Sainteloc Junior Team Clinches Victory at Michelin 12H Mugello
Mugello, Italy – The Sainteloc Junior Team kicked off its 2026 Michelin 24H SERIES European Series campaign with a thrilling victory in the Michelin 12H Mugello on Sunday, as their Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II crossed the finish line just under six seconds ahead of the competition.
Pierre Kaffer, alongside teammates Elia Erhart, Stephane Tribaudini, and Ernst Inderbitzin, navigated the two-part race, requiring strategic fuel conservation during the closing laps while fending off a charge from Herberth Motorsport’s Ralf Bohn in the Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) EVO. This marks the first Audi win at Mugello since 2023.
Kaffer reflected on the tense final moments: “The last stint was very exciting for us because we were really tight with fuel… we had to bring the tyres up to heat and deal with traffic. It was a great battle with Ralf and the Herberth guys; that’s how racing should be.”
Podium Results:
- 1st: #18 Sainteloc Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II
- 2nd: #91 Herberth Porsche 911 GT3 R (Ralf Bohn, Rolf Ineichen, Alfred Renauer)
- 3rd: ARC Bratislava Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO (Miro and Adam Konopka, Gerhard Tweraser, Zdeno Mikulasko)
The race featured intense competition across all classes. Mühlner Motorsport won the 992 category, overcoming a fierce contest with Red Camel-Jordans.nl. The 992 AM win went to QMMF by HRT Performance with drivers Ahmed Al-Emadi, Abdulla Ali Al Khelaifi, and Faesal Al Yafei.
The GTX class saw Vortex’s Philippe Bonnel and brothers Arnaud and Olivier Gomez secure victory, while asBest Racing triumphed in TCE-TCX with their SEAT Leon Cup Racer.
Race Highlights:
- GT3 Action: GetSpeed Team PCX Racing led the initial stages with Maro Engel in the Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO. A series of Code 60 cautions and mechanical challenges shaped the race, impacting the overnight leaders and eventually setting the stage for a dramatic finish.
- Final Stages: As rain threatened, Kaffer maintained a ten-second lead against Bohn before sealing the win. Continental’s Alex Aka and his team claimed fourth, with a strong performance from Engel’s Mercedes, which secured the fastest lap.
The next event in the Michelin 24H SERIES will be the 12H Spa-Francorchamps, scheduled for April 17-19.
