Lind and De La Torre Win Monza Lamborghini World Finals Pro/Pro-Am Opener
The TR3 Racing duo converted pole into victory, while Pro-Am winners Pretorius and Formanek took seventh overall after a late shake-up.
Photo: Lamborghini Squadra Corse
TR3 Racing’s Dennis Lind and Elias De La Torre turned pole position into victory in the opening Pro/Pro-Am race at the Monza Lamborghini World Finals. Their No. 129 Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo EVO2 led from start to finish, but the result took more than a clean getaway: Lind had to manage a narrow advantage before the pit stops, and De La Torre faced a late charge from Nicolas Stati after taking over.
A lead built through the stops
Lind started from pole and kept Brendon Leitch’s No. 70 Leipert Motorsport Lamborghini behind him through the opening phase. The gap was difficult to extend, though. By the time the mandatory stops approached, Lind had managed only a 1.9-second cushion, leaving the race open to the timing and execution of the driver changes.
De La Torre emerged from the pits 4.5 seconds ahead of Stati, who had taken over from Leitch. The North American Super Trofeo champion maintained that margin at first, then saw Stati close to roughly 2.5 seconds. The pressure didn’t produce a change of position. Stati’s pursuit eventually lost ground in the closing laps, allowing De La Torre to bring the car home with the win.
The result put the TR3 pairing in the best possible position for the opening race, but it doesn’t settle the World Finals title. The second race is scheduled for 1:20 p.m. CET (8:20 a.m. EST) on Sunday, and Lind and De La Torre are due to start 13th. Their Race 1 win gives them a strong result to build on; their starting place means they’ll need to work through traffic if they’re to add another.
Early incidents shape the race
Lind’s lead survived an unsettled opening. Giano Taurino triggered a chain of trouble at the first chicane on the opening lap, then was struck by European champion Simone Iaquinta on the next tour. A separate incident left Paolo Biglieri stranded in the Parabolica gravel, prompting a brief safety car period.
The interruption kept Lind in front, but didn’t erase the importance of the pit sequence. De La Torre’s larger advantage after the stops gave the No. 129 crew breathing room when Stati began to close. In a race where the lead car couldn’t simply disappear into the distance, the driver change and the pace after it proved decisive.
Leitch, who had already won in the European championship during the Monza week, handed the Leipert entry over to Stati. The No. 70 ultimately couldn’t catch the leaders. Will Bamber finished third in the No. 133 XONINE Racing entry, having lost ground because the solo driver had to serve a slightly longer stop.
That stop requirement shaped the order behind the top two: Bamber still claimed a podium place, but the format put him at a disadvantage against crews sharing driving duties. Gustaw Wisniewski and Liam Sceats, representing the leading Asian championship contender in the No. 206 VSR car, finished just behind Bamber, with Sceats close to his tail at the flag.
Pro-Am order changes late
Danny Formal and Graham Doyle were fifth in the Wayne Taylor Racing No. 145 entry. The North American Pro-Am champions stepped up to the Pro class for the World Finals. Nick Persing brought the sister No. 101 WTR car to sixth, after Hampus Ericsson had qualified it ninth.
The Pro-Am win went to European class champions Anthony Pretorius and Bronislav Formanek. The Micanek Motorsport pair finished seventh overall, ahead of the rest of their division. Kyle Marcelli and Mathieu Boucher had led Pro-Am earlier in the race in the No. 119 TB Autosports car, but their run unravelled near the end. After contact with Wyatt Foster, Boucher stopped on track on the penultimate lap.
Foster and Seth Henry finished second in Pro-Am for Kaizen Autosport, despite receiving a ten-second post-race penalty for the contact with Boucher. Oregon Team’s Pietro Perolini and Josef Knopp completed the class podium; they had also received a five-second sanction for cutting the first chicane on the opening lap. Those penalties affected the final class order, making the late incidents central to the Pro-Am result.
For the title fight, the next start is the immediate challenge. Lind and De La Torre have shown they can control a race from the front and protect a lead under pressure. Starting 13th on Sunday will test a different skill: making progress through the field while keeping their title hopes alive.
RESULTS: Race 1
