Monza Revival 2026: Masters Gentlemen Drivers & Pre-66 Touring Cars

Jeremy Cottingham and James Littlejohn inherited victory in the opening Masters Gentlemen Drivers & Pre-66 Touring Cars race at the Monza Revival after a late pit stop penalty denied John Spiers and Nigel Greensall what had looked to be a commanding win. The Pursuit Racing Daytona Cobra crossed the line 21.140 seconds ahead of the TT Workshop TVR Griffith after the six-second stop-and-go penalty was applied, while Ingo Strolz completed the Masters Gentlemen Drivers podium in third.

The one-hour contest featured a closely fought battle throughout the opening stint before strategy and penalties ultimately decided the outcome. Alan and Geoffrey Letts claimed victory in the Pre-66 Touring Cars Class C aboard their Ford Lotus Cortina, while Federico Mezzetti and Renato Benusiglio completed another successful outing in Class D with their Morris Cooper S. Nils-Fredrik Nyblaeus and Jeremy Welch secured the Masters Gentlemen Drivers C2 class honours in their Austin-Healey 3000.

Starting from pole position after qualifying, John Spiers immediately established the TVR Griffith at the head of the field ahead of the Daytona Cobra of Cottingham and Littlejohn. The pair quickly distanced themselves from the rest of the field, with François Rivaz and Frank Stippler’s Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA initially holding third before coming under pressure from the touring cars and fellow Gentlemen Drivers entries.

Behind the leading duo, the battle for third was far more fluid. Alan and Geoffrey Letts made an excellent start in their Ford Lotus Cortina, briefly moving ahead of the Alfa Romeo before Rivaz and Stippler reclaimed the position. Ingo Strolz steadily settled into the race in his TVR Griffith 200, remaining within striking distance before moving into podium contention as the race progressed.

The mandatory pit window opened after the opening half-hour without interruption, allowing the teams to complete their driver changes under green flag conditions. Spiers handed over to Nigel Greensall with what appeared to be a comfortable advantage, while James Littlejohn took over the Daytona Cobra to continue the chase. Race Control later confirmed that Car 14’s pit stop had been placed under investigation for a potential infringement.

Once back on track, Greensall underlined the pace of the TVR by setting the fastest lap of the race with a blistering 2:08.492 on lap 25, edging Littlejohn’s best effort by more than eight tenths of a second. Despite the outright speed advantage, the investigation into the TT Workshop pit stop remained ongoing as the closing laps unfolded.

Shortly after the pit window closed, the stewards confirmed the decisive moment of the race. Car 14 was found to have completed a pit stop six seconds shorter than the mandatory minimum and received a six-second stop-and-go penalty. The sanction proved costly, dropping Spiers and Greensall behind the Daytona Cobra in the final classification and handing victory to Cottingham and Littlejohn.

Behind the leading pair, Strolz secured third overall and completed the Masters Gentlemen Drivers C3 podium after a consistent drive. The Letts father-and-son pairing finished fourth overall and comfortably claimed Class C honours in the Pre-66 Touring Cars category, while Nyblaeus and Welch won the Gentlemen Drivers C2 class in fifth. Federico Mezzetti and Renato Benusiglio completed the finishers and secured another Class D victory despite finishing four laps behind the winners. Rivaz and Stippler were classified seventh after completing 21 laps following a race that had started so promisingly.

Although the result ultimately hinged on a post-race penalty, the race delivered an entertaining contest between two of the fastest GT cars in the field. Spiers and Greensall demonstrated the outright pace throughout the afternoon, claiming pole position and the fastest lap, but Cottingham and Littlejohn’s consistent execution across the full hour was ultimately rewarded with victory.