FOUR DRIVERS FIGHTING FOR THE TITLE
Four drivers still battling for the championship with four races to go. That's enough tounderstand how hot is the fight in the 2009 edition of the Euroseries 3000 by PartyPokerRacing. The championship archived the Valencia weekend celebrating the third win of WillBratt, the series rising star.
Starting from fourth place on the reversed grid, the brit could hope for a win only with a greatstart and that's what he did. He managed to pass from 4th to second at the green light, andthen he overtook Edoardo Piscopo in the first corner, after the italian did a mistake underbraking. From then on, the two started a close race, with Piscopo often on Bratt's tail, butnever in the right position to attack. The italian driver showed that he could match Bratt'space and that without that first corner mistake he could have won, but he can be happyanyway has he was already able to fight with the best drivers of the championship at hisdebut on the B05/52 car. The front duo managed to keep a security gap on Fabio Onidi,author (again) of an incredible start in wich he passed from seventh to third, fundamental tohis third podium in the spanish weekend.
Behind Onidi, the two other FMSI drivers were in a close fight. Marco Bonanomi managed tocancel the initial gap from Rodolfo Gonzalez, but even arriving as close as 0”5, hediscovered why everybody says that in Valencia overtaking is mission impossible. Gonzalez,even if suffering from an aching shoulder, was able to keep the right pace and 5th position atthe end. Behind them, Fabrizio Crestani, Juan Carlos Sistos and Francesco Dracone wereclosing the pack. While the latter went off, luckily without any damage, on lap 10, Crestaniand Sistos were very close for the whole race, confirming the constant improvement of theyoung mexican driver, the only one who managed to improve his pace compared to themorning race.
Now the Euroseries by PartyPoker racing leaves Valencia and heads to Vallelunga, were thenext-to-last round of the series will be held.
Will Bratt: “Winning two races in a weekend is a great feeling. I had a very good start andPiscopo's mistake opened the way for the win. It was tough, physically I mean, three racesin a weekend are a lot, and Valencia is a track were you can never relax. Anyway, my carwas the best I had in the whole weekend, almost under braking after we changed the pads.Now I look forward to Vallelunga”.
Edoardo Piscopo: “I'm really sorry for the first corner mistake. I braked late like inqualifying, but the car was heavy with the fuel for 25 laps. It's a pity, but I'm happy aboutmy weekend, of this 2nd place and of my physical condition. It was a long time from the lastrace with such a challenging car, but I had no problems. I will race again in Monza”.
Fabio Onidi: “Third podium in three races is ok, but I would have loved to win at least onerace. Anyway it's ok, pushing more was difficult because the heat made the tiresperformance drop after a few laps, so I couldn't adopt an attacking driving style. I'm happyabout my starts, in that I was really great this weekend”.
Race classification1. Will Bratt (EmiliodeVillota.com) 23 laps in 33'25”517, avg. 165,35 km/h2. Edoardo Piscopo (Emmebi Motorsport) + 1”0833. Fabio Onidi (FMSI) + 2”0864. Rodolfo Gonzalez (FMSI) + 9”2795. Marco Bonanomi (FMSI) + 9”6786. Fabrizio Crestani (EmiliodeVillota.com) + 25”9087. Juan Carlos Sistos (Team Costa Rica) + 28”109
Not ClassifiedFrancesco Dracone, 10° giro, uscita di pistaFastest Lap: 5th by Marco Bonanomi in 1’24”868, avg.169, 887 km/h.
Drivers standings1. Onidi 49 points; 2. Bonanomi 47; 3. Bratt 41; 4. Crestani 41; 5. Gonzalez 25; 6. Hanley18; 7. Piscopo 11; 8. Maldonado 10; 9. Sistos 8; 10. Piccione 8; 11. Bamber 8; 12. Dracone7; 13 Herck 6; 14. Puglisi 6; 15. Nunes 5; 16. Rodriguez 1; 17. Dalle Stelle 1.
Teams standings1. Fisichella Motorsport International 96 points; 2. EmiliodeVillota.com 54; 3. TP Formula 44;4. Bull Racing 21; 5. Emmebi Motorsport 18; 6. Team Costa Rica 17; 7. Lazarus 12; 8.Teamcraft 10; 9. Durango 6.
