AT THE END OF THE IMOLA WEEKEND IN WHICH THE DRIVER FROM PADUA WINS RACE 1 TO BE THEN DISQUALIFIED AND TAKES A 2nd AND A 4th IN RACE 2-3 GAINING THE SECOND PLACE IN THE ITALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS STANDINGS
A weekend full of emotions at Imola, for the sixth of the eight rounds of the F3 Italian Championship, but certainly a positive one in terms of numbers for Riccardo Agostini. The Paduan JD Motorsport young driver began this round dominating in free practices. Then Friday he got the best response in the second qualifying session, hitting his fourth pole of the season.
Saturday he carried out a perfect Race 1, and crossed the finish line first, stepping on the top of the podium. But due to a technical update of the Manufacturer, which was considered to conform with the rules by scrutineers, following a complaint made by the Prema Team, he was disqualified.
Even starting all over again, in Race 2 Agostini managed to gain another podium: second position, 0.666 seconds behind the winner Kevin Giovesi.
Important points, which lifted the spirits, especially because Agostini was once again able to gain some ground against his rivals in the championship.
In Race 3, the shortest one with the reversed grid, n the 18-year-old driver obtained a fourth place with his Mygale.
So Agostini confirmed his leadership among the Rookies, and was also capable to gain second position in the F.3 Italian Championship, overtaking Eddie Cheever and closing to Brandon Maisano by just eight points with two rounds and six races to go, as well as halving the distance from the same Cheever in the standings of the Italian F3 European Series, where he still remains third, but with a gap that dropped from 16 to just 8 points.
There is now only week off before the next appointment in Vallelunga, scheduled for the weekend of September 15 and 16, which will precede the final round at Monza in late October.RACE 1 (TOP-5)1. Henrique Martins BRA 14 laps2. Kevin Giovesi ITA 69903. Sergey Sirotkin RUS 122034. Nicholas Latifi CDN 128175. Roman De Beer RSA 157821. Riccardo Agostini ITA DISRACE 2 (TOP-5)1. Kevin Giovesi ITA 19 laps2. Riccardo Agostini ITA 06663. Brandon Maisano FRA 30414. Eddie Cheever ITA 41895. Henrique Martins BRA 15531RACE 3 (TOP-5)1. Kevin Giovesi ITA 10 laps2. Nicholas Latifi CDN 28603. Sergey Sirotkin RUS 75634. Riccardo Agostini ITA 98775. Eddie Cheever ITA 10690
ITALIAN F3 EUROPEAN SERIES1. Cheever 202 punti; 2. Maisano 199; 3. Agostini 194.CAMPIONATO ITALIANO F31. Maisano 144 punti; 2. Agostini 136; 3. Cheever 130.ROOKIE1. Agostini 247 punti; 2. Martins 208; 3. Sirotkin 202.
NEXT ROUNDVALLELUNGA I, SEPTEMBER 15th-16th 2012
