Face to face with Davide Rigon: "At Monza to race in the GT Open Championship alongside the Villorba Corse Team"

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After the unlucky race at the Nurburgring, which was the Blancpain Endurance Series’ last event, Davide Rigon’s season is almost coming to an end. Together with his demanding work on the Ferrari Simulator and his engagement in the Endurance Championship at the wheel of the Kessel Team’s Ferrari 458 GT3, the Minardi Management’s driver made his debut in the WEC World Championship and in the international GT Open Championship at the wheel of the Ferrari 458 GT2. He finished second at Interlagos and scored a double win at Spa-Francorchamps. “It was an end to the Championship to be forgotten about. Because of some accidents, penalties and mistakes we didn’t manage to score a win which could have been within our reach. Once again our pace was good, but it was not enough unfortunately. I want to praise all the team on a job well done. All the guys did a great job on the car, they did miracles!”

After scoring a win in the Championship’s opening race at Monza and contesting the Championship’s final race as leaders, we all know how your season ended. What do you think about the racing season?

It was a positive season as we delivered good performances as drivers. Along with Daniel and Ramos, we were among the fastest on track, but luck was not at our side. At the 24H of Spa we had to withdraw just 1 hour before the end of the race. It was a crucial abandon.

An intense season is coming to an end. Besides your engagement with Ferrari as a test driver and your participation in the Blancpain Endurance Championship, you made also your debut in the WEC and in the GT Open.

It’s always exciting to put oneself to the test in different challenges and live new experiences. I made my debut in the WEC World Championship and in the GT Open and I got excellent results in both challenges. I hope to have further chances to draw attention on myself in similar challenges.

 

What are the differences between the Ferrari 458 GT3 and the Ferrari 458 GT2?

The Ferrari 458 GT3’s competition level is very high; the 458 GT2 is very close to a formula car. It’s a very reactive car, aerodynamics plays a very important role with regards to that and the car doesn’t have any ABS system. I like that car very much.

Will you get back on track before the season ends?

I’ll take part in the GT Open Championship’s last event at Monza behind the wheel of the Villorba Corse team’s Ferrari 458 GT3, along Montermini. It’s a pleasure for me to have the chance to continue to race alongside the Raimondo Amadio’s team and have Andrea as my teammate. We got excellent results at Spa-Francorchamps. Two Italian drivers will race at Monza behind the wheel of the Ferrari GT2. It’ll be fabulous. Both Andrea and the team are fighting for the title, so we have an important goal to reach. Let’s meet in Monza on October 5th.

 
 
 

Bhai Tech Driving Simulator Challenge: the Day

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Unforgettable day at the Bhai Tech Advanced Vehicle Science Centre. The Mestrino-based technological centre opened its doors to 12 guys on Saturday. The 12 guys, coming from all over Italy, had in common the passion for car racing and for competing on the quick and long straights of the Monza circuit. In fact, they were “racer for one day” and challenged each other on the track where Vettel sealed a win only one week ago.

The guys put themselves to the test by driving the cutting edge full-motion 6-DOF driving simulator, which is situated in the Bhai Tech suite. They had a chance to experience all the difficulties professional drives usually have to face during a race week end.

Under the watchful eye of Gian Carlo Minardi, the Imola circuit’s director Pietro Benvenuto, Giorgio Pantano and Rafael Suzuki (Bhai Tech Racing’s official drivers), the day began with a training session in the gym. The Forlì-based Driver Program Center’s founder Stefano Elia and the physiotherapist José H. Poletti explained the guys the importance of physical and mental training through some physical tests and the use of e-health, which avail itself of a portable physical performance dial which allows trainers to make a real-time detection of the main body activities such as heartbeats, sweating, breathing. The Driver Program Center is equipped with that dial.

