The second day of the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Europe at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” produced dramatic twists and turns on the track, with Bence Valint (Rossocorsa - Ferrari Budapest) taking his first ever win in the Trofeo Pirelli, and Axel Sartingen (Lueg Sportivo - Herter Racing) clinching his second win in the Coppa Shell.
In the Trofeo Pirelli Am, the winning streak of Franz Engstler (Charles Pozzi GT Racing) continued as he makes it four-in-a-row with another victory, while the Romagna track also witnessed Martinus Richter’s (MERTEL Motorsport) first win of the season in the Coppa Shell Am.
Trofeo Pirelli. An irregularity found on Thomas Fleming’s car (HR Owen - FF Corse) at the end of the race handed a first ever Ferrari Challenge win to rookie Bence Valint, who produced a steady, consistent showing. The disqualification of the British driver, who crossed the finish line first in a race that ended behind the Safety Car after Eliseo Donno (Radicci Automobili) had spun off without consequences, promoted a surprising Rocco Mazzola (Radicci Automobili) to second place, who had produced an 18-position comeback from the starting grid. There was also a thrilling battle for the subsequent positions involving former Formula 1 driver Adrian Sutil (Gohm - Baron Motorsport), third in the end, edging out Max Mugelli (CDP - Eureka Competition) after a prolonged, gripping confrontation between the two. The rankings remain sub judice.
Donno, after setting the circuit record in practice with a 1'34"427 lap, also took the bonus point for the fastest race lap with 1'35"791, to keep the overall lead in the standings with 14 points over Max Mugelli and 17 over Thomas Fleming.
Coppa Shell. Thanks to a decisive move at the start, which allowed him to overtake the day’s polesitter Willem van der Vorm (Scuderia Monte-Carlo), Axel Sartingen went on to claim a second win of the race weekend in Misano. The race ended up being red flagged several minutes short of its natural 30-minute deadline following a collision between Eric Cheung (Formula Racing) and Fons Scheltema (Kessel Racing) with both going off-track without consequences for either driver.
On the third step of the podium was Thomas Gostner (CDP - MP Racing), who produced a steady showing that allows him to move in behind Christian Kinch (Gohm - Herter Racing) and Christian Herdt-Wipper (Emil Frey), who staged a six-place comeback from the grid.
The flagbearer of the Lueg Sportivo - Herter Racing team, who also picked up the bonus point for the fastest lap of 1'38"024, thus edges away with a 24-point advantage over Manuela Gostner in the overall standings (CDP - MP Racing), who posted tenth today after being sanctioned with a drive-through for a collision in the early stages of the race with Fons Scheltema, third in the standings some 29 points behind the leader.
There was also a German win in the Am class, with Martinus Richter (MERTEL Motorsport) who, after an excellent recovery and the fastest lap time of 1'38"823, managed to overhaul polesitter Kirk Baerwaldt (Kessel Racing) to clinch a maiden season win. In runner-up spot was Giuseppe Ramelli (Rossocorsa - Pellin Racing), while third was Henrik Kamstrup (Formula Racing).
Baerwaldt, fifth at the end, also finishing behind Motohiko Isozaki (Cornes Motors Shiba), nevertheless hangs on to the lead in the standings with 13 points over the Japanese driver and 22 over “Boris Gideon” (Autohaus Ulrich).
The next round of the Prancing Horse single-marque series is scheduled from 12 to 14 May in Austria, at the Spielberg circuit.