Following the victory in race-1 of Capello-Zonzini, top step of the podium today for the second Audi Sport Italia’s lineup that led Donativi-Gagliardini (Porsche GT3R) and Amici-Barri (Lamborghini Gallardo). Galbiati-Passuti win in GTCup.
Audi had an unforgettable weekend at the Misano World Circuit. After the victory scored yesterday in race-1 by Capello-Zonzini, today the other Audi Sport Italia’s lineup made by Marco Mapelli and Thomas Schoeffler won race two awarding the firm from Ingolstadt with a fantastic double victory.
The Audi color bearers proceeded the Porsche GT3R of Donativi-Gagliardini and the Lamborghini Gallardo driven by Amici-Barri at the end of a very tight race that also saw the safety car deployment due to an incident.
At the start of race-2 the Ferrari of Pier Guidi kept the lead from the Lamborghini of Barri, to the other 458 of Malucelli, Ferrara and to the first Porsche – the one driven by Gagliardini – while in GT Cup the Porsche driven by Schiattarella got the lead of the class ahead of the Gallardo of Merchan.
The first overtaking move was successfully completed by the Audi driven by Zonzini who managed to take the Mercedes of De Lorenzi and the ninth position with it, while in the same lap Malucelli gained the second place getting past Barri who in turn had to defend himself from Ferrara, Gagliardini and Frassineti in sixth place.
These four drivers kept fighting for the podium as Frassineti made a move on the Porsche of Ebimotors and Ferrara could not find its way past the Lamborghini.
The fight helped Gagliardini who managed to overtake the Ferrari at lap seven and the drivers behind managed to gain some ground behind the Audi of Schoeffler who was seventh ahead of Pezzucchi and De Lorenzi. Behind them a contact between the Audi of Zonzini and the Ferrari of Casè required the safety car deployment at lap ten. The consequent neutralization voided the 20 seconds gap gained by Pier Guidi and Malucelli and guided the protagonists to the drivers change. Malucelli decided to delay its stop unlike the others.
The drivers swap saw Donativi (who replaced Gagliardini) on top, with Barba (Frassineti’s co-equiper) second ahead of Mapelli (Gagliardini’s co-equiper) and then Amici (Barri), Mora fifth and Giovanna Amati sixth (at the wheel of the car driven by De Lorenzi in the first stint).
Balzan, replaced Benucci and overtook the Mercedes of GDL Racing, while Mapelli got the lead during the 17th lap. The driver from Rovigo managed to get the fourth place behind the Lamborghini of Amici, while the Audi of the pacesetter managed to gain some margin to the Porsche of Donativi who in turn managed to keep a security margin to Amici and Balzan, that were involved in a fight proceeding Barba and Mora.
In GT Cup Macori filled in for Alessandri keeping the top of the classification, with the 12th absolute place. Quinzio who replaced Schiattarella had to get back into the pits at lap 23. During the same lap, Babini (Bianco’s co-equiper), recovered all the way to the sixth place overtaking Mora, while Passuti (Galbiati’s co-equiper on the Porsche) got the lead of the GT Cup by overtaking Macori, while the Lamborghini Gallardo driven by “El Pato” established itself in third.
Amici moved an unsuccessful attack to Doativi at lap 25. Balzan took advantage of this and got the slipstream of the Gallardo for the third step of the podium. The young driver of Imperiale did not leave him any room though. Mapelli alone on top started his battle with the clock due to a penalty he was handed due to the incorrect drivers swap procedure. The Audi Sport Italia’s driver did not struggle much to void the whole penalty, but Balzan could not do the same despite a very good – and unfortunately useless – overtaking on Amici, as he was relegated to the fourth place by the penalty.