Toon WEC- Monza

Time for the first ‘sprint’ race of the season; we’re in Monza, Italy, for the first of three 3-hour races in the WEC – get ready for high speeds of about 200+ MPH, as we tackle the 3 Hours of Monza!

Outright Pole: (8) Toyota Racing; Toyota TS040 Hybrid [LMP1 Polesitter]
Starting Driver: Trowa Barton

2nd: (1) Audi Sport Team Joest; Audi R18 e-tron quattro
Starting Driver: Serena Tsukino

3rd: (7) Toyota Racing; Toyota TS040 Hybrid
Starting Driver: Shinji Itsuki

4th: (15) Porsche Team; Porsche 919 Hybrid
Starting Driver: Armin Arlert

5th: (2) Audi Sport Team Joest; Audi R18 e-tron quattro
Starting Driver: Nicole Yumehara

6th: (20) Porsche Team; Porsche 919 Hybrid
Starting Driver: Annie Leonhart

7th: (12) Rebellion Racing; Rebellion R-One
Starting Driver: Dan Kuso

8th: (13) Rebellion Racing; Rebellion R-One
Starting Driver: Alice Gehabich

9th: (38) Jota Sport; Zytek Z11SN [LMP2 Polesitter]
Starting Driver: Alex Pedro

10th: (55) BMW Team RLL; BMW Z4 GTE [GT1 Polesitter]
Starting Driver: Mack McCorkenstein-Taifule

11th: (3) Corvette Racing; Chevrolet Corvette C7.R
Starting Driver: Aelita Stones

12th: (28) Greaves Motorsport; Zytek Z11SN
Starting Driver: Zachary Fitzwater

13th: (57) Krohn Racing; Ferrari 458 Italia GT2
Starting Driver: Danny Phantom

14th: (4) Corvette Racing; Chevrolet Corvette C7.R
Starting Driver: Ulrich Stern

15th: (911) Porsche North America; Porsche 911 RSR
Starting Driver: Tommy Pickles

16th: (912) Porsche North America; Porsche 911 RSR
Starting Driver: Heidi Wienerman

17th: (48) Murphy Prototypes; Oreca 03
Starting Driver: Zach Rogers

18th: (29) Pegasus Racing; Morgan LMP2
Starting Driver: Matt McIntire

19th: (35) Audi Team Flying Lizard Motorsports; Audi R8 LMS
Starting Driver: Nigel Uno

20th: (17) Team Falken Tire; Porsche 911 RSR
Starting Driver: Ben Tennyson

21st: (43) Newblood by Morand Racing; Morgan LMP2
Starting Driver: David Rivera

22nd: (24) Sébastien Loeb Racing; Oreca 03
Starting Driver: James McCloud

23rd: (34) Race Performance; Oreca 03
Starting Driver: Ian Dutta

24th: (97) Aston Martin Racing; Aston Martin Vantage GTE
Starting Driver: Phineas Flynn

25th: (36) Signatech Alpine; Alpine A450b
Starting Driver: Jonathan Zoerlein

26th: (46) Thiriet by TDS Racing; Ligier JS P2
Starting Driver: Pichu London

27th: (50) Larbre Compétition; Morgan LMP2
Starting Driver: Dougie Shears

28th: (91) SRT Motorsports; Dodge Viper GTS-R
Starting Driver: Jimmy Neutron

29th: (66) BMW Sports Trophy Team Marc VDS; BMW Z4 GT3 [GT3 Polesitter]
Starting Driver: Deon Scott

30th: (23) Audi Team United Autosports; Audi R8 LMS Ultra
Starting Driver: Alex Minazuki

31st: (88) Triple Eight Race Engineering; BMW Z4 GT3
Starting Driver: Connor Breton

32nd: (61) R&D Sport; Subaru BRZ
Starting Driver: Andreas Allen

33rd: (16) AF Corse; Ferrari 458 Italia GT3
Starting Driver: Jacob Lawlor

34th: (9) Pacific Racing Team; Porsche 911 GT3
Starting Driver: William Duncan

35th: (77) BMW Sports Trophy Team Marc VDS; BMW Z4 GT3
Starting Driver: Christopher Pierce

