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Giacomo Ricci (Fisichella Motor Sport Lola) won the Euroseries 3000 and the Italian F.3000 Championship at Misano last weekend. With a win in Race 1, the 22 year old driver from Milan took both titles, before the final race of the of the season, held later on Sunday afternoon.
Ricci, started from pole position and dominated the race. Getting a perfect start, he managed to open a significant gap to his pursuers for a controlled win from Euronova’s Vitaly Petrov who held off team mate Jerome D’Ambrosio in the latter stages.
Earlier, Petrov had been involved in an exciting battle with Marco Bonanomi in the other Fisichella Motorsport Lola. It ended in tears though when the two made contact and Bonanomi lost several places in ensuing spin. Bonanomi’s eventual 5th place handed Ricci sufficient breathing space at the top of the points table to take both titles.
There were excellent debuts from several new drivers in the series at Misano. Young Brazilian, Diego Nunes finished in 4th place for the Minardi Lola team, while Austrian, Bianca Steiner drove a solid race to round out the top 10.
The drivers Matteo Cressoni (Vanni/Traini Lola) and Francesco Dracone (Euronova Lola), had to watch the race from the pit wall after accidents in Saturday’s qualifying sessions.
RACE 1 Result
1.Giacomo Ricci (Lola B02/50) – FMS 23m00165
2.Vitaly Petrov (Lola B02/50) – Euronova +t 0’’976
3.Jerome D’Ambrosio (Lola B02/50) – Euronova + 10’’758
4.Diego Nunes (Lola B02/50) – Minardi +11’’182
5.Marco Bonanomi (Lola B02/50) – FMS + 12’’557
6.Fausto Ippoliti (Lola B02/50) – Minardi +16’’030
7.Gavin Cronje (Lola B02/50) – Autosport +22’’799
8.Marco Mocci (Lola B02/50) – FMS + 42’’710
9.Ivan Bellarosa (Lola B02/50) – Avelon + 44’’761
10.Bianca Steiner (Lola B02/50) – F.3000 Rookies’ Team + 1’15’’122
11.Tuka Rocha (Lola B02/50) – Minardi + 5 laps
12.Leandro Romano (Lola B99/50) – Facondini Racing +16 laps
13.Matteo Cressoni (Lola B02/50) – Vanni/Traini - NS
14.Francesco Dracone (Lola B02/50) – Euronova – NS
RACE 2
Fisichella Motorsport closed the season with another 1-2 finish in the second event held at Misano. This time it was Marco Bonanomi who celebrated the victory, just beating team mate Giacomo Ricci by just under half a second.
But it was Fishella’s third Lola of Marco Mocci who led away from pole position at the start of the race. This however didn’t last long as South African, Gavin Cronje (Autosport Lola) slipstreamed passed.
Soon though, Cronje had Bonanomi on his tail and as they braked in to the Tramonto Turn on lap 11, the Fisichella Lola dived up the inside to take the lead.
With Cronje fading fast, Ricci was soon in to 2nd place and gaining on Bonanomi. But it was just late for the new champion to pass and it was Bonanomi who took the chequered flag for another win.
Fighting for 3rd place at the end of the race were Euronova team mates Vitaly Petrov and Jerome D’Ambrosio. It was the Russian who eventually came out on top during a breathtaking battle and he claimed his second podium of the weekend.
Cronje eventually finished in 5th position with the impressive Nunez in 6th. Bianca Steiner went one better than her first race to claim 9th place for the Coloni run Rookie team.
Points have been obtained also by Cronje and the Brazilian Diego Nunes, debuting with Minardi.
RACE 2 Result
1.Marco Bonanomi (Lola B02/50) – FMS 28m03”020
2.Giacomo Ricci (Lola B02/50) – FMS +0”427
3.Vitaly Petrov (Lola B02/50) – Euronova +12”697
4.Jerome D’Ambrosio (Lola B02/50) – Euronova +13”393
5.Gavin Cronje (Lola B02/50) – Autosport +17”895
6.Diego Nunez (Lola B02/50) – Minardi + 29”860
7.Marco Mocci (Lola B02/50) – FMS + 44”530
8.Ivan Bellarosa (Lola B02/50) – Avelon + 44”726
9.Bianca Steiner (Lola B02/50) – F.3000 Rookies’ Team + 1’07”502
10.Leandro Romano (Lola B99/50) – Facondini Racing + 1 lap
11.Fausto Ippoliti (Lola B02/50) – Minardi – +19 laps
Tuka Rocha (Lola B02/50) – Minardi - NS
Matteo Cressoni (Lola B02/50) – Vanni/Traini - NS
Francesco Dracone (Lola B02/50) – Euronova - NS
Championship rankings – Euroseries 3000 (after 18 races)
1. Ricci (106 pts)
2. Bonanomi (94)
3. Petrov (72)
4. Rocha (51)
5. D’Ambrosio (39)
6. Rodriguez (36)
7. Caceres (28)
8. Cressoni (27)
9. Martini (23)
10. Cronje (20)
Championship rankings – Campionato Italiano F.3000 (after 12 races)
1. Ricci (73 pts)
2. Bonanomi (62)
3. Petrov (50)
4. Rocha (33)
5. D’Ambrosio (29)
6. Rodriguez (21)
7. Martini (19)
8. Cressoni (17)
9. Ippoliti (15)
10. Nocera (12)
Form more information, please visit www.euroseries3000.com
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Giacomo Ricci, the 2006 Euroseries and Italian F3000 Champion.
(Picture euroseries3000.com) |
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The cars head to the first corner.
(Picture euroseries3000.com) |
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Ricci celebrates on the podium.
(Picture euroseries3000.com) |
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Vitaly Petrov took a second and a third in the two races.
(Picture euroseries3000.com) |
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Marco Bonanomi, the Race 2 winner.
(Picture euroseries3000.com) |
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Gavin Cronje in the Autosport Lola.
(Picture euroseries3000.com) |
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Third and fourth for Jerome D'Ambrosio in the Euronova car.
(Picture euroseries3000.com) |
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The FMS Lola of Marco Mocci.
(Picture euroseries3000.com) |
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Adding a touch of glamour, Bianca Steiner drove the F3000 Rookies' Team Lola.
(Picture euroseries3000.com) |
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Leandro Romani drove the Facondini Racing car.
(Picture euroseries3000.com) |
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Tuka Rocha in the Minardi car had a weekend to forget.
(Picture euroseries3000.com) |
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