while Mercedes clinch the Team-Constructors' honours
BERTON (BMW) AND LARINI (AUDI) SHARE RACE WINS IN SUPERSTARS. CASÈ-RUBERTI AND GIAMMARIA-CHUKANOV TAKE TWO WINS FOR FERRARI IN GTSPRINT AS THOMAS SCHÖFFLER WINS THE CHAMPIONSHIP
It was a great day for Gianni Morbidelli at Vallelunga. Thanks to a podium finish in Race 1, the Pesaro-based man cruised to his 5th SUPERSTARS title in front of 26.000 cheering fans. Morbidelli was finally able to write his name in the International roll of honour again after his 2009 win, while he also has three Italian titles in his resume. So as soon as the series approached Vallelunga, he completed a successful stint started at Zolder, a sensational run that brought him and his Audi RS5 to seven wins including two full weekend sweeps.
In the end, Thomas Biagi had once again a tough time on-track after lining-up with 33 points to recover from Morbidelli. The Bologna-based Mercedes AMG-Romeo Ferraris driver left nothing unattempted. Unfortunately, he was forced to retire in Race 1 with a mechanical issue before ending Race 2 in sixth. On the other hand, he held the Mercedes-Benz banner high this season together with his team-mate Vitantonio Liuzzi. The Stuttgart-based manufacturer celebrated the teams' title at Vallelunga as Liuzzi scored a fifth and a fourth place. Overall, the Mercedes C63 AMG racecars scored six wins including one by Luigi Ferrara at Donington Park with the Coupé model.
Vallelunga also proved good for Team BMW Dinamic as they captured a sensational 1-2 finish on Race 1. After having scored the pole on Saturday, Giovanni Berton cruised to his third win of the season and was followed by team-mate Max Mugelli.
The GTSPRINT INTERNATIONAL SERIES featured two Ferrari wins in Italy but the title eventually went to German youngster Thomas Schöffler. Driving an Audi R8 LMS for Team Audi MTM, he administrated the advantage he had after Imola to clinch the overall and GTS3 crowns after Race 1. Glauco Solieri, on the Autorlando Porsche, was eventually forced to settle for the runner-up spot. As said, Ferrari dominated on Race Day. In Race 1, Lorenzo Casè and Paolo Ruberti took the lead at midpoint to deliver Scuderia Baldini 27 Network their maiden win of the season. In the second race, it was Team Ukraine to celebrate. Young Ukranian Sergey Chukanov and home star Raffaele Giammaria went on to victory, securing the teams' championship in the process.
RESULTS
SUPERSTARS Race 1 (top-5): 1. Giovanni Berton (BMW M3 E92) 16 laps 27’39”604; 2. Max Mugelli (BMW M3 E92) 3”268; 3. Gianni Morbidelli (Audi RS5) 6”934; 4. Andrea Larini (Audi RS5) 11”908; 5. Vitantonio Liuzzi (Mercedes C63 AMG) 22”776.
SUPERSTARS Race 2 (top-5): 1. Andrea Larini (Audi RS5) 16 laps 27’53”960; 2. Giovanni Berton (BMW M3 E92) 0”467; 3. Francesco Sini (Chevrolet Camaro) 3”270; 4. Vitantonio Liuzzi (Mercedes C63 AMG) 4”427; 5. Max Mugelli (BMW M3 E92) 5”259.
INTERNATIONAL SERIES FINAL STANDINGS (top-5): 1. Morbidelli 232; 2. Berton 190; 3. Liuzzi 189; 4. Biagi 188; 5. Ferrara 127.
ITALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL STANDINGS (top-5): 1. Liuzzi 129; 2. Morbidelli 125; 3. Berton 83; 4. Biagi 76; 5. Ferrara e Sini 59.
GTSPRINT Race 1 (top-5): 1. Casè-Ruberti (Ferrari 458) 37 laps 1h01’36”227; 2. Kruglyk-Cioci (Ferrari 458) 47”883; 3. Giammaria-Chukanov (Ferrari 458) 51”564; 4. Cordoni (Ferrari 458) 54”217; 5. Passuti-Proietti (Porsche 997) 54”379.
GTSPRINT Race 2 (top-5): 1. Giammaria-Chukanov (Ferrari 458) 37 laps 1h01’30”364; 2. Croce-Beretta (Ferrari 458) 20”754; 3. Casè-Ruberti (Ferrari 458) 26”759; 4. Kruglyk-Cioci (Ferrari 458) 47”620; 5. Passuti-Proietti (Porsche 997) 50”094.
GTSPRINT INTERNATIONAL SERIES FINAL STANDINGS (top-5): 1. Schöffler 226; 2. Solieri 198; 3. Kruglyk 196; 4. Giammaria 175; 5. Del Castello 146.
