After a phenomenal season, including 4 wins and 7 podiums in just 8 races, the GT Open has come to a close in a dramatic way for Aaron & Steve, but not in the way they'd hoped. Monza is one of the fastest tracks of the year, and with the event lengthened to 500km, it's a great way to end the season.
Qualifying brought only success, with the pair bagging pole position in the PRO-AM category, putting them in good stead to claim a podium and take home the championship. At this point in the season, Aaron & Steve were leading by just a matter of a few points, making it crucial that they finish within the top 10.
At the first corner of the race, though, they made contact with the car in front under braking, damaged the front end, and ended up cutting the corner via the run off. The car was still drivable and competitive, so despite the damage, the race was still on.
After an hour or so, Aaron & Steve had made it up to second place and were putting in consistent, fast laps — it was looking like they were going to finish strong. But, despite their best efforts, the damage was too much to repair during the race, and after a few attempted fixes during an early pit, the car was eventually retired, handing the PRO-AM title to Pierburg and Baumann. A gutting result for Aaron & Steve after their virtually flawless season, but they'll both be back for redemption next year.