After the physical training session, the 12 guys challenged each other at the wheel of the “Bhai Tech driving simulator”, following the engineer and technical director Roberto Costa’s meticulous technical instructions. The technical director taught each guy how to handle a driving simulator from a technical point of view, before and during the simulation session, “It was a very interesting day. It was very interesting to see people who are not used to doing this kind of activity and being under such a physical and mental stress, challenging each other. They had the opportunity to test a real simulator for the first time, a simulator which is conceived for professional drivers. William Zerbini really deserved to win, as he was fast, steadfast and confident. He made a very interesting progression for what concerning lap timing. He also confirmed his skills during the wonderful race on the Singapore’s demanding track. He drove a very fast race, without making any mistakes.” The Monza challenge’s winner put himself to the test also on the Singapore’s demanding track, where the F.1 World Championship’s 13th GP will take place on September 21-22. After the Bhai Tech Racing’s official driver Rafael Suzuki, who competes in the International GT Open Championship at the wheel of the McLaren MP12-4C along with his team mates Pantano, Van Der Drift and Razia, drove some laps, William Zerbini took over the race and delivered good performances in the Singaporean night “Second place for Zerbinati, who amazed us. He was very cautious at the beginning, but, after working on telemetry, he made the grade”, said Roberto Costa at the end of the simulation day, “Corrado Ciriello delivered very good performances and drove a very fast race. He was very aggressive at the beginning, and then he became confident. He could have further improved and he took an interesting path. He’s the typical virtual driver who has never driven a car”, ends the Brazilian engineer, “Besides the lap times set by them, I was also pleased to see their progression lap after lap, as they were at their first experience and they didn’t have so much time at their disposal.”

Gian Carlo Minardi was one of the special observers: “It was a very positive day, spent with car racing enthusiasts, who proved to be very skilled in living car racing competition through cutting edge simulation facilities such as the Bhai Tech’s driving simulator. Besides lap times, it was interesting to see the guys’ driving behavior after the engineer’s technical instructions and their progression lap after lap. I want to pay everyone my compliments on their driving performances. We don’t have to forget that they drove a professional simulator, which is usually driven by professional teams and drivers. It was a challenge, but also a funny day”, says the manager from Faenza “We’re working on the possibility to establish a Championship, as it would be great that young drivers would enter the world of motorsport through virtual simulation. F.1 uses driving simulation to decrease costs, so it is right that also young drivers would have given a chance to put themselves in the test through this kind of technology.” The Bhai Tech day’s emotions can be re-experienced on RaiSport2, inside the “Numero 1” sport program presented by the journalist Franco Bortuzzo.

Davide Rigon stands out even in the GT Open

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From Interlagos to Spa, from the WEC to the GT Open. Championships and circuits change, but the result is always the same. After making a successful debut in the WEC Championship one week ago, Davide Rigon and his team mate Andrea Montermini sealed a win at Spa-Francorchamps, where the International GT Championship’s sixth round was run last week end.

Despite the talented driver from Thiene competed in the GT Open Championship for the first time, he immediately became familiar with the challenge and managed to lead the Villorba Corse’s Ferrari 458 GT2 to the highest step of the podium, along with the Championship’s leader Andrea Montermini.

In a week end full of pitfalls, where the weather played a key role as it usually happens in Belgium, Davide weighed up the situation during free practice, set the second best chrono in Q2 and scored a fabulous win in the official race on Sunday. “It was a glorious week end; I want to congratulate Andrea and the team on a successful race.  Spa is always an amazing circuit to race at. In race – 2 I took the option to start on slicks, even if the track was wet. I tried to be as cautious as possible in the first laps to avoid making mistakes”, said Rigon “then I began to push hard and I recovered a bit before passing the wheel to Andrea, who completed the masterpiece in the final stint by sealing a stunning win”, commented Davide “however, we regret for race -1 final result.”

In fact, a lively Saturday was ruined by a penalty imposed to the Villorba Corse pair for shifting driver while the safety car was still on track. After taking the pole in qualifying – 1, Montermini set the best chrono before passing the wheel to his team mate Rigon. The new-entry continued to drive a glorious race and, thanks to several amazing passes under the rain, he successfully managed to lead the car to the third position “Unfortunately the race was ruined by a one-lap-penalty which dropped us to the 14th place. Unfortunately, only few minutes before the window closed, the safety car got on track.”

After Spa, it’s time to focus on next event to be scheduled for September 21/22 at the Nurburgring, where the Blancpain Endurance Series’s final round will be raced. On that occasion Davide will be back at the wheel of the Kessel Racing team’s Ferrari 458 GT3.

