Customer Racing team Garage 59 were extremely unlucky to suffer a double retirement,
particularly after the strong runs from both cars up to the end of their respective races. The Silver
Cup car of Ethan Simioni, Manuel Maldonado, Nicolai Kjærgaard and James Baldwin started the
race as the highest placed of the 720S GT3 runners, the quartet of drivers looking like podium
challengers as the race headed into the night. The race was red flagged in the early hours of the
morning after another competitor had a high-speed accident, with the race resuming over an hour
later. Shortly after this restart however a frontal impact for the #159 car saw significant damage
sustained to the radiator, forcing the team into retirement just before the halfway point of the race.
The #188 Pro-Am entry of Henrique Chaves, Miguel Ramos, Alexander West, Dean Macdonald
headed their class for large portions of the race, the crew finding themselves in the overall top 10
at certain stages, with Chaves and Macdonald putting in particularly impressive shifts behind the
wheel. Surviving a chaotic night, the team emerged into the daylight on Sunday in a very strong
position and looked set to be challenging for a famous victory in the Pro-Am ranks. Sadly Miguel
Ramos was violently turned into the barrier by another competitor with just a handful of hours
remaining, putting the car out of the race on the spot. Thankfully the Portuguese driver was able
to extract himself from the car unaided, testament to the strength of the monocell and rollcage.
With this blue-riband event now completed, the teams now enjoy a short break before returning to
GT World Challenge action in early September, Germany's Hockenheimring hosting the next
round of the Endurance Cup portion of this pan-European Championship.
Car Number: #159
Class: Silver Cup
Team: Garage 59
Drivers: Ethan Simioni (CAN) / Manuel Maldonado (VEN) / Nicolai
Kjærgaard (DNK) / James Baldwin (GBR)
Qualifying: P26 Overall / P5 PIC
Race: DNF
Car Number: #188
Class: Pro-Am Cup
Team: Garage 59
Drivers: Henrique Chaves (PRT) / Miguel Ramos (PRT) / Alexander West
(SWE) / Dean Macdonald (GBR)
Qualifying: P50 Overall / P3 PIC
Race: P41 Overall / P4 PIC
gt-world-challenge- europe
Championship Standings