TeamFloral headed to Italy for the fourth race weekend of the GT4 European Series season, where the teams and drivers of the competitive GT4 grid gathered at the Misano World Circuit. After previous rounds at Paul Ricard, Zandvoort and Spa-Francorchamps, the Belgian duo Nathan Vanspringel and Michiel Haverans once again lined up with the Ford Mustang GT4 of the West Flanders-based team. In hot conditions, they showed further progress, with a strong first race and a spirited second race that unfortunately ended prematurely.
Free practice: learning and adapting
Friday saw the start of the first sessions of the weekend, with Nathan Vanspringel making his very first acquaintance with the Misano circuit. It was also the first time for the Mustang GT4 on Italian asphalt. In both free practice sessions, the focus was on setup work and familiarization with the technical track layout. Step by step, the drivers and the team worked towards qualifying, gathering valuable data and building confidence along the way.
Qualifying: difficult starting positions, but potential shown
Qualifying did not come without challenges. Nathan Vanspringel recorded a lap of 1:42.405, placing him on the fifteenth row for Race 1. Michiel Haverans posted a 1:41.548, securing sixteenth place on the grid for Race 2. Despite the midfield grid slots, the team remained positive: both drivers had already shown potential in practice and were determined to fight their way forward in the races.
Race 1: impressive charge in the heat
In the first race of the weekend, Vanspringel and Haverans fully delivered on their ambition. Starting from P29, the duo systematically worked their way up through the 43-car GT4 field. In difficult circumstances, with high temperatures and intense on-track battles, they managed to finish in a strong twelfth position. An impressive comeback drive that immediately yielded points for TeamFloral. The upward trend was clear, with competitive race pace and flawless cooperation between drivers and team.
Race 2: strong start, late misfortune
On Sunday, Michiel Haverans started from sixteenth place, and once again the pace was there. Together with teammate Vanspringel, he ran a strong race with another points finish in sight. Unfortunately, that ambition came to an abrupt end when another car made contact with the TeamFloral Mustang halfway through the race. The resulting suspension damage ultimately meant a premature retirement just before the finish. A disappointing conclusion after another promising performance. Nevertheless, there were positives to take away, including not only the drivers’ speed but also a perfectly timed pit stop and solid teamwork.
Next stop: Nürburgring (August 29–31)
After Misano, the championship heads into its fifth round of the season at the Nürburgring in Germany at the end of August. TeamFloral is looking forward to continuing its growth there and turning the experience gained into new results.
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