Carlo Tamburini and Rubén Fernández Gil were the great protagonists of the two TCR Italy races staged in Imola.
In the first, the very young driver of MM Motorsport won, who thanks the duelists in front of him who went off the track right on the last lap, while in the second the Spaniard gives the first Italian victory to the new Audi RS 3 LMS, resisting the pressing of rivals .
Among the DSGs, the disqualification in Race 1 of Sabatino Di Mare rewards Rodolfo Massaro, who then gives an encore in race number two of the weekend.
Race 1 start
Photo by: ACI Sport
RACE 1: Between the two quarrels, Tamburini enjoys
Carlo Tamburini celebrated his first victory in TCR Italy in Race 1 thanks to the patatrack between Denis Babuin and Ruben Volt.
The latter had a great start from Pole Position and was not worried even by the entry of the Safety Car, which intervened twice within the 30 ‘of the race.
The first occurred on the third lap, when the rear left suspension of Jonathan Giacon’s FIAT Tipo, at that moment fourth and fighting for the podium with great determination, collapsed at the ‘Tamburello’ causing the KO of the Tecnodom Sport boy. while at the ‘Rivazza’ Giacomo Ghermandi sent Sérgio Lopez’s Cupra (RC2 Junior Team) into the grass, making him retire.
The second neutralization took place 5 ‘from the end due to a double exit from the track by Damiano Reduzzi’s Hyundai i30 N (Trico WRT) and Felipe Fernandez’s Cupra (RC2 Junior Team).
Jonathan Giacon, Tecnodom Sport, FIAT Tipo TCR
Photo by: ACI Sport
In both cases, Volt had been very good at restarting keeping the record, but on the very last lap, in the descent of the ‘Rivazza’, Babuin tried the impossible attack on the ALM Motorsport boy, ending up with a ruinous rear-end on the Honda Civic Type. R which ended up counter-steering in the gravel.
Tamburini with the Honda of MM Motorsport thanked by slipping the two and passing as the winner under the checkered flag, pulling behind the always tough Salvatore Tavano, in place of honor with the Cupra of the Scuderia del Girasole after he had initially distinguished himself with a couple of nice overtakes.
Inevitable the 10 “penalty imposed on Babuin’s Audi RS 3 LMS, which thus slips to 16th place remaining short of points, for which the podium is completed by Volt – decidedly and rightly black for the snatching suffered – with his teammate Antti Rammo fourth.
A furious battle also for these positions which saw Manuel Bissa and Michele Imberti penalized for multiple and reciprocal contacts with their respective Honda and Hyundai. Both the MM Motorsport boy and the CRM Motorsport boy end up so far from the positions that matter.
Ruben Volt, ALM Motorsport, Honda Civic Type R TCR
Photo by: ACI Sport
He thanks Rubén Fernandez, who completes the Top5 at the wheel of the Audi prepared by the RC2 Junior Team, followed by the Honda of Mattias Vahtel (ALM Motorsport) and the Hyundai Elantra N of Niels Langeveld.
The Dutchman of the Target Competition is the other great loser of the day, having stalled at the start from the front row and being sucked into the group, from which he was unable to recover.
A good eighth place for Edoardo Cappello with the Hyundai i30 N of Aggressive Team Italia, then the Cupra of Sylvain Pussier and the Hyundai i30 N of Ettore Carminati (CRM Motorsport) close the Top10.
Points are also taken by Raffaele Gurrieri with the second Cupra of Scuderia del Girasole, the Hyundai i30 N of Francesca Raffaele and Cesare Brusa (Target Competition), the Hyundai Elantra N of the rookie Luca Lorenzini (Aggressive Team Italia / Esse Racing) and Stéphane Ventaja on the ‘Audi of Team Clairet Sport.
Out of the points also ends the rookie Ghermandi with the Cupra of his team, punished for contact with Lopez.
Rodolfo Massaro, Elite Motorsport, Audi RS 3 LMS TCR
Photo by: ACI Sport
A dominant victory for Sabatino Di Mare had arrived in the DSG class, but the Cupra of the DMP Motors’ standard bearer was found to be irregular during the checks, so the rider from Campania was excluded with great bitterness, given the excellent performance that once again he had seen him fight rivals with more powerful cars.
To inherit the success of the category is thus Rodolfo Massaro at the wheel of the Audi of Elite Motorsport, followed by that of the Tecnodom Sport driven by Steven Giacon, despite the fact that the Venetian had a problem at the start that had made him retreat in order.
The other Elite Audi entrusted to Mauro Trentin also finishes on the podium.
Among the retired we also register Marco Iannotta (MM Motorsport), due to a problem on the front right of his Honda, and Marco Butti (Next Motorsport), in gravel on the last lap with his Hyundai i30 N.
Action on the track
Photo by: ACI Sport
RACE 2: R. Fernández matador on a great Imberti
Rubén Fernández Gil is the ‘matador’ of Race 2 under the sun, finally out on the Enzo and Dino Ferrari.
The Spaniard was the author of a good start from the pole position of the inverted grid, keeping behind an aggressive Imberti, who on lap 7 had even managed to overtake him before everything was neutralized by the entry of the Safety Car for the stops on the track of Steven Giacon, Butti and Vahtel.
On lap 11 it started again and the RC2 team rider managed to overtake the rider from Bergamo again, while going straight to the ‘Tamburello’ with his Audi and returning in front of his rival’s Hyundai.
The two continued their very personal fight, but on lap 12 a new grouping behind the Safety Car caused a contact that saw Babuin and Rammo go gravel in the middle of the group, after the Bolza Corse boy touched the Estonian Honda.
New restart on lap 15 with 3 laps to cover according to the clock, but the very cold shower for Imberti arrived at the exit of the ‘Villeneuve’, when a tire jumped making him slow down.
Ruben Fernandez Gil, RC2 Junior Team, Audi RS 3 LMS TCR
Photo by: ACI Sport
Behind him chaos with several machines to fan out even going into the grass; among these, the Cupra of Lopez and Pussier raised the white flag, forcing the race direction to display the red flag, ending the race with one lap in advance.
This not only sanctioned the automatic success for the excellent R. Fernández, but also the recovery of the second place for Imberti, given that the final classification is taken according to the order of the lap before the stop.
In all this, the podium goes to the excellent rookie Bissa, who had been overtaken by Volt in extremis, but who therefore recovers the third step against the Estonian.
The winner of Race 1, Tamburini, places himself in the Top5 with Langeveld and Felipe Fernández behind him, struggling with a Tavano eager to get back on top after the Sicilian had crossed arms with another gritty of the day, Giacomo Ghermandi.
Michele Imberti, CRM Motorsport, Hyundai i30 N TCR
Photo by: ACI Sport
Pussier is also ranked in the Top10, followed by Lopez. Gilles Colombani on the Cupra of Team Clairet Sport is 12th keeping behind the Hyundai of the Target Competition led by Cesare Brusa and Francesca Raffaele, Lorenzini also scores points, who knocks out Iannotta, Ventaja, Gurrieri and Cappello.
Another great and bitter fight for success among the DSGs: this time Massaro wins in the Audi-Elite double, given that his teammate Trentin is second. Di Mare finished third after losing ground in the early stages due to a problem.
Among the retired also Nicola Guida (Cupra-Scuderia del Girasole) and Ettore Carminati (Hyundai-CRM) did not start due to the too much damage suffered in Race 1 by their cars Reduzzi and Jonathan Giacon.
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