Intense weekend for the Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR by Romeo Ferraris

It has been a busy and intense weekend for Romeo Ferraris, with the cars of the Opera-based manufacture in action on three different fronts and four different series. The season-opener of the TCR Italy at Imola has seen the Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR by Romeo Ferraris entered by V-Action Racing Team conquer both Race 1 and Race 2, with Luigi Ferrara leading the series’ standings. Third in qualifying, the driver from Bari has perfectly mastered the initial phases of both races, taking the lead in Race 1 with a splendid overtake at the Tosa, while in Race 2, with reverse starting grid, he managed to climb up positions and seize P1 seven minutes from the chequered flag.

Also positive the appearance at Budapest, in the second round of the World Touring Car Cup, where Fabrizio Giovanardi and Gianni Morbidelli defended the colours of Team Mulsanne. The two expert Italian drivers showed good pace in free practice, and qualified 18th and 20th respectively, reducing significantly the gap with respect to the first round of the season in Marrakesh. In Race 1 though, after an excellent start, Gianni was involved in a contact with Berthon which put an end to his race, while another contact with an Audi forced Fabrizio’s retirement. On Sunday, a failing throttle sensor ruined Gianni’s chances, while Giovanardi qualified in P16, one tenth from the Q2 threshold. Nevertheless, not having noticed the stewards’ call for weighting, Fabrizio was sanctioned and dropped to the back of the grid for both races. In Race 2, though, a contact between the two disrupted the performance of both, with Morbidelli 22nd and Giovanardi 23rd at the end. Race 3 saw Fabrizio retiring after a puncture stopped his climb up through the field while Gianni clinched P15.

In Hungary, as support race to the WTCR, there was also a round of the FIA CEZ, which has among its entrants the Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR by Romeo Ferraris of the Unicorse team, one of the first to believe in this project. With Balint Hatvani at the wheel, the Magyar squad took a class win in Saturday’s race and a third on Sunday. Far from the Old Continent, the Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR by Romeo Ferraris was also competing in the Pirelli World Challange in Virginia. On a very demanding track, the Dane Martin Jensen has obtained a 5th and a 7th in the two races held.

Michela Cerruti, Romeo Ferraris Operations Manager

“This has been quite a busy weekend but there will be little tie to recover, as many commitments are around the corner. At Budapest, we have seen our cars winning with Unicorse and showing very good progress with Team Mulsanne in the FIA WTCR. Clearly, we are elated by the stunning debut of Gigi Ferrara and V-Action in the TCR Italy. Last year, we closely followed the launch of this programme, which has grown throughout the winter and now delivers its fruits. We knew that Imola would fit well the qualities of the car, and the results are there. We also contributed a lot to the programme in the Pirelli World Challange, which represents a new challenge for us and the whole TCR world. With regard to the World Touring Car Cup, the next round at the Nordschelife will be a true lottery, while in parallel the Italian series will be on track at Le Castellet, as well TCR UK round with Laser Racing in Knockhill. There will be also new intercontinental commitments, as end of May will mark the debut of our car in China, and we are very anxious ahead of this new campaign”.