FIA GT CHAMPIONSHIP
Zolder (Belgium)
Round 8

Michelin sweeps the board in 2009

The last round of the FIA GT Championship to be run under the current regulations saw Michelin and its partners win every single title in association with Maserati/Vitaphone Racing Team and Michael Bartels/Andrea Bertolini in GT1, and with Porsche/Prospeed Competition and Richard Westbrook in GT2.

The 2009 GT1 and GT2 Drivers' crowns were decided this weekend at the Flemish venue where third place at the flag in GT1 was sufficient for Michael Bartels and Andrea Bertolini (Maserati/Michelin) to clinch their third FIA GT title.

Anthony Kumpen and Mike Hezemans (Corvette/Michelin) qualified on pole position but were dropped back six places on the grid by the stewards. That didn't prevent them from finishing the damp race in second spot, but that wasn't enough to make up the necessary four points they needed before the start of the year's final clash which was won by the N°33 Maserati/Michelin of Pier Guidi/Bobbi.

In GT2, the defending champions Gianmaria Bruni and Toni Vilander (Ferrari/Michelin) enjoyed a three-point cushion ahead of this weekend's race. In the end, however, a fourth victory this year for the N°60 Porsche/Michelin handed a maiden Drivers' title in the category to Briton Richard Westbrook. AF Corse/Michelin had already wrapped up the GT2 Teams' championship before the finale.

The last FIA GT Championship saw Michelin and its customer-competition range of tyres enable the firm's partners to not only secure all four titles but also monopolise all four podiums!

Zolder – final positions:
1, Pier Guidi/Bobbi (Maserati/Michelin), 79 laps. 2, Kumpen/Hezemans (Corvette/Michelin), +20.354s. 3, Bartels/Bertolini (Maserati/Michelin), +35.557s. Etc.

GT1 Teams' Championship – final standings:
1, Vitaphone Racing Team/Michelin (86 points). 2, Pekaracing/Michelin (53). 3, SRT/Michelin (35). Etc.

GT1 Drivers' Championship – final standings:
1, Bartels/Bertolini (55 points). 2, Kumpen/Hezemans (53). 3, Longin/Ruffier (38). Etc.

GT2 Teams' Championship – final standings:
1, AF Corse/Michelin (88 points). 3. Prospeed Competition/Michelin (70). 3. CRS/Michelin (55). Etc.

GT2 Drivers' Championship – final positions:
1, Westbrook (56 points). 2, Bruni/Vilander (54). 3, Collard (49). Etc.