Lister storms to victory

The Lister, driven by British drivers Jamie Campbell Walter and Julian Bailey, drove a faultless race from pole position to chequered flag, only losing the lead during pit-stops.

They convincingly confirmed the potential they showed in 1999 and their position as pre-season favourites.

"It's a really great win for Lister," Bailey said. "And the championship is going from strength to strength - I'd say it's the best championship I've ever driven in, but that's most probably because I've just won the first race. The car didn't miss a beat today."

Campbell Walter was equally enthusiastic. "It's fantastic for Lister, Laurence Pearce, Julian and me - but especially for me, because I'm 26 years old, and I've just won
an international GT race."

Their main opposition came from the Carsport Holland Chrysler Viper GTS-R, which ran strongly in the first hour, with Mike Hezemans at the wheel.

However, David Hart, who took over the car, fell foul of the regulation restricting cars from passing the white line separating the end of the pit-lane from the track, being awarded two stop-and-go penalties and one black flag.

The car recovered to finish fourth, but was not able to confirm the potential it had showed in the early stages of the race.

The second Lister ran strongly, but retired after 48 laps with damaged suspension after Nicolaus Springer lost control of the car, most probably on some oil.

Second and third places were claimed by Paul Belmondo Racing, whose Chrysler Viper GTS-R cars ran a problem-free race to take a strong position in the Championship. "I'm very happy," Belmondo said. "It's a very good result for us - only the victory is missing - and we have to work a bit more for that."

The new N-GT category, where nine Porsche 996 GT3-R cars were battling for class honours, saw victory go to the Larbre Competition line-up of Christophe Bouchut and Patrice Goueslard. They won with a lap's margin, despite an early pit-stop to mend a broken wheel due to a tangle with the #77 RWS Porsche 996 GTS-R.

They were followed by the Pennzoil G-Force car, driven by Magnus Wallinder and Robert Nearn, with Steve O'Rourke and Tim Sugden in the EMKA GTC car in third place.

The next round is in Estoril, Portugal, next weekend.


FIA GT Championship 2000,
Round 1 : 500 km of Valencia:

Ps Ql No Driver , Car Laps
-- -- ---- ---------------------------------------------------- -----
1 1 14 Bailey/CampbellWalter Lister Lister Storm 109

2 4 12 Belmondo/Vosse Belmondo Chry Viper GTS 108

3 7 11 Gosselin/Derichebourg Belmondo Chry Viper GTS 108

4 2 25 Hezemans/Hart Carsport Chry Viper GTS 108

5 16 4 Hane/Palmberger Freisinger Porsche 911 GT2 106

6 9 2 Brun/Seiler Chamberlain Chry Viper GTS 105

7 13 10 Martinolle/Lagniez Belmondo Chry Viper GTS 105

8 12 52 Bouchut/Goueslard Larbre Porsche 996 GT3 105

9 10 5 Konrad/von Gartzen Konrad Porsche 911 GT2 105

10 22 50 Wallinder/Nearn G-Force Porsche 996 GT3 104

11 19 8 Ligonnet/Casadei/Castello Haberthur Porsche 911 GT2 103

12 18 56 O'Rourke/Sugden EMKA GTC Porsche 996 GT3 103

13 24 28 Felbermayr/Felbermayr RWS Porsche 911 GT2 103

14 25 53 Chereau/de Lesseps Larbre Porsche 996 GT3 103

15 15 77 Höfer/Riccitelli/Willems RWS Porsche 996 GT3 103

16 26 64 Perrier/Richard/Larrouse Perspective Porsche 996 GT3 102

17 28 7 Reid/Reid Proton Porsche 911 GT2 101

18 17 27 Sabatini/Spinelli Autorlando Porsche 911 GT2 100

19 11 21 Cappellari/Matteuzzi Racing Box Chry Viper GTS 100

20 23 66 Frigerio/Rapetti MAC Porsche 996 GT3 98

21 27 32 Werner/Piattier Seikel Porsche 911 GT2 97

22 21 51 Smith/Neugarten G-Force Porsche 996 GT3 96

23 30 54 MauryLaribiere/Chauvin NoeldelBelloPorsche 996 GT3 95

24 20 22 Wieth/Wieth Wieth Porsche 911 GT2 85

Not Classified

3 Kaufmann/Wollek Freisinger Porsche 911 GT2 73

9 Vuillaume/Ortiz/Corbet Haberthur Porsche 911 GT2 69

15 Springer/Hardman/Palau Lister Lister Storm 48

19 Euser/Vann Marcos Marcos Mantara 43

1 Amorim/Watson Chamberlain Chry Viper GTS 38

16 Giroix/Deletraz First Ferrari 550 Mar 14