A grim race at Spa-Francorchamps for Bhai Tech

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Unlucky return to competition for Bhai Tech Racing. The Italian team, who contested the International GT Open’s sixth round on the track of Spa-Francorchamps, experienced the season’s most difficult race week end, which ended with zero points scored after four consecutive good results and three successful races at Nurburgring, Jerez and Silverstone.

The Italian team’s race week end at the Ardennes-based legendary circuit began in a good way, with the team’s four drivers Gorgio Pantano, Rafael Suzuki, Chris Van Der Drift and Luiz Razia able to lead the two McLaren MP4 – 12C to the standing’s top positions. The two qualifying turns proved the team, directed by Mr. Roberto Costa the engineer, was in a very good shape and gave evidence of its technical skills. In fact the team scored the second and third place in the GTS class (fifth and seventh in the overall standing) in qualifying – 1 with Pantano and Razia and the pole (third place in the overall standing) with Van Der Drift in qualifying – 2. “We were so fast since free practice, which is a clear proof we did a great job over the past few months. Our potential was demonstrated by scoring the second and third place in the GTS class in Q1 and the pole in Q2”, says the technical director Mr. Costa.

The Spa-Francorchamps race event is a typical example of how the final standing doesn’t reflect a team’s real value. After getting the top positions, this time Bhai Tech had to make an empty-handed return to the Advanced Vehicle Science Centre. After leading the GTS class, the Italian-Brazilian pair was imposed an one-lap-penalty in race – 1 because of a driver shift when the safety car was still on track, while the #66 car’s race ended on the 16th lap, as Van Der Drift was a victim of a terrible accident occurred at the Raidillon (luckily the accident had no bad consequences for the driver). The car was damaged in an irreparable way “It was an awful week end. We regret we lost the chance to score two possible wins, although we demonstrated to have a good potential. In race – 1 Pantano took a very good start, setting good times and taking the lead before giving way to Rafael.”, continues Costa, “Unfortunately, in the race confusion, we called Giorgio to pit, while the safety car was still on track (that is forbidden according to law 42.5) and we were penalized. Van Der Drift went off track because of the failure of a steering wheel tie-rod’s support piece, which was damaged as a consequence of collisions. Luckily Chris was unharmed, but the car was seriously damaged, so we couldn’t get the most of the pole we scored in race-2.”

In the Sunday’s final race, a great Pantano was author of a great recovery, after taking control of the car, which was passed to him by his Brazilian team mate, who was competing on the Belgian track for the very first time. “We made Rafael run a lot during free practice, which was to give him the chance to become more familiar with the track. Spa is a very demanding and technical track, where every mistake is heavily paid. Giorgio was very good at recovering and managed to finish seventh in the GTS class.”

The Championship will move to Italy in one month, to the Monza’s “cathedral of speed”, where the seventh and second to last round will be raced. The Italian staff has to fix the car #66 “We’ve already got in touch with McLaren to order the parts we need to rebuild the car. Once we’ll be at the headquarter, we’ll immediately get to work to rebuild the car. We’ll plan to shake-down the car before the Monza race. The Championship is still open and the final part to the season will be so challenging”, ends the Brazilian engineer. The best reward after a difficult week end is to chase for release.

  

Bhai Tech at Spa-Francorchamps to keep the leadership

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At the end of summer holidays and almost two months after the Silverstone successful race, Bhai Tech Racing’s four drivers Pantano/Suzuki and Van Der Drift/Razia are ready to get back to race behind the wheel of the two McLaren MP4-12C, to contest one of the most awaited race events of the year to take place at Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

On the 7004 m long legendary Belgian track to host the International GT Open Championship’s sixth round, the Advanced Vehicle Science Centre’s team directed by Mr. Roberto Costa the Engineer, gets ready to keep the leadership in the teams’ GTS class, throwing down a top challenge among constructors. For what concerning drivers, the Italo-Brazilian pair Giorgio Pantano/Rafael Suzuki will be on the lookout for the first place, which is only one point ahead of them, as a consequence of the success achieved at Silverstone, while their team mates Luiz Razia and Chris Van Der Drift will try to revenge the injustice they suffered in England.

