Vitantonio Liuzzi clinched the 2004 FIA International Formula 3000 Championship at Spa Francorchamps over the weekend in what was a perfect result for the Arden International team as Robert Doornbos scored his first win in the category, heading home the new champion in wet conditions.
Taking the lead from 2nd on the grid at the start, which was conducted under the safety car, Doornbos didn’t look back and took his maiden win at the track where he has excelled in the lower ranks of single seater racing. “Spa is now a special place for me but I always go well here and this is the dream result for me as I can also enjoy seeing Tonio celebrate the championship,” said the Dutchman. “I enjoyed the race a lot! Behind the safety car, during the first lap, I touched a little with Tonio (who started from the pole) at Eau Rouge because I was very fast, then I passed him and I didn't look in the mirrors for the rest of the 22 laps. It is amazing how fast I was with my rain tyres on the wet track!
For Liuzzi it was the culmination of a near perfect season that has seen him take a record 6 wins on the way to his well-deserved title. The bearded Italian has also claimed a record 8 pole positions this season. He becomes the fourth Italian to take the International F3000 crown after Stefano Modena in 1987, Luca Badoer in 1992 and Vincenzo Sospiri in 1995.
“It was a beautiful way for us to win the title with Robert winning his first race on what is almost his home track,” said the new champion “ I want to say a big thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout my career, especially my family and my manager Peter (Collins). The team have been brilliant this year and now I can go to my own home race at Monza to race just for pleasure with no real pressures.”
Liuzzi’s only title threat, Enrico Toccocelo was unable to score any points at Spa after enduring a wild trip through the Pouhon gravel trap in his BCN Lola. The disconsolate Italian trailed home 12th in what was his first non-points score of the year.
Scoring his first podium position since Monaco, Argentine driver, Jose Maria Lopez drove well to claim 3rd place in his CMS Performance Lola and he was less than 2 seconds behind the Arden pair at the chequered flag. "It was a very good result for Jose Maria," surmised team principal Paolo Coloni. "We did the quickest pit stops today and had a very good strategy.”
Tomas Enge scored more points in 4th place with his Ma-Con Engineering Lola after an entertaining fight with fellow F3000 veteran Patrick Freisacher. Enge’s team mate at Ma-Con, Tony Schmidt finished 6th ahead of BCN’s Esteban Guerrieri and series debutant Matteo Grassotto who replaced Raffaele Giammaria at AEZ. Grassotto just beat local racer Jeffrey Van Hooydonk in the Super Nova Lola, the red headed Belgian in turn ahead of Ernesto Viso’s Durango Lola.
The final round of the Championship takes place at Monza in two weeks time.
