Italian GT, Imola – Race Two Report
All-Italian Domination The first race 2 of the year with the “joint classes” (with lots of controversy hanging on in the paddock about it…) saw all 29 cars on the grid. As we predicted, the Autorlando guys made a double miracle rebuild overnight – installing two engines; one for the ex GT Cup leader car of Caffi-Fratti, the other for the other ex leader in GT3 Roda-Lietz. The common phrase of this weekend was the “Hell-like hot conditions”…someone even saw the Devil himself driving the Safety Car… We have decided to split the report into three parts, one for each class, so let’s have a look at what happened; but first the time penalty: GT2 Mugelli-Palma 30 seconds, Garofano-Cadei and Montermini-Moncini 25, Perazzini-Cioci 20 and Rugolo-Cirò 15. GT3 Albuquerque-Bonanomi 30 seconds, Capello-Giraudi 20, Roda-Lietz and Gattuso-Lavio 15. GT CUP Mancini-Mapelli and FormilliFendi-Mastronardi 15, Sanna-Stancheris and Amaduzzi-Cerati 10 seconds. GT2 At the green flag Cadei grabbed the lead from Cioci, Rugolo, Montermini and Mugelli, but the order soon changed as Montermini made a rookie mistake; spinning his Ferrari at the exit of the Variante Alta and, adding insult to injury, having to wait for the full field to pass before rejoining in angry mood. The top four were in very close proximity to each other, while Montermini begin his huge comeback, passing cars left, right and centre. Nothing changed until the pitstops, so the leader was still Garofano-(Cadei); but Cirò-(Rugolo) was chipping away seconds from his lead. Third, and hard charging too, was now Palma-(Mugelli), while fourth was the black Ferrari (usual found at the top end of the standings) of Dalle Stelle-(Valentini). Moncini-(Montermini) could gain any places after the first lap spin. Garofano was feeling the pressure, perhaps too much, and, after being passed by Cirò and trying to keep up the rhythm, spun at the Tamburello chicane and ended his race in the gravel trap; a very bad mistake considering how low was the entry in the class, when every result is a huge one. Cirò was not safe enough in the lead as Palma was doing fastest laps one after the other, but couldn’t close enough to threaten Cirò’s lead; the latter winning overall and, of course, winning the class. Palma finished second, and a good third was Dalle Stelle. GT3 The lead at the start was taken by the 430 Ferrari of Lavio, followed closely by Roda, Bonanomi, Borghi in the other 997 R, Giraudi, Caccia and Dr. Earle in the other Kessel Ferrari. The leaders were very much nose to tail. Roda lost the second spot to Bonanomi due to a little error, but the pace of the cars was so close that the track position was an ephemeral thing. As the laps continued, Lavio, Bonanomi and Roda began easing away from the other R8 of Giraudi and the other Kessel Racing Ferrari. No other major incident occurred before the mandatory pitstop, and after it, the leader remained Gattuso-(Lavio) - but the “man from Venus” (very angry about the “Porsche barbeque” of Saturday) Richard Lietz-(Roda) was now shadowing the Ferrari. With 30 seconds of time penalty, Albuquerque-(Bonanomi) found himself down the order in fifth spot in the class. Gattuso and Lietz had a very good battle, but the 100 kg penalty on the Porsche prevented Lietz from outbraking the Ferrari and, despite trying his best, he couldn’t overtake the Ferrari and finished the race second. Third just before the end was the other 2010 spec “R” Porsche of De Lorenzi…but two laps from the end he had to park his car with a “big barbeque” in the rear; although thankfully he managed to stop the car near the marshal’s post with the extinguisher. Third in the end finished Bontempelli-(Caccia) and it was a fine fourth for Albuquerque-(Bonanomi), just in front of the other R8 of Capello-Giraudi. We have to mention another bad race for the all-girl pair - they had a very average race with no real highlights, and finished the race outside the top 10 in class. GT Cup The Championship leader Mancini maintained the lead, but Sanna in the Gallardo was almost literally attached to his rear bumper. Third and fourth were the Porsches of Di Fant and Baccani.On the third lap the Gallardo outbraked Mancini, for the lead at the Tamburello chicane. This was not the only move on this lap as Fornaroli overtook Baccani in an “all Porsche affair”. Behind the “Italian Supercar-duo”, Goldstein, in another Ferrari, was now third, followed by Di Fant, Fornaroli, Baccani and Fratti; all in the Stuttgart 997 Cup. We counted two spins in the same curve (the Tosa); Mamè deciding to explore the sand trap, while Amaduzzi was seemingly practicing for the drift challenge, without good results… The pitstop reversed the standing, at least in the lower-podium spot, with Stancheris-(Sanna), still in the lead, Mapelli-(Mancini) in second, but the previous third Goldstein parked his Ferrari at the top of the hill just after the Variante Alta chicane. Third was now Del Monte-(Fornaroli), from Mastronardi-(Formilli Fendi) and the fast charging Caffi-(Fratti). The last laps saw some overtaking. Caffi finally got Del Monte and Mastronardi to grab a very good third place (after the retirement of Saturday). Fourth finished Del Monte and fifth Mastronardi. Race result - here Lots has happened during the half-way point of the season, and a mid-week report - along with some major news about the series - and the point standings will follow on DSC. Gabriele Tosi | 
