RENAULT DRIVER PASTOR MALDONADO DOMINATED 6th ROUND OF F3000 - NEWCOMER GLAUCO SOLIERI WON THE LIGHT CLASS
A start-to-finish victory for the Renault Driver Dévélopment young talented driver Pastor Maldonado (Sighinolfi), who dominated the 6th round of Trofeo Nazionale CSAI F3000 at Magione (I) circuit.
Maldonado took the pole position and the best race lap too, with a tremendous performance. The GP Racing driver Toni Vilander (GP Racing) took the second place on the podium ahead of the Czech Jarek Janis. The standings leader Luca Filippi (Fisichella Motor Sport) finished only fifth behind the 27-years old Raffaele Giammaria, after a very tough race.
In the Light Class, Glauco Solieri (I Motori di Carlotta) conquered the first position at his championship debut. In front of thousands spectators, the F3000 drivers have been showing a great race, battling for all the 30 race laps. At the start, Filippi jumped very well form the second row on the grid and was able to attempt the lead of Maldonado at the first corner. The two drivers had a contact and Filippi lost five position, going back on the seventh place. Vilander took the second place in front of Janis. Alessandro Ciompi went out at the second corner, due to a contact caused by Jan Charouz who will be penalized by 25” penalty after the race. Maldonado scored some very fast laps and took a good advantage, lapping 2/3 tenths faster than all the other drivers.
Behind the leader, Janis pushed very hard and tried to overtook Vilander, who defended well his position. After the top three positions, Ricci lead a group including Charouz, Giammaria and Filippi. Filippi passed Giammaria on the third lap, but the BCN Competicion driver was able to rejoin the sixth place after few laps.
At the 20th lap, Giammaria attacked Charouz and passed the Ma-Con Charouz Czech driver at the second corner, taking the fifth position. Filippi overtook Charouz too and got pressure on Giammaria. In the front, Vilander and Giammaria was battling for the second position, while Maldonado was leading by 13”. At the 28th lap, Giammaria tried to overtake the forth position from Giacomo Ricci: Giammaria touched on the rear wheel the Astromega driver at the Esse corner and joined the forth place, while Ricci spun off and was forced to rejoin the track only in 8th place. Under the chequered flag, Maldonado took an impressed victory ahead of Vilander and Giammaria.
Giammaria was forth ahead of Filippi, Maro Engel (Durango Automotive), Ricci and Piccini (Sighinolfi). In the general standings, Filippi leads with 46 points, Janis is second with 24 points and Giacomo Ricci third with 22 points.
Pastor Maldonado, P1: “I am very happy for my first win in the Italian F3000 Trophy. Since my championship debut I have been working hard together with my Team in order to take this important result. At the start I tried to take a good advantage and to score many fast laps. In the central part of the race I lapped a good rhythm, preserving the tyres and brakes efficiency for the last stint. I am very happy because I know that many persons from Venezuela are looking at my performance in Europe and I would like to give them many of this kind of results.”
Jarek Janis, P2: “I was expecting more after the first row on the grid. At the start I was blocking by Filippi, who was trying to pass Maldonado at the first corner. So, Vilander overtook me in the internal side and after this I was not able to rejoin the second place. I tried everything, getting pressure to him, but Vilander did not make any mistake. Now, I am looking forward to racing next round at Monza circuit, because I know very well the track and I will do my best to take the victory.”
Toni Vilander, P3: “I am extremely happy for the podium. After three disappointing races due to mechanical failure, this result is very good. I was very aggressive at the start and during the race I tried to defend my second place and to not do any mistake. I am very happy about my new team, GP Racing: I think we are going to work very well all together.”
