Italian GT Sprint Monza: Frassineti Crowned Champion Amid VSR Controversy

Andrea Frassineti clinched the 2025 Italian GT Sprint Championship in dramatic style at Monza, his victory in Race 2 sealing a title that mixed triumph with controversy. The young Lamborghini driver, sharing the #63 VSR Lamborghini Huracán GT3 entry with Edoardo Liberati, prevailed in a race defined by aggressive team tactics, on-track clashes, and a nail-biting finale.

Controversy and team tactics

From the outset, VSR’s hard-nosed approach shaped the race narrative. Loris Spinelli, starting from fourth, quickly got alongside Jesse Krohn’s #1 BMW Italia Ceccato Racing and began defending into the opening chicane. Spinelli cut across the chicane and emerged in second behind his team-mate. Chaos unfolded behind as Paolo Rocca’s #77 Nova Race Honda went off under braking and crashed, triggering a safety car.

Spinelli’s defence at the restart drew scrutiny when he blocked Krohn up to the second chicane, earning a warning flag. The move not only stalled Krohn’s progress but also allowed VSR to control the race tempo in favour of Frassineti.

Later, Jens Klingmann’s frustrations boiled over when he encountered the #19 VSR Lamborghini of Alessio Deledda in the second half of the race. The pair made contact approaching Parabolica, and Klingmann’s retaliatory move sent both Deledda and Klingmann’s BMW team-mate Leonardo Caglioni into the gravel—ending BMW Italia Ceccato Racing’s Pro-Am title hopes and bringing out another safety car. The incident encapsulated the tense, combative atmosphere that had defined VSR’s defensive playbook all race.

Strategy and performance

Despite the controversy, VSR executed a flawless strategic race. When the pit window opened with 20 minutes to go, Frassineti handed over to Liberati, who rejoined well clear in the lead. Spinelli’s handover to Sandy Mitchell ensured the team maintained a 1-2 formation at the front.

Behind them, the battle for third raged between Ibrahim Badawi’s #62 AF Corse Ferrari and Caglioni’s #2 BMW, until Caglioni’s crash several laps later both contenders for the Pro-Am title. Klingmann, rejoining in seventh after serving his 15-second success penalty, began a determined charge as he tried to salvage the championship hopes for BMW.

Title secured

The final restart—which came after the Deledda and Caglioni crash was cleared—with two laps to go gave Klingmann a last chance. Up in fourth place, he swept past Badawi’s Ferrari and closed in rapidly on Mitchell but could find no way through the resolute but fair Lamborghini. Liberati held firm at the front to take the chequered flag, securing Frassineti’s first Italian GT title and completing a commanding 1-2 finish for VSR.

While questions linger over the team’s tactics, there was no denying the determination of VSR’s execution and Frassineti’s composure under pressure made him a worthy champion—his success a product of both talent and tenacity in one of the most dramatic finales in recent Italian GT history.

Pro-Am and Am titles decided by narrow margins

Behind the leading trio, Rocco Mazzola and Fabio Rauer steered the #99 Tresor Attempto Racing Audi R8 LMS to fourth, ahead of Leonardo Moncini and Daniele Di Amato in the #55 Nova Race Honda NSX GT3. Sixth overall went to the #51 AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3 of Lorenzo Ferrari and Mahaveer Raghunathan, who also took the Pro-Am race win.

Seventh place was claimed by the #62 AF Corse Ferrari of Leonardo Colavita and Ibrahim Badawi, while the #66 VSR Lamborghini Huracán GT3 of Ignazio Zanon and Mattia Michelotto crossed the line eighth. Their result, third in Pro-Am, proved just enough to secure the class championship ahead of Ferrari and Raghunathan. Ninth overall went to the #12 Audi Sport Italia R8 LMS of Alessandro Bracalente and Nazareno López, followed by the #61 Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG GT3 of Jean-Luc D’Auria and Lin Hodenius completing the top ten.

In the Am category, the title battle came down to the narrowest of margins between the #88 Tresor Attemptto Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 of Marco Cassarà and Alberto Clementi Pisani and the #39 Target Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 of Huilin Han. Although Cassarà and Clementi Pisani finished only fourth in class at Monza, their consistent season-long form proved decisive. Han’s class victory in the finale fell just short, leaving the Tresor Attemptto duo to lift the Am championship with their #88 Audi—securing the crown by a single point.

Season wrap-up

With the chequered flag at Monza, the 2025 Italian GT Sprint season draws to a close. Attention now turns to 2026, with the 24th edition of the championship set to begin at Imola on 26 April. The Sprint series will again feature four double-header weekends, while the Endurance series returns in May at Misano for another four-round calendar across Italy’s major circuits.