CIK-FIA EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP FA/S-ICC/ICC - VARENNES [ ROUND 2]

MAMBRETTI AT THE TOP IN THE ICC, LAUDATO IMPROVES HIS PERFORMANCE IN THE SICC

TONINELLI CONQUERS THE TITLE IN THE SICC BUT, THANKS TO A GREAT RACE, LAUDATO IS READY TO REDEEM HIMSELF IN THE WORLD CUP. IN FORMULA "A" TWO ACCIDENTS COMPROMISE LANCASTER AND CESETTI’S RACE.

On occasion of the 2nd rendezvous of the European Championship for the classes 100 FA, 125 Sicc and 125 Icc, the 1st title of the season was awarded. It was the Italian Roberto Toninelli who prevailed over Alessandro Piccini in the Sicc. Race 2 was the turning point for the title: Manetti conquered victory without trying to help his team mate Piccini, consequently all Toninelli needed to become European champion 2006 was to end the race in 3rd place, which he did, behind Piccini himself. Francesco Laudato, who won last season’s title but could not compete for it this year because of an accident that occurred during the 1st race at Muro Leccese, ended both Race 1 and Race 2 in 4th place. In both races he proved to be highly competitive (especially by conquering the pole position in Race 1), even though he clearly avoided taking risks in the various overtakings which characterised the race in the very first positions. Apart from Manetti’s victory in Race 2, Toninelli’s success in Race 1 should be highlighted; by being ahead of Manetti and Piccini, Toninelli had in fact already reversed in his favour the prediction on the eve of the race, according to which Piccini was a favourite. As far as Birel is concerned, Laudato’s performance was great and this means that, in terms of the World Cup, the Italian driver finds himself in the best possible situation to defend his world title from the last season. Also worthy of notice, the 6th place obtained by Schrangl in Race 1 (7th place in Race 2) and the outstanding performance of Thomas Mich in Race 2, in which he ended in 5th place. The French driver had already drawn the attention in Race 1 in Gara 1 by conquering 10th place. Cozzaglio on the other hand had many problems in Race 1 {insert space} which relegated him to the rear; in Race 2 the driver from Brescia was penalised by 10" for an early start and this cost him a deserved 10th place. Contrary to the Sicc, the 100 FA will hold another European Championship race (in Germany, at the end of August), even though the series’ potential winner could once more be Marco Ardigò, who had already won in 2005 and who, by winning both Race 1 and Race 2, gained 91 points in the general tables. The driver from Brescia is ahead of Christodoulou and Koslinski, both with 63 points. The representative of the Alonso team ended Race 1 in 5th place, whereas in Race 2 he managed to conquer 2nd place. As it was, in Race 2 Christodoulo ended up in the sand 3 laps from the end, as it was beginning to rain; the Referee however effectively saved him by raising the red flag, thus making official the placings of the previous lap. By conquering two 3rd places in the last round at Ampfing, Koslinski effectively overtook Catt in the tables and became a potential rival for Ardigò. For Birel’s drivers, this was an unlucky weekend; Cesetti broke his engine in one of the legs and, as a consequence, had to run in during the 2nd qualifying race, thereby compromising his position in the starting grid of Race 1. Lancaster on the other hand did well in the qualification races and went on to conquer 10th position in the starting grid of Race 1. Croxford also did well, ending just behind Lancaster, whereas Risitano had a few problems and gained 20th place. In Race 1, bad luck played a big part for Birel’s drivers: Lancaster ruinously ended up off the track because of Lammers’ water leakage (because of the blow, the English driver will not be able to take part in Race 2), whereas another accident put Cesetti out of the action. Croxford on the other hand ended the race in 12th place ahead of Risitano. In Race 2, the red flag revolutionised the results, although Cesetti still managed to climb up and gain some points. The class 125 Icc concluded its programme of races in Verennes and gave Birel’s colours yet another victory in such an important class in terms of market. Suffice to know that, among the 34 finalists, 13 used the Birel chassis. In this sense, the firm from Lissone definitely outdistanced the main competitors, Crg and Pcr, each having only 5 drivers using their chassis. As mentioned, in Race 1 victory went to Omar Mambretti (3rd in Race 2), who is now also very well positioned in the championship tables. In Race 1, the Birel driver preceded the Swiss Allemann and Behrens; also worthy of notice are the good performances of Jelieniowski, Kraske and Leijtens, who ended the race in 6th, 7th and 8th place respectively. Race 2 was won by Allemann ahead of Giulietti, Mambretti and Behrens.