The Eau Rouge-Raidillon, to be taken at full speed, is Spa circuit’s landmark. Racing at Spa it’s like graduating at the “Motosport University” “It’s a very technical track, where a driver can really make a difference”, says the technical director Costa “It’s a very long track, where the weather has a great influence, historically speaking. So, due to its characteristics, it can happen that some parts of the track are dry and some are wet at the same time.”

The team worked hard in the factory and at the advanced simulator located inside the centre’s simulation suite “We made several simulation sessions to train our drivers. We tried to simulate different situations. We especially focused on Suzuki to make his debut on the Belgian track. We made several race simulation sessions” continues Costa “We also carried on with the two cars’ development and overhaul work. The summer break has also been an occasion to take stock of the Championship, where we are the class’ leaders.”

Bhai Tech is not only ready to contest the Belgian race , the team is also ready to compete in the 2013 season’s last three race events, which are supposed to be red-hot. After Spa, the circus will move to the Monza’s “Speed Temple”, before contesting the final event at Barcelona’s circuit “At this point of the season, we have to put together all the experience we’ve gained until now to consolidate our position and score points in view of the final part of the Championship. At Spa it will be so important not to make mistakes and take the most of our potential”, ends the Brazilian engineer.

The green lights will switch on on Friday with two 60’ free practice sessions. The two qualifying sessions to assign the starting grid’s order of the two races, will take place on Saturday (at 9 am and 11.05 am). The 70’-first- race of the week end will start on Saturday at 4 pm. The 50’-final-challenge is scheduled for Sunday at 12.10 pm.

Davide Rigon on the podium in the WEC World Championship

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At his debut in the FIA WEC Championship (World Endurance Championship), Davide Rigon scored an exciting second place in his class’ standing. The racing week end couldn’t finish in a better way for the talented Italian driver, who contested the 6 hours of Sao Paulo alongside the 8Star Motorsport Team, at the wheel of the Ferrari 458 GT2 #81. It was an all-round debut for Davide (track-Championship-car), so that makes the final result even more amazing.

Davide has become familiar with the Brazilian track and the Ferrari racecar since free practice. The Italian driver, teamed up with Potolicchio-Aguas, gave evidence of all his talent, leading the orange-colored racecar to the top positions and qualified 3rd in the class’ standing. As a consequence of the GTE Am’s poleman disqualification (underweighted car), the 8Star team’s three drivers were leveled up to the second position.

The Italian driver ran a precise race, taking control of the 458 GT2 racecar in the race’s first two hours and got back behind the wheel of the car for the final run, mounting on the second step of the GTE Am’s podium “It was an amazing week end not only for the final result, but also for me. It was very important to prove that I can be a competitive driver even in a World Championship’s event”, says Davide Rigon “Racing at an unknown track, driving a car I had never driven before on the occasion of a World Championship’s event and finishing on the podium, it’s an amazing result. We kept a good pace since free practice. Unfortunately we missed the pole by a nose. Our car didn’t have any issues throughout the 6 hours; I pushed hard during the race’s last hour. Congrats to the 8Star team’s staff”, ends the driver from Vicenza.

Thanks to this important result, the 8Star Motorsport Team keeps the second position, reducing its disadvantage with the first position.

Brought the curtain down over the 6 hours of Sao Paulo, it’s now time for Davide Rigon to think about next event to take place this week end at Spa-Francorchamps circuit, the International GT Open’s sixth round. Davide will be back behind the wheel of the Villorba Corse team’s Ferrari 458 GT2.

From Sao Paulo to Nurburgring passing through Spa. Many new challenges for Rigon

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Exciting end of the season for Davide Rigon. The 27-year-old driver from Vicenza, who is at the Scuderia Ferrari’s disposal for sport and technical development activities, will take part in three different races belonging to different championships.

Davide will make his debut in the FIA WEC World Championship (World Endurance Championship) by competing in the 6 hours of Sao Paulo, the Championship’s fourth round which is scheduled for this week end. Once again the talented driver will be behind the wheel of a Ferrari 458 GT2 alongside the 8Star Motorsport Team, a team who is managed by the AF Corse. The Italian racer will share the wheel with Ruy Aguas and Vincente Potolicchio.

After leaving Brazil he will head to Belgium, to the Spa-Francorchamps circuit where he will take part in the International GT Open Championship’s sixth round at the wheel of the Villorba Corse Team’s 458 GT2. The Team is second in the teams’ standing. Rigon will replace Luca Filippi and race alongside Andrea Montermini.

