Italian GT Report – Races 1 & 2, Monza
April 5-6
© Gabriele Tosi A full grid of almost 40 cars took to the famous old track last weekend, as the 2008 Italian GT season began with a bang. In the Saturday qualifying for race 1 it was almost all Ferrari 430s in the top spots, but a pleasant surprise came from the junior Porsche driver Lance David Arnold, who took second place on the grid (for Autorlando), at perhaps the most “Porsche track” of the year. The pole went to Massimiliano Mugelli with the Edil Cris 430, while down the grid third went to Busnelli, followed by Cioci and Giammaria, all in the Cavallino marque. Race 1
The first race, on a very sunny Saturday afternoon, with a very good crowd in the stands (by Monza standards) saw a titanic battle up front with almost 10 cars within a few seconds, until the pit-stops began. The group was led by Mugelli, then Cioci and Arnold. Busnelli made a very basic mistake in the first lap at the Parabolica when outbraking Mugelli, only to find his cool tyres spinning him into the gravel: race end for him. Postiglione, Caffi, Giammaria and Aguas gained a place. In the very thin GT3 class the Gallardo with Sbirrazzuoli driving took the lead and never looked back. The #53 Gallardo had two huge moments in the free practice and qualifying when the usual right rear (for Monza) exploded approaching the first chicane, thankfully no harm done. Back at the front, Postiglione took the place from Giammaria with a good move, while Mugelli was being pressed very hard by Cioci and Arnold. Cioci took the mandatory pitstop only a few seconds before the window opened, so a three minute penalty ruined his race: Perazzini took over and drove a very good second part of the race, only to find himself down the standings at the end. Cioci had been passed by a demon Balzan who took the Edil Cris 430 from Mugelli, while Plati was now third followed by the lonely non-Ferrari car in the top 10, the Autorlando 997 – Arnold having handed over to Cruz. Tavano, Frassineti, Moncini and Mediani completed the top spots. With Balzan a good way ahead, the battle for the other places hotted up when Mediani made up three spots on the 22nd lap. Moncini had a good,nd clean battle with Cruz: he passed the Porsche but ended his race with an off some laps later. In the last laps Mediani and Tavano had a huge duel, passing each other several times, but the ex-WTCC driver took the place at the end. At the chequered flag Balzan won on his debut in GT racing with a very clean win, in front of Perazzini who was then penalized with three minutes added, due to the late pit-stop by his teammate Cioci, so second overall went to Mediani / Linos, while Tavano took a 1-3 for the Edil Cris team. A very good fourth place was taken by the Autorlando Porsche of the “Italian GT rookies” Cruz / Arnold, then Plati / Postiglione, Giammaria / Frassineti, Pavoni / Tenchini and Cerrai / Palma all in the “one-make” 430 GT2. GT3 was led from start to finish by the white Gallardo of the reigning team Champions, Mik Corse, driven by Sbirrazzuoli / Romano from the Aston Martin of the new Brixia Team of Giraudi / Bonaldi and the Viper of Perlini / Ardigò. A huge battle from the start to finish, with overtaking, strategy and battles all over the place. A great start to the Italian GT season. Race 2 – Sunday Morning
The second race took place late morning on Sunday, under a mostly cloudy sky, but with no threat of rain.
Qualifying for race two saw, again, the Ferrari 430 dominant, with the top ten (!!!) places all occupied by the Prancing Horses. Pole went to the newcomer Balzan, in front of Mediani, Moncini, Perazzini, Tavano, Tenchini, then the 2007 Champion Stefano Livio, who had a race 1 nightmare with a puncture which cost him and his teammate a full lap. The first non-Ferrari is, as usual, the 997 of the Autorlando team, in 11th place driven this time by the Portuguese Cruz. At the green light Mediani made a lightning start and took Balzan before the first chicane, Moncini remained third, followed by Perazzini and Tavano, no major dramas…until the Ascari, when ex-FIA GT driver Gabriele Lancieri spun in the middle of the chicane, causing some huge moments in the pack behind him: he rejoined well down the order. In the early laps there were some big battles in the lead group: Tenchini (official Pirelli test driver) took a place from Perazzini (above), while up front Mediani (below) was easing away from Balzan, who had his hands full of…Moncini who overtook the ex-WTCC driver, but Balzan re-passed Moncini a lap later. Inspired by this move he took several tenths out of Mediani’s lead on each lap and on lap 7 overtook the other black 430 – so Balzan was the new leader. Meanwhile the 2007 Champ Livio moved up to fourth place, a good recovery from a disastrous first race. The very next lap there was a huge moment up front: Balzan was out with a driveshaft failure. Just before the pit-window the order was now Mediani from Moncini, Livio, Tenchini and Perazzini. In the GT3 class the Mik Corse Gallardo was out with a mechanical failure, and the lead was taken by the long-time GT driver Loris Kessel. But luck wasn’t with the GT3 leaders in this race: Kessel picked up a puncture, and havd no choice but to retire his red 430 GT3. Giraudi took the GT3 class lead... for now Alex Caffi took over the second-placed 430 from Moncini, and resumed in the lead: he never looked back until the end. Behind him were Gattuso (from Livio) and Linos (from Mediani). Behind the top three in the GT2 class, Aguas (from Tavano) grabbed the fourth spot from Cioci (from Perazzini). Believe or not Giraudi had a huge puncture and left the GT3 lead to De Pasquale in the Viper. Caffi took the chequered flag with no other major dramas from Gattuso and Livio, who had his hands full of Aguas in the closing laps. The Championship has taken some big steps forward this year: live (good) TV coverage, almost 40 cars on the grid (a record), some 15 Ferrari 430 in the GT2 class (also a record…for Maranello for sure), very clean races with no penalties or collisions like last year, a good crowd in the stands …what more can we ask for? Perhaps a little more variety in GT2 Next round at Misano on April 19-20. | 
