SUPER 2000 AND SUPER PRODUCTION DRIVERS TO RACE TOGETHER
FOR TWO DIFFERENT EUROPEAN TITLES
The format of the FIA European Touring Car Cup in Vallelunga
underwent a last minute change, when it was decided that competitors
in both the Super 2000 and the Super Production Cups will
race together. The original format included a separate 70-km
single race for Super Production cars, instead they will now
participate in the two 50-km backto- back races for Super
2000.
“It was the logical solution, due to the limited number
of Super Production entries,” promoter Marcello Lotti
explained. “However the two categories will still have
their own classifications, prize money and FIA European title.”
However there will be separate grids for both of the races,
with all the Super 2000 cars ahead of the Super Production
cars. On the grid for the second race the top eight drivers
classified in the Super 2000 Race 1 will be placed in reverse
order; the same will apply for Super Production.
The change of format resulted in a change of timetable: Race
1 will start at 2.15 PM (TV live from 2.00 to 2.45) and Race
2 at 3.25 PM (TV live from 3.15/4.00).
ZANARDI TOPPED THE TESTING TIMES
After four practice sessions over two days, Alessandro Zanardi
has emerged as quickest with a best lap time of 1:41.525 which
he set on the final outing in his BMW Team Italy-Spain car.
Only two other drivers completed a lap in less than 1 minute
42 seconds, both doing so in the third practice session -
Salvatore Tavano achieved the overall second best time of
1:41.875 at the wheel of his DB Motorsport Alfa Romeo and
Jason Plato set a 1:41.974 in his SEAT Toledo Cupra. With
three different manufacturers setting the top three times,
performance appears to be well balanced ahead of qualifying
tomorrow. Consistently within the top 5 times, Swedish Touring
Car Champion Richard Göransson has adapted to the Italian
circuit well and his best time was 1:42.050. Claudia Hürtgen
– the only lady in the field – has also put in
good performances during all of the sessions with a best lap
of 1:42.575. Both Peugeot drivers – Jens Edman and Johan
Stureson – were also consistently improving, just like
Tomas Engström in his Honda Accord, Tom Coronel in the
GR Asia SEAT Toledo and Franz Engstler in his BMW 320i. These
ten drivers appear to be the best candidates for the European
crown, whereas Thed Björk (Göransson’s team-mate
at West Coast Racing), Michel Nykjær in the Danish SEAT,
Luca Rangoni with a Proteam BMW and former Russian champion
Mikhail Ukhov could be the dark horses.
The final session was the best for the Super Production cars
that took part. Lorenzo Pasquinelli completed the fastest
lap in this category with a 1:49.644 at the wheel of his Zerocinque
Motorsport BMW, ahead of Sergey Krylov in the Sport-Garage
Volkswagen Golf.
LAST MINUTE CHANGES TO THE ENTRY LIST
OTHLA WITHDRAWS
Estonian Aivis Othla, who was expected to drive the second
Ford Focus car run by Germany-based TW Racing, has withdrawn
his entry from the Super 2000 cup. This leaves Wolfgang Treml,
from Austria, as the team’s only driver.
COLLARD REPLACES KAYE
Also in the S2000 Cup, Robert Collard from England has replaced
fellow Countryman James Kaye at the wheel of GR Asia’s
second SEAT Toledo Cupra car, alongside Tom Coronel.
FALESSI JOINS SUPER PROD
Italian Lorenzo Falessi has been added to the list of men
pretending to the Super Production Cup; he joins the three
drivers – Pasquinelli, Krylov and Nikolaev – who
had entered already. Falessi will be at the wheel of an Alfa
Romeo 147 run by Errepi Racing.
ADDITIONAL LIVE BROADCAST ON SPORTITALIA
In addition to Eurosport 2, that will broadcast both races
live on Sunday, Italian terrestrial TV channel SportItalia
will also air live the FIA European Touring Car Cup from Vallelunga.
FLASH NEWS
SUPERTURISMO – The two final rounds
of the Italian Superturismo Championship were raced today
in Vallelunga. Alessandro Balzan claimed a double victory
at the wheel of his SEAT Toledo Cupra. Salvatore Tavano (Alfa
Romeo 156) and Gianluca De Lorenzi (BMW 320i) were classified
second and third in Race 1, and swapped positions in Race
2.
OFFICIAL FIGURES
Drivers who have passed scrutineering: 26 Represented countries:
10 Represented Manufacturers: 7
FIA EUROPEAN TOURING CAR CUP TIMETABLE – VALLELUNGA
16th October
Sunday 09.00 – 09.30 Free practice 10.45 – 11.15
Qualifying 14.15 Race 1 – 13 laps 15.25 Race 2 –
13 laps 16.00 Podium ceremony 16.10 Press conference
TV COVERAGE FROM VALLELUNGA (Central European Time)
Sunday, 16th: Race 1 – LIVE EUROSPORT 2, 14.15/15.00
Race 2 – LIVE EUROSPORT 2, 15.15/16.00 Races 1 &
2 – LIVE SPORTITALIA, 14.15/16.00
Tuesday, 18th: Highlights – 60 minutes EUROSPORT, 23.30/00.30
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