A few minutes after the briefing with the race director, the ever-present Massimiliano Ghinassi, everything is ready in the paddock and for the first time this season in the pits for the start of the fifth and crucial penultimate act of the Porsche Carrera Cup Italia, which will take place until Sunday at the Vallelunga racetrack.
Free practice starts this afternoon for what promises to be another hour of “testing” after the pre-weekend test experienced yesterday. The conditions are ideal, with clear skies and pleasant temperatures. A spring-like climate that could also favor new performances on record limits or in any case of high reference after what the very young Janne Stiak already showed yesterday, when the German from Target Competition closed the day under the fateful wall of 1 and 34 lapping in 1’33″977, the only one to succeed.
Right behind, Larry Ten Voorde also made a good impression in the test. The reigning champion and current leader of the standings is returning to the Italian single-make series and in the Vallelunga paddock is the Frenchman Marvin Littlewho like Keagan Masters is aiming to attack the leadership of the Dutch standard-bearer of Fulgenzi Racing, immediately launches the challenge.
The Target Competition driver is making his debut at Vallelunga, a circuit where he also drove in last week’s test and which he immediately became fond of: “Really nice track, very fast at the beginning, then there’s a lot to drive, really interesting. Am I ready for the big challenge this weekend? I feel very ready!”.
Klein is also fresh from a great double win in Imola, where the absolute rookie Nicholas also stood out. Pujatti (sixth in race 1, his best result). The 16-year-old Villorba Corse standard-bearer is also, in his case of course, making his first appearance on the Roman track: “I have a lot to learn here, a very beautiful circuit that needs to be interpreted well, and memorized well. In my opinion, it’s even more difficult than Imola, where we did well and I’m very happy about that. I also had a lot of fun in the brawl with the more experienced drivers”.
Simone was also “reborn” in Imola Iaquintafinally on the podium in a season that in the first part was objectively marked by too much bad luck. And yesterday in the Vallelunga test he stood out with an encouraging fourth time just behind Masters (3rd): “We are ready to get back on track – said the Calabrian standard-bearer of Prima Ghinzani – and, always with respect for everyone, we will be in ‘maximum attack’ mode because the target is to try to confirm the good things shown in the previous round and continue the positive streak. The conditions are not lacking and in Vallelunga, which I consider a bit like my home race, last year it went really well. However, it remains a difficult circuit and where nothing can ever be taken for granted. I remember in 2023 it was very hot and the car setups went into crisis. So with the team we know we have to face hard work, Thursday’s test in this sense was a help, even if I mounted new tires when the track was not yet in ideal conditions. I am confident, but I am crossing my fingers!”.
About Masterslike Klein, the official South African of Team Q8 Hi Perform also needs a more than convincing performance to try to stay in the running and play every chance at Monza: “Vallelunga is a circuit that I really appreciate and that has a mix of technical corners and fast sectors. It is a track that really puts a driver’s skills to the test. After Imola, we worked hard to improve and now we are ready to get back on track with the aim of regaining the podium. The Q8 Hi Perform team and I will give our all to get the best possible result and compete for the title”.
Among those who have already won the title in 2021, Alberto Searchwho also appeared to be improving in yesterday’s test: “Vallelunga – said the Brescian of BeDriver – is a circuit that I like a lot and, after Imola, we have regained confidence for the last two seasonal events and next season. Thursday’s test was useful and went well. I feel very good with the new engineer hired by the team in Imola and this could give us an advantage over the other drivers. The level of my opponents will be very high, even more so with the return of Larry ten Voorde. I have wonderful memories of Vallelunga and I hope to get some good results!”.
In this sense, Aldo is also keeping his fingers crossed. Festive: “Home weekend – explains the Dinamic Motorsport representative -, on a track where I have always felt very good. As I repeat every time, qualifying is fundamental, so the primary objective will be to position ourselves at the front during the official tests, to be able to play our cards in both races”.
The one who wants to make a good impression in a duel between… the hosts is Francesco PhoenixesThe Roman driver from Raptor Engineering leads the Michelin Cup standings, but has just one point ahead of Alberto De Amicis.
The Guidonia driver and Ebimotors standard-bearer currently has the “discards” situation on his side and this is a factor that Fenici does not forget after some good performances yesterday in the test (Cesare Brusa at the top of the category): “We rode well on Thursday, I only put on new tyres when the track was not yet in the best conditions. We are ready to get on the track with the necessary determination because if we consider the discards we are behind. Naturally there is a bit of pressure. First because it is still the home race, which is always very much felt and many come to share the weekend with us; second because this time I arrive involved in the fight for the title. So a bit of expectation is perceived, but certainly I am also ultra-motivated. The watchword is to stay focused and aim to maximize the result by scoring as many points as possible”.
When talking about Vallelunga, the other hosts expected this weekend cannot help but come to mind. In this sense, with the exception of the Centro Porsche Latina, which “brands” the 911 GT3 Cup of Alex De Giacomi and Tsunami RT, it is Fenici’s team, the Raptor team, that is making the loudest noise.
In addition to the Michelin Cup leader, the Modena team will field the 17-year-old Roman rookie Flavio Olivieri, will carry the insignia of the Porsche Centres of Rome on the 911 GT3 Cup owned by Fenici (the other car at the start of the Autocentri Balduina is that of Diego Bertonelli in TDE) and will be managed by the Roman driver, tester and now also team principal Andrea Palm.
The latter expressed himself in this way on the team and its two home riders: “We are ready, but there is still work to be done. Vallleunga is a very technical circuit, especially in the guided part you can make the difference and the Curvone section is one of the fastest and most challenging in Italy. Then here many of us in the team are at the home event, including me. There is a really interesting ‘combo’ of circumstances and the home race is always complicated, I hope that everything can go smoothly and that in the end we can do as best as possible. There will also be a lot of spectators, as well as many friends and fans of our drivers: Vallelunga is always exciting also for this reason and the team will experience it with great intensity”.
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