The weekend hosting the Imola Classic at the Enzo and Dino Ferrari International Circuit is in full swing, with the remaining qualifying sessions completed and the first four races held for the Classic Endurance Legends 1 and 2, Gentlemen Challenge, and Sixties’ Endurance categories.
No-holds-barred battle in Classic Endurance Legends 1. The one to pay the price was race leader Christian Albrecht (MG EX257), who was rear-ended by Jamie Constable (Zytek 04S) as the latter was charging through the field in full comeback mode. After spinning out, Albrecht managed to rejoin the race and secured the win following a 30-second penalty handed to Constable by Race Control. Third step of the podium for Mike Newton (MG EX264), who also took first place in his class.
Dominant performance by Dr. Afschin Fatemi (Tojeiro EE) in the Gentlemen Challenge. Starting from pole position, he immediately pulled away, crossing the finish line with more than a 10-second gap over his closest pursuers. A thrilling finish for the remaining podium spots saw Frederic Wakeman (Cooper T38) successfully fend off the attacks of Nigel Greensall (Lister Costin Jaguar), who had caught up to him on the very last lap.
Victory for Marco Zanasi (Ferrari F430 Evo) in the Classic Endurance Legends 2. A perfect start from pole position set the tone, and from that moment on, no one was able to threaten his march to victory. He consistently kept his toughest rival, Philip Kadoorie—also driving a Ferrari F430—at a safe distance, with Kadoorie finishing just over 5 seconds behind. Sebastian Glaser (Porsche 993 Evo) prevented a Ferrari sweep by finishing ahead of Pierre Ehret in the Ferrari F430.
The Sixties’ Endurance race was practically not run due to heavy rain, with periods behind the Safety Car and multiple pit stops, but it still produced a final result. The winner was Loris Hezemans (Bizzarrini 5300 GT), ahead of Jeremy da Rocha (Austin-Healey 3000 Mk II) and Phil Keen (Jaguar E-Type 3.8).
