Comments from Trofeo Pirelli Race-1 podium

Trofeo Pirelli Race-1 saw Eliseo Donno return to the top step of the podium, stretching his lead over Thomas Fleming, today’s runner-up. Franz Engstler took the Am title with his eighth win of the season.

Eliseo Donno, winner Trofeo Pirelli: “I managed an excellent start. I held first position from the first lap, leading the race. Immediately after the Safety Car, there was a bit of a melee, but I still managed to hold onto first place. It’s a dream for me to be here at Spa because, before today, I had only seen this circuit on TV, for the 24 Hours or F1. It’s wonderful to be here and to experience this feeling. The atmosphere in the paddock, the areas around the track, everything is exciting. The team also told me: ‘At Spa you experience different feelings than at other tracks’, and that’s exactly what I experienced today. I took pole, a fast lap and won the race. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens tomorrow. Thanks to my entire team, my family and all the people who support me.”

Thomas Fleming, runner-up Trofeo Pirelli: “It was an excellent race, a real event for us drivers. The series of turns on the track around the halfway point worked in my favour, but unfortunately, we didn’t start well, which lost precious time. During the race, I didn’t want to push too hard because I didn’t want to wear out the tyres, so it wasn’t easy to hold the position until the end. But I’m happy for me and the team: another podium and more points.”

Adrian Sutil, third Trofeo Pirelli: “I started third and finished third. The two cars ahead of me were simply too fast, so I concentrated on holding my position. A difficult race, no question, with a lot of cars around, and a lot of traffic. I had to work extremely hard to stay on track and stay on line.” 

Franz Engstler, winner Trofeo Pirelli Am: “The day couldn’t have gone better. I posted an excellent time in qualifying, which meant I started from first position and was the leader in my category. Despite starting in the lead, I had a few problems with the front tyre pressure in the first two laps. This season has been fantastic, and today’s race was also action-packed, always within safe limits. I was really pleased to come away with this last victory as well, so I want to thank my entire team and Charles Pozzi GT Racing, who did a perfect job.”

Hendrik Viol, runner-up Trofeo Pirelli Am: “It was a gruelling race because right from the start, I had some problems with the tyres and tried to keep my position. In the last laps, I gained a few places, and I could say it was a surprise podium.”

Claus Zibrandtsen, third Trofeo Pirelli Am: “It was a fantastic day! I definitely didn’t expect to be on the podium, especially as it’s been about a year since my last race.”