“It will be an honor for me to race alongside the Villorba Corse Team”, says Rigon, “I’ve been to the team’s headquarter and our cooperation has started in a good way. I immediately liked the 458 and it’s a car I’ve already known. It’s a great responsibility to replace Luca at Spa and race alongside Montermini, it’ll be a very interesting experience and I will do my best.”

“It was important to go on pursuing the same logic that has always characterized our racing season”, analyses Mr. Raimondo Amadio, the team principal “so we’ve tried to replace Filippi with another high skilled racer. Davide is the right choice, for sure. He’s a very high skilled and talented guy, so I think that he’ll deliver great performances alongside our team. He visited our company at the beginning of August to set some details about the car’s seat and he was really happy and motivated. Furthermore, we’re very glad and proud to have the opportunity to cooperate with a Ferrari’s driver.”

From Spa to Nurburgring. The week end of September 21/22 Davide will be behind the wheel of the Kessel Racing Team’s 458 GT3 #44 again to contest the Blancpain Endurance Series Championship’s final race. After taking an exciting win at Monza, along with his team mates Zampieri and Ramos, he has steadfastly been the PRO standing’s leader. Left the 24 hours of Spa behind, the 1000 km of the Nurburgring will be the final race to try to win the 2013 title “Everything will be decided at the Nurburgring. We’re still the Championship’s leaders ad we want to end the season in the best way”, ends up Davide.

Davide Rigon “What a pity!”

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“It was horrible. A whole week end work, a more than 22 hours race and a podium vanished at the door of the finish line”, this is Davide Rigon’s first statement on his return from the 24 hours race which took place at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit last week end. The 24 hours of Spa was the Blancpain Endurance Series Championship’s penultimate event.

The adventure of the Italian talented racer on the Belgian track, behind the wheel of the Kessel Racing Team’s Ferrari 458 GT3, can be summed up by his statement. Davide Rigon and his team mates Ramos and Zampieri ran a solid and perfect race since the beginning (they were stronger than a brake issue occurred five hours after the start), getting ahead to the third place, ready to preserve their leadership and try to take the final win. A little more than an hour before the chequered flag, a technical issue chilled the whole paddock, as the Italo-Brazilian pair had to withdraw.

“Everything was perfect until that moment. The car worked well and the staff was doing a great job. We had worked so well and set good times. At the fifth hour we had a brake issue, so we wasted so much time, but we were able to recover so quickly, displaying a great determination. We leave Spa with a bitter taste in our mouth, but we’re aware that we have what it takes to strive for the title at the Nurburgring”, says Davide.

Because of their withdrawal, the three drivers are not the Championship leaders anymore and the last event at the Nurburgring will be a real final race in the hunt for the title “Everything will be determined in September at the Ring” ends Rigon, giving all enthusiasts appointment for the week end of September 21st, for the Nurburgring conclusive race.

Rigon on the way to Spa to take part in the 24H race

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Turned off the F138’s V8 engine, Davide Rigon is ready to take part in the Spa 24H, the Blancpain Endurance Series’ fourth round, at the wheel of a Maranello car, this week end.

The Ardenne-based track will host the International GT competition’s most important race and the talented Italian driver and his teammates Zampieri and Ramos will take part in the competition at the wheel of the Ferrari 458 GT3 #44 as the overall leaders. The 24H 65th edition is the most awaited race of the Championship, not only for the track’s beautiful landscape, but also because score will be assigned after the 6th, the 12th and the 24th hour “The atmosphere you experience at the Spa 24H is amazing. It’s the most important race as taking part at the Spa competition is like running a whole season”, says Rigon “We’re the Championship leaders, but there the standing will be reset to zero. It’s almost impossible to make a prediction, as the race is so demanding and many factors have to be taken into consideration. The Kessel Racing team is doing a great job, so this gives me great confidence. It’s up to the three of us not to make mistakes.”

On the 7004 m long track, the green light will switch on on Thursday at 9.45am with a free practice session which will be followed by pre-qualifying and qualifying sessions to be held at night (at 8.10pm) to assign the pole start for the race to start on Friday at 6.15pm “Qualifying is very important at Spa, as if you get a good position on the starting grid, you’ll avoid to be involved in a clash on the first laps.”

