Team Car Collection climbed to the top step of the podium twice at the International GT Open in Barcelona. After Gustav Bergström and Nico Menzel secured the team’s first overall victory in this championship on Saturday, ‘Hash’ and Alex Fontana took victory in the Pro-Am class on Sunday.
The International GT Open Championship is entering the home straight. At the penultimate event on the Formula one circuit in Barcelona, Car Collection Motorsport once again competed with the three Porsche 911 GT3 Rs.
The spearhead was once again the car with the #15 and the two drivers Gustav Bergström and Nico Menzel, who have been sharing the cockpit all season and have already finished on the podium in the overall standings several times. The duo also put in an outstanding performance in Barcelona. Nico Menzel put the Car Collection Porsche on pole position on Saturday with a superb lap. The Porsche driver held on to first place after the start until the mandatory stop. Gustav Bergström took over the cockpit and returned to the track in second place. After a short time, he was able to reclaim the lead and did not relinquish it until the finish. He thus secured a much-acclaimed debut victory in this championship for Team Car Collection.
On Sunday, Bergström only started the race from 17th place. Both drivers were able to fight their way forward and were already in seventh place when a safety car stopped them from making any further progress. In the overall standings, both drivers are in joint eighth place and still have visual contact with the podium places ahead of the final race weekend.
The #7 Porsche was again driven by Bashar Mardini and Tijmen van der Helm. The Dutchman put the Porsche 911 GT3 R in a good fifth place on the grid in the Pro-Am class on Saturday and was on course for the podium until the driver changeover. His team-mate Bashar Mardini was able to build on this performance, but unfortunately spun shortly before the end of the race, dropping back to eighth place.
On Sunday, Mardini qualified as the best bronze rider in 13th place in the class. Unfortunately, the race ended on the first lap after an accident through no fault of his own.
The third car in the field was the number 12 Porsche driven by ‘Hash’ and Alex Fontana. The American ‘Hash’ started Saturday’s race from 16th on the grid and was involved in an accident on the first lap through no fault of his own, which forced him to retire from the race.
The car was repaired by the technicians of the Car Collection team for Sunday. Alex Fontana thanked them with pole position in the Pro-Am class. The Swiss driver was also in the lead after the start and held it until the driver changeover. ‘Hash’ was also able to maintain the lead with a strong performance until the race ended behind the safety car. The pair crossed the finish line as winners of the Pro-Am class for the first time.
Peter Schmidt, Team Principal: ‘Now that we have finished on the podium several times, I am very happy about our first victories in the GT Open! Gustav and Nico delivered a brilliant performance here and deserved to take the overall victory. But also congratulations to ‘Hash’ and Alex, who beat everyone in the strong Pro-Am class. But that was also down to the hard work of the whole team, who repaired the car perfectly for Sunday. I’m therefore very proud of my team, who once again showed that we can deliver perfect work even in difficult conditions.’
