowiak/B.Schneider HTP Motorsport – Mercedes-AMG GT3 HTP Motorsport E.Ide/C.Mies Belgian Audi Club Team WRT – Audi R8 LMS Team WRT R.Giammaria/E.Perez Companc AF Corse – Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 AF Corse D.Zampieri/P.Niederhauser Attempto Racing – Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Attempto Racing View a selection of photos from the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup season-opening round at Misano. (Photos: Vision Sport Agency)
#8 BENTLEY TEAM M-SPORT (GBR) BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT3 MAXIME SOULET (BEL) ANDY SOUCEK (SPA) START #99 ROWE RACING (DEU) BMW M6 GT3 PHILIPP ENG (AUT) ALEXANDER SIMS (GBR) #59 GARAGE 59 (GBR) MCLAREN 650 S GT3 CRAIG DOLBY (GBR) MARTIN PLOWMAN (GBR) #7 BENTLEY TEAM M-SPORT (GBR) BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT3 STEVEN KANE (GBR) VINCENT ABRIL (MCO) #99 ROWE RACING (DEU) BMW M6 GT3 PHILIPP ENG (AUT) ALEXANDER SIMS (GBR) #58 GARAGE 59 (GBR) MCLAREN 650 S GT3 ALVARO PARENTE (PRT) ROB BELL (GBR) #28 BELGIAN AUDI CLUB TEAM WRT (BEL) AUDI R8 LMS GT3 WILL STEVENS (GBR) RENE RAST (DEU) #23 NISSAN GT ACADEMY TEAM RJN (GBR) NISSAN GT-R NISMO GT3 ALEX BUNCOMBE (GBR) MITSUNORI TAKABOSHI (JPN) #74 ISR (CZE) AUDI R8 LMS GT3 FRANCK PERERA (FRA) MARLON STOCKINGER (PHL) #86 HTP MOTORSPORT (DEU) MERCEDES AMG GT3 JULES SZYMKOVIAK (NDl) BERND SCHNEIDER (DEU) #4 BELGIAN AUDI CLUB TEAM WRT (BEL) AUDI R8 LMS GT3 DRIES VANTHOOR (BEL) ROBIN FRIJNS (NDL) #28 BELGIAN AUDI CLUB TEAM WRT (BEL) AUDI R8 LMS GT3 WILL STEVENS (GBR) RENE RAST (DEU) #5 PHOENIX RACING (DEU) AUDI R8 LMS GT3 MARKUS POMMER (DEU) NICOLAJ MOLLER MADSEN (DNK) #4 BELGIAN AUDI CLUB TEAM WRT (BEL) AUDI R8 LMS GT3 DRIES VANTHOOR (BEL) ROBIN FRIJNS (NDL) #77 ATTEMPTO RACING (DEU) LAMBORGHINI HURACAN GT3 JACK FALLA (GBR) DAVIDE FALSECCHI (ITA) #23 NISSAN GT ACADEMY TEAM RJN (GBR) NISSAN GT-R NISMO GT3 ALEX BUNCOMBE (GBR) MITSUNORI TAKABOSHI (JPN) #19 GRT GRASSER RACING TEAM (AUT) LAMBORGHINI HURACAN GT3 LUCA STOLZ (DEU) MICHELE BERETTA (ITA) #86 HTP MOTORSPORT (DEU) MERCEDES AMG GT3 JULES SZYMKOVIAK (NDl) BERND SCHNEIDER (DEU) #8 BENTLEY TEAM M-SPORT (GBR) BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT3 MAXIME SOULET (BEL) ANDY SOUCEK (SPA) WINNERS #1 BELGIAN AUDI CLUB TEAM WRT (BEL) AUDI R8 LMS GT3 LAURENS VANTHOOR (BEL) FREDERIC VERVISCH (BEL) WINNERS – #84 HTP MOTORSPORT (DEU) MERCEDES AMG GT3 MAXIMILIAN BUHK (DEU) DOMINK BAUMANN (DEU) SECOND – #99 ROWE RACING (DEU) BMW M6 GT3 PHILIPP ENG (AUT) ALEXANDER SIMS (GBR) THIRD