The Portuguese duo posts third seasonal success in Monza’s Race 1 to reinforce their first place in the overall standings, leading now by 17 points

AF Corse Ferraris take 2nd with Cameron-Griffin and 3rd with Lathouras-Rugolo, now lone main rivals of the McLaren in the title chase 

Giammaria-Companc (AF Corse) and Benucci-Balzan (Villorba) see their chances go after a difficult Saturday – Benucci OK after heavy shunt

Sdanewitsch-Melnikov (AF Corse Ferrari) win in GT-Am  

Álvaro Parente and Miguel Ramos drove a perfect Race 1 today at Monza: the Portuguese pair of Teo Martín Motorsport took a flag-to-flag win, the third of the season, which allows them to extend their lead in the championship up to 17 points. Two AF Corse Ferraris completed the podium, with Duncan Cameron-Matt Griffin finishing second ahead of Pasin Lathouras-Michele Rugolo, who keep their title bid perfectly open. 

However, the race, which eventually took place in dry conditions, dashed the championship chances of the two outsiders, as the AF Corse Ferrari of Ezequiel Companc-Raffaele Giammaria had to retire with a broken engine and the Villorba Ferrari of Alessandro Balzan-Nicola Benucci suffered a heavy crash in the penultimate lap, prompting the red flag. Nicola Benucci, then at the wheel, lost the car exiting the Ascari chicane and hitting the Armco at full speed. Luckily, the Italian driver got off the car by his own means and was perfectly alert when he arrived to the medical centre. Following standard procedures, he will undergo a scanner check in hospital. 

Claudio Sdanewitsch-Ilya Melnikov (AF Corse) won in GT-Am ahead of Yoluc-Hankey (TF Sport Aston Martin) and Mallegol-Blank (AF Corse), while James Abbott finished again in the overall points with the GT Am Cup’s Radical. 

THE RACE - At the start, Parente keeps the advantage of the pole, preceding Balzan, Giammaria, Lancieri, Latrhouras, Balfe, Cameron, Puglisi and Abbott, with

Lathouras taking fourth in lap 2. First laps see the gaps growing in between the four first cars, with battle being for P5 and nicest duel among the Corvette of Puglisi and the Radical of Abbott for P9. The Radical even manages to take the position before having to concede it again. 

The most interesting battle then becomes the one for P6 between Lancieri, Cameron, Balfe and Puglisi, which goes on until the pit stop, which becomes mandatory for Lancieri as his rear left tire blows (lap 19). After the driver change, Companc leads on Ramos, Benucci, Griffin, Rugolo, Sini, Keen and Melnikov, but the Argentine goes straight at first chicane with an apparent engine problem. After resetting the ECU, he continued but jost to rejoin the box and retire. In the meantime, also Guedes has blown a tire.

By lap 30, Ramos (who goes straight at the first chicane) has a 6-second advantage on Benucci, followed by Griffin, Rugolo and Keen, who has passed Sini with some rubbing. Melnikov, 7th, leads in GT Am. The end of the race sees a strong chase by 

Griffin and Rugolo on Benucci. They both will pass, in lap 35 and 36, before the Villorba car gets off at Ascari. The massive shunt tears off the front of the car, prompting the red flag, but fortunately, Benucci escaped unhurt. 

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS AFTER RACE 11 OF 14

Overall: 1. Parente-Ramos, 174 points; 2. Rugolo-Lathouras, 157; 3. Giammaria-Companc,128;

4. Balzan-Benucci, 112; 5. Sdanewitsch, 56 6. E.López, Keen-Balfe, 55; etc

Pro-Am: 1. Ramos-Parente, 77; 2. Rugolo-Lathouras, 66; 3. Giammaria-Companc, 52; 4.

Benucci-Balzan, 45; 5.Keen-Balfe, 23; etc

GT-Am: 1.Sdanewitsch, 42; 2. Melnikov, Barreiros, 35; 4. Rasmussen, 18; 5. Silva-Coimbra,15;

6. Hankey-Yoluc, 14; etc

Teams: 1. AF Corse, 131; 2. Teo Martín Motorsport, 80; 3. Villorba Corse, 45; 4. Balfe

Motorsport, 23; 5. Baporo Motorsport, 22; 6. Brussels Racing Aston Martin, 18; etc

Cup Am: 1. Abbott, 20; 2. Unzurrunzaga, 14; 3. Hoy, 5