39 DRIVERS ENTERED IN THE THIRD FIA EUROPEAN TOURING CAR
CUP
The third running of the FIA European Touring Car Cup, that
will take place next week at the Adria Raceway, Italy, has
already met with a brilliant result: a new record in terms
of participations.
39 drivers from 10 countries have entered the event and they
are at the wheel of cars from 12 different manufacturers (see
the final entry list attached) which equates to a 50 percent
increase compared to the two previous editions. 25 of these
competitors (again a new record) will fight for the FIA Super
2000 Cup and 9 for the FIA Super Production Cup.
Five other drivers have been accepted to compete in the new
Super 1600 class and they will not be eligible for any of
the two FIA Cups.
RUSSIA THE BEST REPRESENTED NATION
Nine National Sporting Authorities (ASN) will compete to
succeed the British Motor Sports Association in the roll of
honour of the FIA Touring Car Nations Cup, awarded to the
ASN whose drivers have scored the highest number of points
in the two races. The best two cars entered by competitors
belonging to the same ASN will be taken into consideration
for the Nations Cup’s classification.
The Russian Automobile Federation (RAF) is the best represented
ASN in the event with 11 drivers: six in Super 2000 and five
in Super Production.
GR ASIA LINE UP DANISH CHAMPION
UK-based GR Asia aim to repeat last year’s success
at Estoril, where the team’s SEAT León cars claimed
first and second in the Super 2000 Cup. The outfit directed
by Paul Ridgway entered Maurizio Ceresoli, their regular driver
in the FIA World Touring Car Championship, and Michel Nykjær.
The latter is the freshly crowned Danish Touring Car champion
having claimed the title for SEAT last week during the final
round at Jyllands-Ringen. In the title fight Nykjær
edged out a bunch of BMW drivers – former F1 star Magnussen,
sportscar legend Nielsen and triple DTC champion Elgaard –
halting the German manufacturers’ monopoly which had
lasted for three years.
MERCEDES AND HONDA FROM SWEDEN
The FIA European Cup in Adria will mark the international
debut of Tobias Johansson’s Mercedes C200. The German
car, prepared by the independent MB Sport team according to
Super 2000 technical specifications, has only raced in the
Swedish Touring Car Championship so far.
Also from Sweden is Tomas Engström, one of the most
experienced STCC competitors who is used to making international
appearances during the season. Last year he was classified
third in the FIA Super 2000 Cup at Estoril and two weeks ago
he took part in the FIA World Touring Car Championship round
at Monza.
A PORTUGUESE BMW FOR CAMPANIÇO
A former podium finisher in top-level international single
seater categories like Formula Renault, Formula 3 and World
Series, the 27-years old César Campaniço switched
to touring cars at the beginning of the season and immediately
emerged as one of the most competitive drivers in the new-born
Portuguese Touring Car Championship.
He comes to Adria with high hopes, at the wheel of the very
same BMW 320si run by the Sports & You team in which he
claimed five PTCC victories.
GERMAN BROTHERS IN ARMS
The two Toyota Corolla cars entered by the TFS-Yaco Team
will be driven by young brothers Philip and Charlie Geipel.
Philip, 21-years old, has just finished his second season
in the Toyota, competing in the ADAC Procar’s Division
1. He also made occasional outings in the FIA World Touring
Car Championship and participated in last year’s FIA
Super 2000 Cup at Estoril.
Adria will mark his younger brother’s debut in the
S2000 Corolla. Charlie, who is only 17, successfully completed
his maiden season in the ADAC Procar, claiming three Division
2 wins in a Toyota Yaris.
TWO LACETTI CARS FOR CHEVROLET
Chevrolet will be represented in the FIA Super 2000 Cup by
two Lacetti cars run by the Danish importer’s team and
driven by Henrik Lundgaard and Swede Pontus Mörth.
They were both among the top drivers in this year’s
Danish Touring Car Championship, claiming two victories apiece,
the first ever for Chevrolet in Denmark. The Danish contingent
is completed by two top-level independent cars: Kristian Poulsen’s
BMW 320si and Jens Reno Møller’s Honda Accord.
EMMET O’BRIEN IS BACK WITH A BMW
Irish youngster Emmet O’Brien returns to the FIA European
Touring Car Cup after he finished as runner up to GR Asia
team-mate Ryan Sharp in last year’s S2000 event. In
the first half of the current season O’Brien –
26 from Dublin – remained at GR Asia and competed in
the FIA World Touring Car Championship at the wheel of a SEAT
León.
He has now reached a last minute agreement with the Denmark-based
Poulsen Motorsport to race at Adria with the team’s
second BMW 320si.
