Thomas Biagi (IT) and BMW Team Italy – ROAL Motorsport secured another title for BMW: In Vallelunga (IT) third and fifth in the final two rounds of the national Italian Superstars series were sufficient for Biagi to defend his overall lead in his BMW M3 and win the championship at the season finale. Biagi was crowned champion with 178 points, followed by Max Pigoli (IT) and Luigi Ferrara (IT) with 147 and 134 points respectively.
The title rounded off a successful season for Biagi, which included two wins, a pole position and five fastest laps. The 34-year-old also goes into the finale of the International Superstars Series in Kyalami (ZA) on 28th November 2010 with an excellent chance of picking up another title: Biagi leads the competition on 147 points, and is followed once again by Pigoli and Ferrara.
“This is a dream come true for me,” said Biagi after the two successful races in Vallelunga. “This championship was new territory for me, and the car was obviously very different to drive compared to those I am familiar with from GT1 and LMP2. I found my feet quickly, however, and was competitive from the word go. BMW Team Italy has worked very hard since the winter tests. Everyone in the team contributed to this success. Roberto Ravaglia, who I always admired as a driver, also played a key role. He is also an outstanding team principal. Our focus now turns to the final in Kyalami, where there is another title up for grabs.”
Roberto Ravaglia, who won the DTM and World Touring Car Championship as a driver for BMW, said: “This victory is one of the two objectives we set at the beginning of the year. We are also in a very promising position in the international series. With just one round to go, we are close to ending the season with the best possible result.”
“We can be extremely satisfied,” added Umberto Grano, Sportive Activities Manager at BMW Italy. “BMW Italy believed in the growth of the Superstars Series. The fact that there were well over 20,000 fans again in Vallelunga is a just reward for the work put in by the organisers. Thomas Biagi's title and his consistent lead in the international series just go to prove the ability of ROAL Motorsport to develop a winning car.”
