Vitantonio Liuzzi continued his impressive start to the 2004 FIA International Formula 3000 Championship with another immaculate performance at Barcelona on Saturday which saw him take a second win in as many races.
The Italian, driving an Arden International run Lola, was again never headed after beating pole sitter Enrico Toccacelo to the first corner. In a mirror image of the Imola race two weeks ago, both Italians pulled away from the rest of the field and enjoyed a healthy gap over Raffaele Giammaria who battled well for a hard earned podium in his AEZ Lola. After finishing 4th at Imola in the first round, Giammaria now lies a surprised 3rd in the points table.It was almost 10 years to the day since the last all-Italian F3000 podium when Max Papis, Fabrizio De Simone and Vincenzo Sospiri completed the rostrum, ironically also at Barcelona.
Liuzzi finished the race over 10 seconds ahead of Toccacelo and was delighted to have maintained his 100% start to the season, saying. “"I didn't drive much yesterday (qualifying), just five laps on one set of tyres, so I started on new tyres, and this helped me a lot. We are in good shape for the beginning of the season,” he understated.
Another second place for Toccacelo was a terrific reward for the local BCN Competicion team who are based at nearby Montmelo. Enrico, who closed on Liuzzi just before the all important pit stops was still in fighting mood and believed that he can challenge for the title in what is his third full year in the category. “The championship is long and we have many time for to catch Liuzzi,” he said from the podium.
After a fraught first year in the category the Spanish BCN team, led by former F1 designer Enrico Scalabroni, are now podium regulars and have an excellent prospect in young Argentine driver Esteban Gueirrieri who scored his first points in only his second F3000 event, coming in a fine 5th.
Finishing just ahead of Gueirrieri was Austrian F3000 veteran Patrick Freisacher in the first of the Super Nova Lola’s. The former Red Bull driver had to overcome a troublesome pit stop on his way to his first points of the season and was happy to get off the mark at the track where he broke his wrist in an accident 12 months previously. “After the pit stop when I got back on the track I was behind Lauda and he was much slower than I was,” he explained. “I passed him about three or four laps later and then I started to pull away a bit however in the last few laps the tyres went off.”
Freisacher’s team mate Alan Van Der Merwe was also in contention for a strong result and was lying in 4th place when an energetic battle for position with Belgian, Jeffrey Van Hooydonk resulted in him sustaining damage to the front wing of his Lola. The ‘Springbok’ was in no doubt who he blamed for the incident which also cost Van Hooydonck the chance to score points. “We made good progress in the race and pace wise we know it’s all there so I am quite happy with that, it’s just a pity someone else can ruin a result like that with unsporting behaviour.”
6th and 7th at flagfall were the CMS pairing of Juan Maria Lopez and Mathius Lauda with Durango’s rookie Brazilian driver, Rodrigo Ribeiro showing good pace to claim the final point.
Tomas Enge’s dismal return to F3000 continued when he was taken out of the running by Durango’s Yannick Schroder when both were in points scoring positions.
The next race is in two weeks time and is the jewel in the F3000 years crown as the 18 car field travels to Monaco for round 3 of the FIA International Formula 3000 Championship.
