FIA GT CHAMPIONSHIP

SECOND WIN AT IMOLA - 29 MAY 2005

Tim Sugden and his partner Emmanuel Collard scored the second win of their FIA GT Championship campaign in Italy yesterday when they won the GT2 race at Imola. The car started on pole position and led throughout the race, setting fastest lap in the process. The win gave Sugden his 5th podium from 7 races this season following his third place at Mid Ohio last week in the American Le Mans Series race.

Run in conditions of extreme heat with track temperature towards the end of the race as high as 50°C and ambient temperatures up to 40°C the 3 hour race was a true endurance test that the GruppeM Porsche GT3 RSR came through without a hitch. "It went very well indeed," admitted Sugden. "The pit-stop was perfect, and apart from a slightly long brake pedal, the car felt good too."

With the sister car of Mark Lieb and Mike Rockenfeller finishing second today the GruppeM team extended their lead in the team championship. The driver's championship is still led by Lieb and Rockenfeller in the #66 car however because although both cars have scored two wins in the series the lower points scored by Sugden and Collard in the #88 car with their 6th place at Silverstone two weeks ago give them a disadvantage in the table.