36th: (99) ART Grand Prix; McLaren MP4-12C GT3
Starting Driver: Taylor Dent

37th: (33) Trackspeed; Porsche 997 GT3-R
Starting Driver: Austin Talley

38th: (360) Tomei Sports; Nissan GT-R GT3
Starting Driver: Kyle Collins

39th: (98) ART Grand Prix; McLaren MP4-12C GT3
Starting Driver: Shawn Henley

40th: (11) Gainer; Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3
Starting Driver: Jack Kearney

41st: 888) Triple Eight Race Engineering; BMW Z4 GT3
Starting Driver: Ty Dent

42nd: (22) Green Tec Racing; Nissan GT-R GT3
Starting Driver: Clint Spillman
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Did Not Qualify:
(93) SRT Motorsports (GT1)
(62) Risi Competizione (GT1)
(45) Flying Lizard Motorsports (GT1)
(56) BMW Team RLL (GT1)
(5) Oman Racing Team (GT3)
(101) Team LNT (GT3)
(86) JLOC (GT3)
(19) Black Falcon (GT3)
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Once again, Ben Edwards and John Watson are your commentators from British Eurosport. Over to you, guys!

Ben Edwards: Welcome to picturesque Italy! We’re just north of the city of Milan, at the Autodromo Internazionale Monza, for the second round of the Cartoon WEC, and the first sprint race of the season, the 3 Hours of Monza!

Last time at Silverstone, the #8 Toyota LMP1 team took the checkered flag in a very close battle with the #15 Porsche 919 and the #1 Audi of Serena Tsukino; Thiriet, Rahal BMW and Marc VDS BMW also won their classes. Can all of them defend their class leads from their rivals?

Good afternoon, everyone, I’m Ben Edwards, and alongside me is my partner, John Watson. John, this is the first time we’ve run a 3-hour race in the WEC, and the first time since 2008 that we’ve raced in Monza. Who will be your ones on the watch?

John Watson: Monza is known to be a high-speed track, as Formula 1 can always tell you; this track will also be the first opportunity to run their Le Mans setups before the big race on May 24th.

My senses say that Porsche will win this one – they’ve had a whole year to analyze the rules and make a car that’s efficient through the aerodynamics; but don’t underestimate Toyota’s power advantage, with nearly 1,000 horsepower on tap with their engine/hybrid system combo, and Audi with their cornering speed advantages, despite their power deficit to the other two teams.

A team was expected to make its first appearance; that team being Volvo, with their PLM15, joint-ventured and developed together with Tom Walkinshaw – unfortunately, the Gothenburg team decided to push back their debut to focus on testing for their car’s engine. The chassis, reportedly, is about three tenths a lap faster than that of the Audi’s.

We know the Ligier has brilliant cornering ability with the addition of that Nissan engine, but will it come to the rescue for Thiriet? I’m looking to one of the Zytek teams taking the cake. As for GT1 and GT3, I’m imagining one of the Audi teams or Corvette to take it.

Ben Edwards: There’s some food for thought, as we get going for three hours of high speed!

As the cars begin their pace lap, we take a quick look at our Tag Heuer Starting Grid; Once again, a Toyota takes the top spot, as Trowa Barton for the #8 Toyota team takes outright pole over Serena Tsukino, who had a flyer of a lap in the #1 Audi!

The #38 Jota Sport of Alex Pedro and #55 Rahal Letterman Lanigan BMW of Mack McCorkenstein-Taifule take their respective poles in LMP2 and GT1; behind them are the #3 Corvette and #28 Greaves-Zytek.

Further down into the field, only a few hundredths of a second separated United Autosport’s Alex Minazuki and GT3 Pole-sitter Deon Scott – look for some battles between these two. Connor Bretton and Andreas Allen for Triple Eight and R&D start right behind them.

John Watson: Because this is a “regulated field” race, only 42 cars can make the grid; the LMP1 and LMP2 cars were well in range of the 107% rule, but for GT1 and GT3, this poses a problem, as their qualifying rule involves the bottom four cars not racing; we take a look at who’s not starting at Monza today:

Did Not Qualify:
(93) SRT Motorsports (GT1)
(62) Risi Competizione (GT1)
(45) Flying Lizard Motorsports (GT1)
(56) BMW Team RLL (GT1)
(5) Oman Racing Team (GT3)
(101) Team LNT (GT3)
(86) JLOC (GT3)
(19) Black Falcon (GT3)

Ben Edwards: The guest of honor and flag-waver for the 3 Hours of Monza for today is two-time GT1 winner of Le Mans, Giancarlo Fisichella – also a former Formula 1 driver and current Ferrari GT1 driver in the WEC.

