In the other grades, victories to Perolini-Valente (SGT Cup), Merendino-Di Benedetto (GT Cup) and Cressoni-Magnoni (GT4). Race-2 tomorrow at local 12.55 with live coverage on TV on Rai Sport and on the Facebook page of the championship www.acisport.it/CIGT
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Giancarlo Fisichella and Stefano Gai (Ferrari 488) claimed the victory in race-1 at the opener of the Italian Grand Touring Championship 2018 at the circuit Enzo and Dino Ferrari in Imola.
The pairing of Scuderia Baldini 27 led the Lamborghini Huracan driven by Vedel-Veglia (Antonelli Motorsport) by 0”944s and the BMW M6 GT3 of Comandini-Cerqui (BMW Padova Team).
The victory in the other classes went to Perolini-Valente (Lamborghini Huracan-Antonelli Motorsport) in Super GT Cup, Merendino-Di Benedetto (Island Motorsport) in GT Cup and Cressoni-Magnoni (Ginetta G55-Nova Race) in GT4.
Race-2 is scheduled for tomorrow at 12,55 and will go live on Raisport and on the Facebook page of the championship and on www.acisport.it/CIGT.
RACE-1: Fisichella-Gai claimed a good win in the first round of the Italian series that has seen the debut of the new race format with longer races of 56minutes + 1 lap. The victory of the Scuderia Baldini 27 pairing was locked off in the first stint when a great Fisichella started from the pole position and kept an unbearable race pace that allowed him to hand the car over to his co-equiper with a 20s margin. Twists arrived since the beginning when a contact involving Palma and Mancinelli forced the latter to a pit-stop, and Zampieri was handed a drive-through penalty because he overtook Fassler before crossing the start line, that made him slip down to the back of the pack. The Swiss driver of Audi Sport Italia also had some problems and was forced to pit due to a puncture, conceding his podium position, while Alessandro Perullo spun off at Piratella and forced race direction to neutralize the race with the safety car. In Super GT Cup, Perolini got the lead as he was fourth overall behind the Dane Vedel and ahead of Palma that started a long duel with Comandini for the podium. In GT Cup, Merendino installed himself on top leading La Mazza, while Sauto had to retire due to an oil leak from the back of the car. In GT4, Cressoni did not have problems to keep teammate Henri Kauppi behind.
Behind, Fassler and Zampieri were getting some ground back. The Italian of Antonelli Motorsport was the first to pit handing the car over to Altoè. At the end of the pit stops, Gai was still on top, leading Veglia, who took over from Vedel, while Barri replaced Palma in P3 leading Cerqui, Altoè and Valente, as the latter was the pacesetter of Super GT Cup.
Positions on top did not change also in the other classes and Di Benedetto was leading GT Cup and Magnoni GT4, while Magli had to say goodbye to the first place in GT3 Light at lap 21 due to the failure of the gearbox.
The closing stages were characterized by the exceptional comeback put in by Veglia who managed to recover precious seconds on Stefano Gai. The driver from Milan did not push hard due to strong vibrations on the front end of this car, which allowed Antonelli Motorsport’s driver to close in. Baruch also recovered some ground. He took over from Fassler and with four laps to go he got P6, while Cerqui, fourth, closed in on Barri.
At the flag, Gai took the maiden win of the season, with less than one second of advantage on Veglia, while Barri was third. The driver of Petri Corse Motorsport, was handed a 5s time penalty though due to the contact of his co-equiper at the start of the race, which handed BMW driver with the third step of the podium. Altoè was fifth leading, Baruch, Valente, who was the first of Super GT Cup, De Castro, GT Cup leader Di Benedetto, Nicolosi, GT4 leader Magnoni, and Marchetti. Fontana and Mancinelli also closed into the points as they rejoined after the incident in the early part of the race and ended eighth in GT3.
