- Emil Frey Racing win the Teams’ championship in Race 1
- Giacomo Altoè and Albert Costa claim the Drivers’ title with fourth place on Sunday
- Lamborghini also wraps up second consecutive IMSA GTD title at Petit Le Mans
Sant’Agata Bolognese/Monza, 13 October 2019 – Emil Frey Racing ensured Lamborghini tasted yet more GT3 success in 2019, as Giacomo Altoè and Albert Costa clinched the International GT Open championship title in the final round of the season at Monza. Meanwhile a late-race charge by Paul Miller Racing’s Bryan Sellers has clinched the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GT Daytona manufacturer’s championship for Lamborghini at Petit Le Mans.
Costa qualified the #63 on pole for GT Open Saturday’s opening race and led the early stages ahead of the mandatory driver-change pit-stop, which they took with just over half an hour of the race remaining. They rejoined in fifth place but such was the pace of the Huracán in the latter stages, Altoè immediately launched himself onto the back of the McLaren of Fran Rueda in the final quarter of an hour. Altoè’s pressure eventually paid off the #63 forced its way through into fourth place on the final lap. Grenier and Siedler finished the race in sixth place, after running fourth early on, thus securing the Teams’ title a day early.
Grenier started the #14 from pole position for Race 2, with Altoé fifth in the #63. Grenier led away off the rolling start and held this advantage until pitting with 36 minutes left to run. Siedler took over and rejoined in third, with Costa just behind in fourth, after taking over the commands of the #63. From then on, it was a case of getting both cars to the finish, which was duly the case. Altoè and Costa secured their first GT Open title by 12 points from Grenier and Siedler.
Elsewhere, there was more success for Lamborghini, this time at the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta for Bryan Sellers, Corey Lewis and Marco Seefried, who secured the IMSA GTD Constructors’ title for the second year in a row with victory for Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo. The trio finished 1.2 seconds ahead of the Heinricher Racing by MSR Acura driven by Kathering Legge, Bia Figueiredo and Christina Nielsen. Paul Miller Racing completed a unique season started last winter, when Grasser Racing Team won 24 Hours of Daytona then 12 Hours of Sebring.
The Head of Lamborghini Squadra Corse Giorgio Sanna added: “GT Open success is the perfect end to a perfect season, full of wins for Lamborghini in all the most important international GT championships. Congratulations to Emil Frey guys: our partnership started in the best way possible and I’m sure we will do even better in future. Looking at IMSA I want to extend my congratulations to Paul Miller Racing, Grasser Racing Team, Magnus Racing and PPM as well".
Lorenz Frey, Team Principal of Emil Frey Racing: “It’s amazing to win the GT Open title for the first year with Lamborghini. It has been an incredible year, a really good partnership and I have to thank Lamborghini for their efforts and support. It was really tight championship fight this year, congratulations also to the contenders McLaren, who have always been really close. But in the end, I think we have done an amazing job with a great car. I am so proud that we could show that Lamborghini can be on top in every series”.