Barton and Tsukino lead the field around the Parabolica to the main straight – Fisi waves green flag in the air, AND WE ARE GO FOR THE 3 HOURS OF MONZA!

(Start - 1st minute of 3 hours (180 minutes); time skip to 20 minutes of 180)

Ben: Minazuki seizes the lead from Scott, as they exit the Lesmos! But look at this, Scott is going to draft Minazuki down Serraglio!

John: Minazuki’s going to block him! Give the guy some credit; he’s dealing with a tough rival here!

Into Ascari, and Minazuki still has the edge! Scott is still not giving up – he’s right on the bumper of Minazuki’s Audi!

Ben: Over to GT1, and it looks as though the resistance is broken – down the main straight, Fenton and Stones have finally gotten past McCorkenstein-Taifule, and are now battling for the lead in GT1!

Into Rettifilo, Stones looks to have the advantage – and she does! The #3 Corvette goes to the lead after 22 minutes!

Off to LMP2, and it looks as though the Greaves-Zytek of Zachary Fitzwater has overtaken the Jota-Zytek and is currently extending its lead! Fitzwater really wants that first win of the season for his team!

LMP1 – there is a three way battle between Tsukino, Barton and Arlert; all three of them have traded places back and forth between each other during the start of the race! It looks as though the Porsche has the advantage on the straights, the Audi through the slower corners, and the Toyota through the faster corners!

Coming into the main straight, the Toyota has the lead, but look at that Porsche romp away from it and the Audi! Are we seeing a bit of strategy coming into play here for these teams?

(90 minutes (1h30m) of 180 – no Yellow flags yet)

John: Jack Kearney and Austin Talley have reported brake issues on both their Mercedes and Porsche, and have returned to the pits to retire. Speaking of which, here come the LMP1 teams now!

The three race contenders – Arlert, Barton and Tsukino – are exiting the cars, making way for their respective teammates, Eren Jaeger, Amy Mizuno and Duo Maxwell – but look at this: the #7 Toyota of Shinji Itsuki, now in the hands of Asuka Langley – is already out! Look at that! Next one is Jaeger, followed by Maxwell, then Mizuno!

Here come the LMP2 cars – Fitzwater already making way for Zikki Marley! Clean and efficient pit-stop by the Greaves Motorsport team!

GT1 – Fenton and Stones are both in; making way for Manson and della Robbia; who’s going to jump who first?

That’s close, but della Robbia retains the lead!

Over to GT3, and Minazuki and Scott are both in! Here come Young and Barker for VDS and United – first one out’s going to be Barker for the United Audi team; the VDS BMW following shortly after!

(125 minutes (2h05m) of 180)

Ben: Look at this! Jaeger barges his way past Langley at the Parabolica – he had just enough room to fit and pass the #7 Toyota!

She’s going to let her teammate in the #8 by – but the #8 is being trailed by the #1 Audi! This is incredible! The battle for the lead is on again!

Asuka’s going to force the issue with Tsukino down the main straight – she gets by, but can she hold it as they go into Rettifilo?

Yes, she can, but just barely! Tsukino gets held up by a bit of traffic, and Langley can get away cleanly!

John: LMP2 – and the Greaves-Zytek is calling it quits on their brakes as well! They’re gonna retire from the race, and with that, Sébastien Loeb Racing goes to the lead, after taking advantage of a risky strategy call!

As for GT3 – Barker and Young are going at it for the win there, just like they did with Silverstone a couple of weeks ago! Barker looks to have the edge – can they preserve it?

(Finish: 180 minutes of 180)

Ben: Eren Jaeger is going to win this race by a close margin - .6 second separates him from Duo Maxwell, Asuka Langley and Serena Tsukino! There he goes; Jaeger wins for Porsche in their second race!

John: Luigi Victorino of Sébastien Loeb Racing is going to win his home race here in Monza, 10 seconds ahead of Chris Maley! There he goes – Victorino wins the LMP2 class for SLR!

