TOP ROOKIE ROSSI CLINCHES SEASON FINALE   

Alexander Rossi clinched the 2009 IFM Rookies' Title yesterday after winning his third win of the season in the last 2009 round of the International Formula Master Series at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola, Italy.  

The 17-year-old American moved to second place from a fourth-place grid slot after an excellent start, before pressuring team-mate Erik Janis for the majority of the race. Rossi eventually took the lead on lap 12, pulling away to win the race unchallenged.  

JD Motorsport's Josef Kral claimed his sixth podium of the season after crossing the finish line in second place. Having started fifth on the grid, the Czech driver was third by the end of lap one and passed Janis with three laps to go for P2.  

Team-mate Sergey Afanasiev used Kral's move to overtake Janis on the same lap and secured third place, his ninth podium of the year, as well as the runner-up title in the drivers' classification.   Having led the field of IFM racers for eleven laps, Janis eventually finished in fourth place, despite challenging the front-runners until the very last turn. Iris Project's Patrick Reiterer took the chequered flag in fifth place, ahead of Jenzer Motorsport's Pål Varhaug who claimed today's last point-scoring position in sixth.  

The 2009 IFM Team title was also secured today thanks to duo Kral and Afanasiev who secured team JD Motorsport the title for the second year in a row, finishing second and third respectively this afternoon.  The 2010 International Formula Master season will begin next May, alongside the FIA World Touring Car Championship in Italy and will feature the newly-launched Formula Master Light class in addition to the usual field of Formula Master single-seaters.  

Alexander Rossi, ISR "It's been fantastic to come out and race in Europe; this year had quite a few ups and downs but it's definitely been an experience and it's great to win a title in my first season.  "I was racing my team-mate today and you have to be a bit more careful in those cases but I kept pushing harder and harder and eventually the opportunity was there and I took it. Once I was through, it wasn't long before Josef [Kral] moved to second and I could see he was as fast if not faster than me so I kept pushing until the chequered flag."  

Josef Kral, JD Motorsport "I started the weekend in the wrong way unfortunately as I was moved back five places on the grid for race one after qualifying second. So the whole weekend has been about climbing back and it's a shame I wasn't able to fight with Sergey [Afanasiev] for the runner-up title.  "Today the car was really great but still there wasn't a lot I could do for the classification. It was a great fight with Erik and I pushed a lot to get passed him. Anyway I finally managed it but couldn't catch Alexander [Rossi]. I think he did a really good job today!" 

Sergey Afanasiev, JD Motorsport "I just wanted to stay calm and have a clean start today and that was it. I lost quite a bit of time at the start and then was fighting to catch up. Both my team-mates were in front and it's always tricky to fight with them but I waited for a chance and it came up against Vladimir [Arabadzhiev]. I passed a few more people and then I had to try to overtake Josef [Kral] but ran out of time. I think the race went well though; I'm happy with third position!" 

International Formula Master - Imola Round 16

1. Alexander Rossi (USA), ISR (#16) 2. Josef Kral (CZH), JD Motorsport (#3) 3. Sergey Afanasiev (RUS), JD Motorsport (#2) 4. Erik Janis (CZH), ISR (#20) 5. Patrick Reiterer (ITA), Iris Project (#9) 6. Pål Varhaug (NOR), Jenzer Motorsport (#7) 7. Vladimir Arabadzhiev (BUL), JD Motorsport (#1) 8. Nicolas Maulini (SUI), Jenzer Motorsport (#26) 9. Kelvin Snoeks (NED), AR Motorsport (#31) 10. Tiago Petiz (POR), Cram Competition (#4) 11. Fabio Leimer (SUI), Jenzer Motorsport (#6) 12. Simon Trummer (SUI), Iris Project (#8)

Not classified

Frankie Provenzano (ITA), Cram Competition (#5)   Josef Kral, Alexander Rossi & Sergey Afanasiev (left to right)  

IFM drivers' classification - top eight

1. Fabio Leimer (SUI), Jenzer Motorsport (#6), 106 points2. Sergey Afanasiev (RUS), JD Motorsport (#2), 68 points3. Josef Kral (CZH), JD Motorsport (#3), 62 points4. Alexander Rossi (USA), ISR (#16), 52 points5. Pål Varhaug (NOR), Jenzer Motorsport (#7), 49 points6. Erik Janis (CZH), ISR (#20), 42 points7. Vladimir Arabadzhiev (BUL), JD Motorsport (#1), 37 points8. Alessandro Kouzkin (RUS), Cram Competition (#47), 18 points 

IFM teams' classification

1. JD Motorsport, 149 points2. Jenzer Motorsport, 138 points3. ISR, 93 points6. Iris Project, 30 points4. Cram Competition, 23 points5. Hitech Junior, 18 points7. AR Motorsport, 18 points8. Team JVA, 4 points9. ADM Motorsport, 4 points10. Trident Racing, 2 points 

IFM rookies' classification

1. Alexander Rossi (USA), ISR (#16), 110 points2. Pål Varhaug (NOR), Jenzer Motorsport (#7), 101 points3. Patrick Reiterer (ITA), Iris Project (#9), 51 points4. Alessandro Kouzkin (RUS), Cram Competition (#47), 39 points5. Tiago Petiz (POR), Cram Competition (#4), 39 points6. Kelvin Snoeks (NED), AR Motorsport (#31), 34 points7. Dennis Retera (NED), AR Motorsport (#32), 25 points8. Paul Meijer (NED), AR Motorsport (#33), 15 points 9. Jonathan Kennard (GBR), Team JVA (#29), 6 points 10. Duncan Tappy (GBR), Team JVA (#30), 6 points 11. Matteo Davenia (ITA), Cram Competition (#12), 4 points 

Lap-by-lap analysis

Lap 1: Trummer spins from the lead at Turn 2 / Rossi moves to second place and puts pressure on Janis for the lead / Kral up to third / Leimer hits the curb and pits / Arabadzhiev under pressure from AfanasievLap 2: Leimer rejoins the race in last place / Kral really close to Rossi / Varhaug passes Snoeks for P8Lap 3: Afanasiev overtakes Arabadzhiev for fifth place / Varhaug passes Maulini for P6Lap 4: Provenzano overtakes Petiz for tenth placeLap 5: Provenzano passes Snoeks for P9Lap 6: Leimer overtakes Trummer for twelfth placeLap 7: Afanasiev is now fourth after passing Reiterer / Rossi very close to JanisLap 8: Kral catching Rossi up but under pressure from AfanasievLap 9: Provenzano pits - OUTLap 10: Top four (Janis, Rossi, Kral and Afanasiev) locked in a close battleLap 12: Rossi attempting to pass Janis again, the move is successful / Rossi now pulling away in the lead / Kral catching Janis for second placeLap 13: Kral overtakes Janis for P2 / Afanasiev takes the opportunity to also pass Janis / Afanasiev third, Janis fourthLap 14: Rossi leading by 2.342 secondsLap 16: Final lap / Rossi wins the final 2009 IFM round  Weather: Sunny 23° / Dry 37°