Mugello 27 October 2019
One year on from the world championship claimed in Monza, Ingvar Mattsson (Scudiera Autoropa), replicates the feat, sealing the world championship title in Coppa Shell Am. The 26-participant race had got off to a later start than originally planned after heavy early morning mist hampered visibility.
The race.
Mattsson (Scudiera Autoropa), setting out in second position, had got off to a flying start, even managing to take the lead before the first bend, ahead of the inevitable Safety Car, brought out to allow the removal of Jay Schreibman’s (Cauley Ferrari of Detroit) dangerously-positioned stationary car.
Second past the chequered flag, while taking the world championship runner-up spot, was Henrik Jansen (Formula Racing), who had been unable to capitalise on a pole position, dropping down the order to fourth place. When the Safety Car re-pitted, Jansen was able to overhaul, first, Brad Horstmann (Foreign Cars Italia), then Agata Smolka (Rossocorsa) before closing down on Mattsson. During the 25 minutes of racing, the Safety Car was again called out, re-compacting the group. Mattsson, however, deftly handled the lead and was able to fend off the pressure from Jansen in the closing stages.
The latter, in spite of the disappointment of letting the victory slip away, can console himself with a highly positive balance of the Mugello weekend, thanks to success in the Trofeo Pirelli Coppa Shell Am Challenge Europe clinched at the expense of Agata Smolka. The Polish driver produced a fine showing, managing to ward off Horstmann’s assaults (before finally finishing further back due to an error) but also the attacks of Michael Simoncic (Baron Motorsport) in the final throes. She was rewarded with the bottom step of the Ferrari Finali Mondiali podium.
Simoncic, despite the pressure, had to settle for fourth place ahead of Dusan Palcr (Scuderia Praha), while Atsushi Iritani (Cornes Osaka) was the best of the Asia Pacific drivers, concluding in sixth place. The top ten was rounded out by Alex Fox (Modena Motors – Slr) seventh, ahead of Eric Marston (Ferrari Westlake), Matthias Moser (Baron Motorsport) and Lisa Clark (Ferrari of Beverly Hills).