Portimão will see the final two ELMS races featuring the Le Mans Grand Touring Endurance (LMGTE) category, with one final race in Bahrain in the FIA World Endurance before LMGTE is consigned to the history books and bringing to a close 13 seasons of top class racing. While competing in LMP2 with Proton Competition this season, Italy’s Gianmaria ‘Gimmi’ Bruni is one of the most experienced GT drivers in the world having raced and won for both Ferrari and Porsche throughout the LMGTE era.
The former F1 racer and GP2 race winner switched to GTs in 2007 and was soon standing on the top step of the podium. He won the LMGT2 category at Le Mans in 2007 with Risi Competizione, the 2008 FIA GT2 Cup with AF Corse and finishing as Le Mans Series LMGT2 Vice Champion in 2009 with JMW Motorsport.
The switch to LMGTE came in 2011 and Gimmi Bruni won the very first Le Mans Series title that year with two wins and two further podiums for AF Corse alongside Giancarlo Fisichella.
Bruni moved to the new FIA World Endurance Championship in 2012 and took the Drivers title with AF Corse in 2013 and 2014 and secured the FIA World Cup for Ferrari in 2014.
A move to Porsche in 2017 brought further success for the Italian, most recently taking the 2022 ELMS crown with Christian Ried, Lorenzo Ferrari and Proton Competition.
So how does Gimmi Bruni feel about LMGTE coming to an end and being replaced by GT3?
“It's a very strange feeling. It's like, when you're watching very nice movie and finally, it's only the last few minutes left to the end, and you don't want that to happen.
“Honestly, it's a shame that such a great car with amazing performance over the years and they are going to the end going into the garages and not racing anymore. But I think GT3 is going to have a big future in the coming years in the WEC and ELMS and I think it is the way to go for sure. It's a shame, it is like this, and we cannot change it.
“I have some very nice memories with JMW and AF Corse, where we had very successful years and races. Obviously when I joined Porsche, and last year that the real full season, because before that I only did a few races in the ELMS.
“Last year winning the championship with Christian Ried made me feel very happy and proud to be with the Proton Competition. I hope this year the guys can do it again to close the loop for Porsche by taking the final ELMS title for GTE.”
So, were there any changes when the cars switched from GT2 to GTE?
“The cars were the same, except after two years Ferrari introduced the paddle shift. Before that we were with stick shifts and we still had to do heal and toe, so that was the biggest change. And then we changed from the 430 to the 458, It was a big step in that area. Over the years you can see in all the championships we went slower, slower, slower in terms of straight-line speed but we went much, much faster in the corners.
“There is, of course, to do with the amazing tyres. We were improving all the time and improving the car at the same time. So, this combination made the cars very fast in the corners over the years but not in the straight line, but this is the same for all the categories.”
What are the main differences between GTE and GT3 for you the driver?
“GT3 allows the bronze driver to drive the car on the limit because the car will not be as fast as a GTE in the corners, and it will roll more for sure. So, it makes it easier for the bronze, or a less experienced driver. And obviously the ABS. ABS is the biggest, let's say, easy tool for the non-experienced driver to let them run on the limit in braking area.
“A GT3 car is an easy car to drive for the Pro. You cannot make such a big difference on the car because everybody can brake later because you have an ABS to stop you. Especially when it comes to low grip conditions, like old tyres or damp with slick tyres.
“I think GT3 is the right way to go because we need more non-experienced drivers to join the championship for the future of the series.”
The final two races for the LMGTE class in the European Le Mans Series will take place in Portugal with the 4 Hours of Algarve on Friday 20 October followed by the 4 Hours of Portimão on Sunday 22 October.
