Champs Lister start new season with victory

Despite starting from 13th on the grid after electrical problems in qualifying, Jamie Campbell-Walter worked his way to the front of the field by lap 17 in a virtuoso performance. He then became embroiled in a terrific fight with erstwhile leader Christophe Bouchut in the Labre-run Chrysler Viper. Bouchut battled his way to the front again two laps later and the two circulated nose-to-tail for 10 laps.

"I didn't like the first corner with all the N-GT cars around, but after that it was fine," said Campbell-Walter. "I could see that Bouchut was struggling with his brakes, so I was happy to keep behind him."

The Viper pitted first on lap 27, but a slow stop because of a jammed wheel nut allowed Campbell-Walter's co-driver Tom Coronel to lead by almost 30s by half distance.

"Laurence [Pearce, Lister's boss] was on the radio saying 'keep cool, keep cool!'" added Campbell-Walter. "Had Christophe not had the problem we would have been level and we would have had a race on our hands."

Bouchut said: "For sure, without the pit stop problem our result would have been better and we could have won."

The second Storm of Julian Bailey/Nicolaus Springer failed to start the race due to an engine problem which caused a misfire.

The Labre Viper held on to second position, well ahead of the first Belmondo Racing Viper of Boris Derichebourg/Vincent Vosse. The second Belmondo Viper of Didier Defourny and Paul Belmondo was fourth.

Marc Duez and Gunther Blieninger were fifth in the Rafanelli-run Ferrari 550 Maranello inherited fifth after the Belmondo Viper of Anthony Kumpen and Claude-Yves Gosselin hit electrical trouble late on. The sister Ferrari of Emanuele Naspetti/Mimmo Schiattarella hit overheating problems and then went off.

The Autorlando Porsche 993 GT3 of Johnny Cecotto and Philip Peter won the N-GT class, ahead of the similar cars of Luca Riccitelli/Dieter Quester and Michel Neugarten/Thierry Perrier Porsche 993 GT3 Pole sitter Jurgen von Gartzen went out with an engine fire early on.


1 Campbell-Walter/Coronel (Lister Storm) 87 laps
2 Bouchut/Belloc (Chrysler Viper) +24.018s
3 Derichebourg/Vosse (Chrysler Viper) +1m30.036s
4 Defourny/Belmondo (Chrysler Viper) +1 lap
5 Duez/Bleininger (Ferrari 550 Maranello) +2 laps
6 Gabriele Sabatini/Marco Spinelli (Chrysler Viper) +3 laps

N-GT winner: Johnny Cecotto/Philip Peter (Porsche 993 GT3-R) + 4 laps