At the Nogaro circuit, during the Easter Cups on 8 and 9 April, Hexis Racing celebrated ten years of racing adventure. In effect, on 30 March 2002, Philippe Dumas, present team manager, clinched his first pole position and mounted the second step of the podium. 'Nogaro represents many happy memories, he recalled. The circuit isn't very far from my place and the first time I drove a race car was here (…). I'm not forgetting that we won our first international victory in Nogaro, with the Aston Martin in October 2008'.
The first round of the FIA GT1 championship however proved difficult for the current title holder, supported by Motul. After trials disturbed by electric problems, the McLaren MP4-12 of Grégoire Demoustier and Alvaro Parente managed to clinch 4th place in the first qualifying.
In the second race, Makowiecki climbed rapidly from 14th to 9th place but experienced mechanical problems from the third lap. The same fate awaited the car of Demoustier and Parente, just after the Portuguese man took his stint.
The team from Frontignan nevertheless remains extremely determined despite the very fierce competition dominated by Audi at this first meet. All week long, each team member did more than what was expected of him to show the excellent potential of the new British GT. The aim remains to solve the teething problems before the next event, on 21 and 22 April, at the Zolder circuit.
Image : © David Reygondeau
