The third round of the International Superstars Series got underway at the Algarve Circuit in Portiamo, Portugal with a test session topped by Maserati's Andrea Bertolini.
The Italian got his Swiss Team Quattroporte around the course in a quickest time of 1m51.999. The three Team BMW Italia M3s were next up, with rookie Alberto Cerqui the best of the trio, half a second down on Bertolini. Thomas Biagi was third quickest, with Stefano Gabellini fourth.
Riccardo Romagnoli was the best of the Mercedes entries for Caal Racing in fifth, just ahead of Johnny Herbert of the Romeo Ferraris team. Francesco Sini was seventh in his Ferlito Motors Jaguar XF ahead of Sergio Hernandez of Campos Racing in a BMW. Female racers Francesca Linossi and Michela Cerruti rounded out the top ten in their BMW and Mercedes respectively.
Two free practice sessions will be held on Saturday ahead of the qualifying session, with the two 25 minute plus-one-lap races to be held on Sunday at 10:40 and 15:40 local time.
Test session results:
1. Bertolini (Maserati Quattroporte – Swiss Team) 1:51.999;
2. Cerqui (BMW M3 – Team BMW Italia) 1:52.591;
3. Biagi (BMW M3 – Team BMW Italia) 1:52.865;
4. Gabellini (BMW M3 – Team BMW Italia) 1:53.430;
5. Romagnoli (Mercedes C63 AMG – Caal Racing) 1:54.137;
6. Herbert (Mercedes C63 AMG – Team Romeo Ferraris) 1:54.143;
7. Sini (Jaguar XF SV8 – Ferlito Motors) 1:54.196;
8. Hernandez (BMW M3 – Campos Racing) 1:54.415;
9. Linossi (BMW M3 – Movisport) 1:54.790;
10. Cerruti (Mercedes C63 AMG – Team Romeo Ferraris) 1:54.845.
