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Rookie Ostella Wins in First GT3 Cup Canada Weekend

Posted on: May 19th, 2013 | No Comments

BOWMANVILLE, Ontario, (May 19, 2013) – Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Michelin series rookie David Ostella started second in yesterday’s Race 1 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Throughout the race, Ostella ran consistent and fast laps in his Global Precast Porsche GT3 Cup car; enough to set a race lap record for his SpeedMerchants team.

Ostella and the eventual winner, Spencer Pigot, were picking their way through late-race traffic yesterday when Ostella encountered contact with a lapped car. The Maple, Ontario resident ended up fifth while nursing a fender-rubbing Michelin for the remaining laps.

Yesterday’s qualifications put Ostella on the starting grid in third position for today’s GT3 Cup Challenge race. At the drop of the green flag, the young Canadian jumped to second on a clean start by the GT3 Cup field, where he would settle in for the first six laps.

But the former open-wheel racer didn’t wait long to make his move on leader Chris Green. Ostella took the lead on lap seven and held onto it until a mistake on lap 12.

“Once I got in the front it was just about being consistent and being smooth and making sure I stayed up front,” Ostella said. “I had one incident and almost spun it (laughing), but I kept it under control and Spencer (Pigot) got by me there. But I just worked my way back up and got him back and kept my head down from there on out.”

The rookie overtook Pigot on lap 18 and never looked back, leading the remaining 16 laps without any serious pressure.

David Passing Spencer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“It was an awesome race,” said Ostella of his first win in the series. “The car is back together probably better than yesterday! The guys did an awesome job and the team is great. The Porsche GT3 Cup Car is so much fun to drive and my Michelin tires were amazing-they were consistent the whole way through and it was just a great race today.”

Today’s win also marks Ostella’s second win of his brief sports car transition this season. He took a coveted win in the PC category of the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón at the 2013 Twelve Hours of Sebring earlier this year.

Ostella Champagne

Ostella will next take on GT3 Cup Challenge competition at the famed Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal, June 7-9 as part of the Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada.