On the 24H SERIES’ first official endurance event in France, RAM Racing tore the proverbial monkey from its back with its first official series win. One well-earned after a race-long battle with HB Racing Team Herberth. 

The Bavarian outfit led 118 of the 586 laps outright and was closing in on the RAM Racing Merc as the race reached its finale when Le Castellet’s soaring temperatures sent the Porsche’s electronics haywire. Although Herberth was able to rejoin, the Porsche was two laps behind at the chequered flag, a result that propelled RAM Racing to the top of both the podium and the championship standings.

Herberth was far from the only GT3 team to hit trouble at Circuit Paul Ricard though. HP Racing and Scuderia Praha managed to tangle at the very first corner but, quite incredibly, fought back through the field to secure 3rd and 4th places respectively. This, despite the Ferrari tripping over the Red Camel-Jordans.nl MARC as well inside the final three hours. 

SPS automotive-performance harried the leader incessantly during the opening hour but made contact with a lapped car heading out of the final corner, the resultant broken suspension costing the team 30 minutes in repairs. Hofor-Racing also ran solidly in the top five for the first half of the event only to suffer fuel pump issues and, later, a collision with the Red Camel-Jordans.nl SEAT. The Swiss team received a mighty slap on the wrist for driving the Mercedes, now with a sparking front left wheel, into the refueling area.  

Thus, in an impressive showing, Ruffier Racing and Crubilé Sport finished 5th and 6th on the road to secure the top two steps of the 991 class. GDL Racing and Porsche Lorient Racing proved the category’s demonstrative pace by rounding out the overall top 10 in 9th and 10th. 

Behind the Car Collection Motorsport Mercedes, MARC Cars Australia took its fourth successive SP2 class win of the year. It was the #92 Focus V8 on this occasion though that secured the honours in 8th place, the sister #91 managing only 40th overall after multiple gearbox issues, hampering the latter’s overall championship assault in the process. 

Nova Race secured a commanding 1-2 finish in the SP3 class, and despite a terrifying spin at 170kph (caused by wheel hub failure), Hofor-Kuepperracing took victory in a heavily depleted A5 category, the soaring temperatures having fried most of its competitors’ engines. Team Altran took its second consecutive A3T class win ahead of NKPP Racing’s brand-new SEAT Leon Cup Racer, while Securtal Sorg Rennsport was the CUP1 victor. presenza.eu Racing Team Clio took the A2-class win after early leader Team K-Rejser suffered engine failure, and many also applauded the efforts of Nilsson Motorsport Team Scantech, which finished 6th in-class despite entering the 24-hour event with only two drivers!