WEC season 10: 6 Hours of Monza 2022 LMGTE AM Race

Iron Dames dominated but Ries-Priaulx-Thincknell win.

The 6 Hours of Monza LMGTE AM race was thrilling with four cars in contention: Iron Dames #85, Aston Martin #33, Porsche #46 and Porsche #77.

📷 © Luc Warnotte @ 6 Hours of Monza 2022.

Sarah Bovy, driving the Iron Dames #85 Ferrari 488 GTE, protected well her pole from the start to maintain the lead during 11 laps.

📷 © Luc Warnotte @ 6 Hours of Monza 2022.

Despite Ben Keating's strong pressure with #33 TF Sport Aston Martin Vantage, Bovy battled hard and faultless until Keating found the gap during lap 12 to take the lead during the next 22 laps.

📷 © Luc Warnotte @ 6 Hours of Monza 2022.

During the second hour, the lead changed for 10 laps with Porsche #46 leading 6 of them until Aston Martin Vantage #33 took the lead again between lap 43 to 71.
At 14:31, Enrique Chaves lost P1 after undergoing a 1’ penalty.

Michele Gatting could then get a well-deserved P1 again.

 📷 © Luc Warnotte @ 6 Hours of Monza 2022.

At 15:56, Rahel Frey was taking over from Michelle Gatting. The Swiss dame defended strongly her P1 despite Sebastian Priaulx followed by Harry Tinknell's pressure on board of their #77 Dempsey-Proton Racing Porsche 911 RSR-19.

 📷 © Luc Warnotte @ 6 Hours of Monza 2022.

The Iron Dames kept the lead until (lap 144) Rahel Frey pitted under the last FCY; Harry Tinknell had already pitted.  Green light enabled Harry Tinknell to take a definitive lead while Gatting was still in pit after taking over from Frey. Once again, the dames have been lacking that little slice of luck that is needed to win a race.

📷 © Luc Warnotte @ 6 Hours of Monza 2022.

Christian Ried, Sebastian Priaulx and Harry Tinknell eventually won the LMGTE AM class of the 2022 6 Hours of Monza with #77 Porsche 911 RSR - 19 of Dempsey-Proton Racing, one lap ahead of the

📷 © Luc Warnotte @ 6 Hours of Monza 2022.

Iron Dames squad who mark WEC history by being the first female squad to make podium in the endurance Championship.

 📷 © Luc Warnotte @ 6 Hours of Monza 2022.

Behind them were Mikkel Pedersen, Nicolas Leutwiler and Matteo Cairoli, in #46 Spirit of Races Porsche.

 📷 © Luc Warnotte @ 6 Hours of Monza 2022.

Fourth place went to Iron Lynx teammates Claudio Schiavoni, Matteo Cressoni and Giancarlo Fisichella driving #60 Iron Lynx Ferrari 488 GTE Evo, ahead of #71 Spirit of Race Ferrari of Pierre Ragues, Franck Dezoteux and Gabriel Aubry.

📷 © Luc Warnotte @ 6 Hours of Monza 2022.

NorthWest AMR’s David Pittard, Nicki Thiim and Paul Dalla Lana with NorthWest AMR Vantage #98 end 8th.

📷 © Luc Warnotte @ 6 Hours of Monza 2022.

Despite their car’s retirement, Marco Sorensen and Ben Keating still lead the GTE-Am drivers’ championship, albeit by a reduced margin of four points over NorthWest AMR’s David Pittard, Nicki Thiim and Paul Dalla Lana.