UPGRADE FOR GOLDEN MOTORS
In 2006 the Russian outfit Golden Motors ran two Super Production
Honda Civic cars for Alexander Lvov and Andrey Smetsky, achieving
important results as Lvov clinched first the Russian title
and then the FIA Super Production Cup at Estoril. For the
current season team and drivers have upgraded to S2000 Honda
Accord cars. After a one-off appearance in the FIA World Touring
Car Championship round at Anderstorp, Lvov managed to win
another Russian title, with Smetsky finishing as runner-up.
Therefore they must be regarded as serious contenders for
the S2000 Cup.
THEY COME FROM THE EAST
Besides the large Russian contingent, two other competitors
are coming from Eastern Europe.
33-years old Latvian Janis Horeliks is one of the most successful
drivers from the Baltic Touring Car Championship. Last year
he was classified third in the FIA Super Production Cup driving
a Honda Integra, while in the current season he has finished
third in the Finnish Touring Car Championship with his new
S2000 Honda Civic.
Michal Mateyovský is only 22 and one of the best prospects
of Czech motor sport. Grown up in the local Škoda Octavia
Cup, he is now ready for the international stage and will
race in an S2000 Alfa Romeo 156 at Adria.
AUTOSPORT PROJECTS WITH AUDI AND FORD
Russia-based Sport-Garage will run two different types of
cars in Adria’s FIA Super 2000 Cup: one Audi A4 and
one Ford Focus.
The Audi will be in the hands of Alexander Lvov jr who, in
spite of having the very same name, is not related to his
fellow countryman driving for Golden Motors. Lvov jr was classified
8th in this year’s Russian Touring Car Championship.
His team mate, Yuriy Odud, will be in the Ford Focus, a former
Hotfiel Sport machine that raced in the FIA World Touring
Car Championship. Odud achieved 5th place in the 2007 RTCC.
FOUR ITALIANS IN THEIR HOME RACE
The Italian patrol in the FIA Super 2000 Cup is made up of
five men: Maurizio Ceresoli in the GR Asia SEAT León
and four other drivers all in BMW 320i cars.
Arsenio Corse’s Cesare Cremonesi, 37-years old, has
only started racing in 2006, but in the current season he
managed to grab the Italian Touring Cars Competition series
title. Alessandro Canali (27) freshly crowned champion of
the Italian Driver’s Trophy, was a last minute addition
to the Zerocinque Motorsport’s line up.
Roberto Conte and Riccardo Bianco are both driving for Promotorsport
Squadra Corse. The 42- year old Bianco spent the last two
seasons racing in the Endurance Touring Cars Series with his
team mate Conte. The latter – 56 from Rome – will
be the oldest driver in Adria; 39 years is the difference
between him and the youngest the 17-years old Charlie Geipel.
THE RUSSIANS WHO COME FROM GERMANY
Two of the Russian drivers have strong ties with Germany.
Oleg Petrishin and Rustem Teregulov race with the German Engstler
Motorsport team, owned by the experienced Franz Engstler who
will be racing himself in the FIA World Touring Car Championship’s
final meeting at Macau. Both, Petrishin and Teregulov were
regular competitors of the German ADAC Procar championship.
THE PRESIDENT OF SAN MARINO RACES AGAIN
Stefano Valli from San Marino will take part in his third
FIA European Cup at the wheel of a BMW 320i run by the Zerocinque
Motorsport team. He and Tomas Engström are the only drivers
entered in Adria who have participated in the first two events
in Vallelunga and Estoril.
In 2005 Valli – who is the president of FAMS, the National
Sporting Authority of the small Republic of San Marino –
competed in the Super 2000 cup, while last year he switched
to the Super Production cup. Now he is back to the major class.
ITALY VS RUSSIA IN SUPER PRODUCTION
The battle for the FIA Super Production Cup will be fought
between Italy and Russia. Massimo Arduini in the Team GPS
Honda Civic, Giulio Valentini in the GP Motorsport Alfa Romeo
147 (a disabled driver who is leading the Italian Super Production
Trophy), and the Alessandro Ravello-Fabio Fabiani in two BMW
320i cars run by the Gruppo Piloti Forlivesi team.
The Russian contingent – that claimed the first two
positions at Estoril in 2006 with Lvov and Sadredinov - line
up five drivers; four of them have occupied the top-four positions
in this year’s Russian Super Production Championship.
Aleksey Basov and Nikolay Agapov in the Rostokino- Lada Honda
Civic cars were classified first and third; they were split
by Anton Markin who drives a Sum Tel Racing BMW 320i. Dmitry
Dobrovolskiy was fourth in the Aimol Racing Opel Astra Coupé;
at Adria he will be joined by Arkadiy Pavlovskiy on his maiden
appearance in an SP car after emerging in the Super 1600 class.
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