More than 70 cars will take part in the long race which will start on Saturday at 4.30pm. This is the third time Rigon takes part in the Belgian competition, after his great success in 2008 in the FIA GT World Championship and the unlucky experience in the past season, when the #71 car’s recovery was ruined by a technical issue “Winning the FIA GT Championship in 2008 at the wheel of a Ferrari racing car was an amazing experience, even because it was the first time I took part in that Championship. Unfortunately last year it didn’t go as we would have liked it to go, so we hope to take a revenge this week end”, ends Davide Rigon.

                           

YDT – Rigon "A positive outcome"

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The curtain has come down on the Young Driver Test at Silverstone, which saw ten of the Formula 1 teams entered for the Formula 1 World Championship taking part with a variety of drivers, some  young prospects, some older. For Scuderia Ferrari, Felipe Massa was the race driver in action at the English track, testing the new Pirelli compounds, along with Davide Rigon, a car development driver for the Scuderia since 2011. The Brazilian did 69 laps, setting the sixth fastest time of the day in 1.33.624. Rigon was back in the Ferrari cockpit in the afternoon, to continue the programme of aerodynamic testing which he had started on Wednesday. He was fifth fastest in a time of 1.33.592, having done 20 laps.

“It seems to me these tyres work better, at least compared to what we saw in the race here” said Felipe Massa at the end of his session. “Over the three days, no one had any problems and from the safety aspect, this is the most important thing. The prototype Hard seemed maybe too hard to race on. I think that in the coming Grands Prix we could head towards a choice of the softer compounds, because they can work at lower temperatures and last longer. Temperature has a significant effect on our car and here for the race for example, it did not help us, but let’s see what happens in Hungary, where we can expect hotter conditions. You need a lot of aerodynamic downforce there and let’s hope we can find the right solutions to be competitive”.

“The past three days have been positive, as I didn’t make any mistakes and I learned a lot” commented Rigon, at the end of the day. “I hope that all the work will have given the team some useful data, maybe some that can be used to prepare for the upcoming races. Again today, we were not concerned with lap times, nor did we make big changes. Instead, we concentrated on adapting the set-up to the new tyres. Now this information will be passed on to our colleagues at the simulator. I think this test has been very useful for my work and also my personal experience, even though I don’t see it as finite, neither for me nor the car because there are no limits to improvement”.

With the Young Driver Test completed, the Scuderia is now preparing for the Hungarian Grand Prix, the tenth round of the Formula 1 World Championship, which takes place next weekend at the Hungaroring.

Rigon at the wheel of the Ferrari F138 in the Young Driver Test at Silverstone

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Starting from today, until Friday, Davide Rigon will take part in the young driver tests at wheel of the Ferrari 138. This is the second year the talented Italian driver takes part in the event. The Ferrari cooperator since 2011 will give way to Massa on Friday morning, to test the new Pirelli tyres.

This decision will allow Davide to focus on the car technical development and will give Massa the chance to spend more time inside the cockpit in the attempt to release him from the German GP.

The tyre test program, which is open to official drivers as a result of a dispensation granted by the Federation as a consequence of the problems aroused at Silverstone during the GP which took place on June the 30th, is planned by the Pirelli upon the approval of the FIA. Drivers will have a limited number of tyre sets at their disposal.

The Blancpain Endurance Series leader gets back at the wheel of a Ferrari F1 car in an official event, after the great job done in the last season, during which he took part in one of the three test days, alternating the wheel with Bianchi, who is now a Marussia F1 team’s driver.

Happy working Champion!

The Formula ACI CSAI Abarth gets ready for the second half of the season

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In the homeland of the famous poet Dante Alighieri, spotlights were put on the Formula ACI CSAI Abarth Championship again, last week end. Set aside the third round, the Italian championship is now ready to enter the second half of the season and the standing is still far to be defined.

Analyzing the Italian series data, the “perfect number” appears several times: besides the number of races still to be run (Imola, Misano and Monza) and many others which have already been raced, three is also the number of the drivers who finished the race within few points (Michele Beretta, Simone Iaquinta and Lukas Moraes), all behind Alessio Rovera, who is the leader in the overall results. Many other drivers competed for the win in the last race event.

