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Bittersweet Weekend at Mugello for Audi Sport Italia
By source: Audi Sport Italia
May 12, 2008, 21:29
Bittersweet weekend at Mugello for Audi Sport Italia. Gianni Morbidelli nearly pulls off win... but RS 4 driver loses standings lead by 1 point to race winner Stefano Gabellini. Giorgio Sanna leads four laps but winds up 5th.
The 1.140-meter long straight makes of Mugello one of the toughest circuit to tame for 4WDs like Audi Sport Italia's RS 4s. To make things worse the reigning Campionato Italiano Superstars champ Gianni Morbidelli had to cope with a car that with driver in the cockpit topped 1600 kilos after his win in the series opener a fortnight ago. This not withstanding the former F1 driver's team mate Giorgio Sanna, in another RS 4 --100 kilos lighter -- was able to battle steadily for first place since the early stages with nimbler rear-wheel-driven cars of pole sitter Stefano Gabellini (BMW 550i) and young Italian Davide Rigon, who from the front row surprised the most experienced tin-top regulars in his first outing in a Jaguar S Type-R. Soon the young driver had to let go Gabellini and Sanna, and the latter got the upper's hand on the BMW on Lap 6, to keep the lead until Lap 10, when he had to ease his pace. Sanna on Lap 2 had been taken by surprise at the outset of an early safety-car period, hititng the rear bumper of Roberto Papini's BMW and damaging the oil cooler. The rising temperatures forced him to give room to team mate Morbidelli, whose tactics of a late charge went on to be proven ... almost right, as the Pesaro-born driver was beaten at the checker by only 0.598.
After the race the Stewards handed Sanna a 25 seconds penalty for tangling with Papini and the Rome-born driver dropped from 3rd place to 5th. Former Super Touring Car driver Gabellini is now leading the charts with a 1-point lead over Morbidelli, whose winning streak in this V8 series has been snapped after seven races on top (2007-2008).
QUOTES
EMILIO RADAELLI (Audi Sport Italia team principal)
"Taking into account that this is quite an unfavorable circuit layout for our cars, and the kind of ballast that Morbidelli had onboard this is an outstanding result. The rules and the system is trying to make us stumble but somehow we were almost able to overcome all this stuff. But we'll stay up at night to work out something to be back on the top the next time out, even though Monza, just like Mugello, does not suit our cars very much."
GIANNI MORBIDELLI (Audi RS 4 #1): "I almost proved right my tactics, I was very afraid to blew the tyres pushing hard early, and the gap from the winner at the finish confirms that we were on the right path. Bad luck that the two full caution laps have somehow spoiled my plan. Another lap and I could have taken the first place from Gabellini, but it was too late. Anyway, we may have been on the pace at the end, but I can tell you that driving a car that heavy in some of the Mugello hot spots, with all those sweeping corners is quite an experience..."
GIORGIO SANNA (Audi RS 4 #44)
"For four laps I have been able to find my best pace, I was back to the good weekends of 2006 when I claimed 4 wins. Sadly, when the safety-car got out Papini has hit the brakes suddenly--I think because someone in front of him did the same to him--and there was nothing I could do to avoid him. I hit his bumper damaging my oil cooler, I was afraid that the engine would let go immediately, but somehow it did not, therefore I pushed hard and overtook Gabellini at the Bucine corner, but later on the oil and water gauges hit the sky and I was barely able to escape limping to the end and taking a few points."
CAMPIONATO ITALIANO SUPERSTARS
Round 2 - Mugello. May 4th 2008
1. Stefano Gabellini (BMW) 24:46.193 average speed 139.754
2. GIANNI MORBIDELLI (AUDI RS 4) + 0.598
3. Davide Rigon (Jaguar S-Type R) + 7.278
4. Kristian Ghedina (BMW) + 17.254
5. GIORGIO SANNA (AUDI RS 4) + 27.934
R. STEVO GOLDSTEIN (AUDI RS 4) 2 laps
Points standings after 2 of 8 rounds
1. Stefano Gabellini 40 points; 2. GIANNI MOR-
BIDELLI 39; 3. Kristian Ghedina 22; 4. Davide Rigon 14; 5. Roberto Papini 12; 6. Alessandro Battaglin 11; 7. GIORGIO SANNA and Francesco Ascani 10.
NEXT ROUND: Monza, May 18th 2008
About The Campionato Italiano Superstars
The Campionato Italiano Superstars (Italian Superstars Championship) is a series sanctioned by ACI-CSAI (Italy's national sanctioning body) and promoted by FG Sport, the Rome-based firm owned by Maurizio Flammini which has successfully launched the World Superbike.
Powerful production-based sedans are eligible for the series' grids: Audi RS 4, BMW M3, M5 and 550, Cadillac CTS-V, Chrysler 300C and Jaguar S-Type R.
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