FIA GT race: Lister wins thriller

"I can't remember everything that happened out there today," admitted Campbell-Walter. "After the safety car period, I was first, and ran to the fuel stop. Nic then took over with no tyre changes, which we thought to be a good idea, and proved to be the right decision at the end. Nic did a great job, considering that the tyre wear here is very hard, and he drove well on my old tyres. It was really good fun and great to have racing like that. When I saw Kumpen in the gravel, I thought we were in with a chance. As for the end, it was just fantastic."

The victory owed a great deal to a large stroke of bad luck for Carsport Holland. The Chrysler Viper of Mike Hezemans and Anthony Kumpen was on course for a comfortable win when the car lost its left rear wheel, sending Kumpen spinning into the gravel. Team-mates Fabrizio Gollin and Luca Cappellari inherited the lead, but their Viper was running low on fuel leaving Gollin helpless to the attack of Campbell-Walter and Labre Competition Viper of Christophe Bouchut and David Terrien on the final lap.

For the first part of the race polesitter and local hero Tomas Enge led in his BMS Scuderia Ferrari. However, the F3000 championship leader dropped back during a Safety Car period caused by team-mate Lilian Bryner colliding with the N-GT Ferrari 360 Modena of Andrea Garbagnati. Any hopes of an Enge fight back were ended when the engine in his 550 gave up the ghost.

The winning Lister was the only non-Viper in the top six. Fourth place went to the second Labre car of Carl Rosenblad and Vincent Vosse, which was two laps down on the race winner. Both Belmondo Racing Chryslers were in the top six. Fabio Babini and Marc Duez held second until Babini spun under pressure, but he kept the car running and went on to take fifth. Paul Belmondo and Robert Dierick followed their team-mates home in sixth.

In N-GT Stephane Ortelli and his new team-mate Marc Lieb scored a well-deserved first win of the season after a great duel with the Ferrari of Andrea Montermini. The Porsche driver was handed the win when Montermini spun, but the Italian ex-F1 driver and team-mate Christian Pescatori finished second to increase their lead the N-GT championship.

"That was one of the hardest races of my career - Montermini was pressurising me for over an hour," said Lieb. "He was quicker in the narrow sections and under braking, but I could get a gap on the straights, so I could keep ahead. We had a small problem with the brakes, and lost sixth gear towards the end, but apart from that, the car was fine. I am really happy - this is my first race in the FIA GT Championship and also my first win."