The Tuscan race week end started with Alessio Rovera’s double pole, thanks to which the young driver has taken six out of six pole-starts until now. But Michele Beretta and Simone Iaquinta reversed the situation once again and, in race -2 and race -3 respectively, they kept the race high-spirited with a view to the second half.

“The Formula ACI CSAI Abarth is a high-level Championship. It’s a training series for the youngsters who want to face up to the world of Formulas. We saw interesting races at the Mugello, each of them was won by a different driver”, says Gian Carlo Minardi “Now we’re entering the second half of the season with at least four drivers pretending for the title. The ACI CSAI is already working for the 2014 season, in order to make this Formula more and more attractive to new teams and racers”, explains the ACI CSAI Federation School Supervisor and Ferrari cooperator.

The Formula ACI CSAI Abarth’s next race week end will take place on September 1st at the Enzo and Dino Ferrari circuit in Imola.

Bhai Tech wins at Silverstone and proves itself to be the GTS leader

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The aim was to finish in the points zone…….well the victory has come!! On the challenging Silverstone’s track, Bhai Tech laid a prefect poker on the table. The Italian team scored its fourth good result and managed to take its third International GT Open Championship’s class win of the season, proving itself to be the International GT Open’s leader. At the domestic circuit, the two McLarens of the Italian team, directed by Mr. Roberto Costa the engineer, offered the English audience a great GTS class show, made of battles and passes.

After taking the first and second row in GTS class qualifying 1, thanks to a second and third GTS chrono scored respectively by Pantano/Suzuki and Van Der Drift/Razia, the two pairs took the class lead and finished first and second, scoring the third double win of the season. The cold shower came at the end of the competition, when race commissioners penalized the McLaren #66 with a 30’’ sanction for an infringement on the starting grid, which dropped the pair from 2nd to 5th in GTS “It was really absurd. In over 30 years of professional activity, I’ve never seen anything like that, even because we’re talking about a tyre, not about wiring or mechanical amendments. We’re regretful but, despite we were penalized with a 30’’ sanction, we managed to finish in the points zone, anyway, displaying we’re improving time after time”, says the technical director Costa.

In the Silverstone final race, Bhai Tech Racing was author of an exciting recovery made by Pantano/Suzuki, who made a hard struggle until the end. Started from the 9th row, after setting the 18th best lap time in the overall result (13th in GTS), the Italian/Brazilian pair was author of a great recovery, recovering 11positions. In the last few laps Pantano accomplished the mission by leading the Mestrino-based squad to the 8th place in the overall standing, the 4th in GTS. Unlucky Sunday, instead, for Razia/Van Der Drift who had to withdraw because of a technical issue.

“It was a hard week end since the beginning, because of several electric issues. Furthermore Suzuki’s accident on the first lap denied him the possibility to take part in the free practice sessions, so he was handicapped in qualifying -2. He raced without having any references and, once he found the right pace, the time had already run out. Razia made a very good job by leading his McLaren to the third place in GTS. Unfortunately in race -1 Van Der Drift lost his power a little bit but he managed to finish second, anyway, behind his team mates. We have to praise Giorgio Pantano because in race-1 he was author of a great recovery. If he had run some more laps, he would have fought for the win. Unfortunately Razia and Van Der Drift were stopped by an accelerator unit issue which forced them to abandon. Given the good results they got in qualifying and on Saturday, they could have driven an excellent race and fight for the podium, at least”, ends Costa “Even the pit-stop guys made an excellent job. Pit-stops were perfect and the pit-stop time was even shorter than expected.”

Bhai Tech has now 17 points. The team keeps the GTS leadership, taking a 12 points advantage over the main pursuer and is second in the constructors’ championship. Thanks to the win in race -1 and the fourth place, Giorgio Pantano and Rafael Suzuki jump up to the second place in the GTS drivers’ standing, being just one point behind the first. The second pair Luiz Razia/ Chris Van Der Drift is 6th.

The cars are on their way back to the Advanced Vehicle Science Centre in Mestrino, where they will be overhauled before taking part in the Spa race, scheduled for September 7th and 8th.