Ben: GT1, and Odd della Robbia will take Corvette’s first rightful victory in the WEC ahead of Sam in the Corvette, and Jay Barker is going to win the GT3 class in a photo-finish victory against Dillon Young!

LMP1 Winner: (15) Porsche Team
2. (8) Toyota Racing
3. (7) Toyota Racing
4. (1) Audi Sport Team Joest
5. (2) Audi Sport Team Joest
6. (20) Porsche Team
7. (12) Rebellion Racing
8. (13) Rebellion Racing

LMP2 Winner: (24) Sébastien Loeb Racing
2. (38) Jota Sport
3. (50) Labre Compétition
4. (46) Thiriet by TDS Racing
5. (34) Race Performance
6. (48) Murphy Prototypes
7. (36) Signatech Alpine
8. (29) Pegasus Racing
9. (43) Newblood by Morand Racing
10. (28) Greaves Motorsport (Retired)

GT1 Winner: (3) Corvette Racing
2. (57) Krohn Racing
3. (35) Flying Lizard
4. (91) SRT Motorsports
5. (55) BMW Team RLL
6. (17) Team Falken Tire
7. (911) Porsche North America Motorsports
8. (4) Corvette Racing
9. (912) Porsche North America
10. (97) Aston Martin Racing
11. (62) Risi Competizione (DNS)
12. (56) BMW Team RLL (DNS)
13. (93) SRT Motorsports (DNS)
14. (45) Flying Lizard Motorsports (DNS)

GT3 Winner: (23) United Autosports
2. (66) BMW Sports Trophy Team Marc VDS
3. (360) Tomei Sports
4. (61) R&D Sport
5. (77) BMW Sports Trophy Team Marc VDS
6. (98) ART Grand Prix
7. (22) Green Tec Racing
8. (16) AF Corse
9. (99) ART Grand Prix
10. (888) Triple Eight Race Engineering
11. (88) Triple Eight Race Engineering
12. (9) Pacific Racing Team
13. (11) Gainer (Retired)
14. (33) Trackspeed (Retired)
15. (101) Team LNT (DNS)
16. (5) Oman Racing Team (DNS)
17. (19) Black Falcon (DNS)
18. (86) JLOC (DNS)

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Interviews:

Eren Jaeger and Armin Arlert (LMP1 Winners – Porsche)

Eren: “I have to say, that was one hell of a battle! Heaven knows what would have happened, had it been 6 hours for Monza. Wonderful battles all around – this is a big step up from the podium we had a while back at Silverstone. I know the guys back at Stuttgart are going to be drinking themselves to celebration tonight! Thanks to Barton and Serena for keeping the race on edge!”

Armin: “Spa’s the next stop – and our second Le Mans test. We’re getting ever so closer to Le Mans crown #17 and that all-important championship! “

Luigi Victorino and James McCloud (LMP2 Winners – Sébastien Loeb Racing)

Luigi: “It’s always a joy to win in your home country, lucky or not! Right now, I’m just gonna go off and party the night away! See you at Spa!”

James: “Agreed. Well done to the set-up – we’ll see you at Spa!”

Aelita Stones and Odd Della Robbia (GT1 Winners – Corvette Racing)

Aelita: “I’m glad we could get a win for Corvette! I know how my father raced in the LMP1 class with Porsche, and I hope to carry on his legacy by winning at Spa and Monza as well!”

Odd: “But we have to stay focused and keep developing the car as we go! On that note, we’ll see you at Spa!”

Alex Minazuki and Jay Barker (GT3 Winners – United Autosports)

Alex: “That should put Deon Scott in his place! Finally, we get a win for the Audi guys! GT3, yes, but it’s a win nonetheless! Anyway, Spa’s next, and we’re looking forward to put him further in his place – we’ll see you then!”

Nick: “Yep. What he said!”

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However, Toyota Racing were now likely going to be stripped of their podium positions after an rumour spreaded though the paddock of an illegal bodywork that flopped during the race, it seemed they down graded the carbon fibre of the car that made them slicker on the straights, their 2nd and 3rd and the result from Spa will be herald up until the case reaches an decision

Points:
LMP1:

GT1:

LMP2:

GT3:

Next Up: 6 Hours of Spa, Stay Tooned