SuperstarsTouring Cars

Same Again In Second Portimao Race For Biagi And BMW

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Team BMW Italia repeated their result from the first International Superstars Series race at Portimao in Race 2, as Thomas Biagi won again with Alberto Cerqui and Stefano Gabellini second and third once again to complete another 1-2-3 for the team.

Cerqui started on pole again, but this time the youngster lost the lead to Andrea Bertolini in the Swiss Team Maserati on the opening lap, before losing second to teammate Biagi on lap two. Biagi chased down Bertolini and soon took the lead from the Maserati driver.

Just like in Race 1 Bertolini suffered a tyre problem, this time forcing him out of the race. This left Biagi to win with Cerqui not far behind him. Luigi Ferrara held third in his Caal Racing Mercedes but would eventually be passed by Gabellini to allow the BMW man to complete a double podium lockout for his team.

Max Pigoli (Romeo Ferraris) got past Ferrara on the penultimate lap to finish fourth. Andrea Chiesa finished sixth in his Maserati, with Ferrara's teammate Riccardo Romagnoli seventh. Andrea Dromedari was eighth in his Romeo Ferraris Mercedes ahead of Mauro Cesari in the MRT by Nocentini Chrysler 300C and Sandro Bettini in his Movisport BMW.

Johnny Herbert had been fighting with Gabellini for fifth early on until suffering another puncture, just as he did in Race 1.

Biagi's double win has moved him to the top of the standings, nine points ahead of Ferrara with Pigoli a further ten points behind. The next Superstars race takes place at Misano on 5th June, counting for the Italian championship only. The next International Superstars Series round is at Donington Park on 19th June.

Race results after 15 laps:

Pos. Driver Team Car Time/Gap
1 Thomas Biagi Team BMW Italia BMW M3 E92 28:23.229
2 Alberto Cerqui Team BMW Italia BMW M3 E92 1.649
3 Stefano Gabellini Team BMW Italia BMW M3 E92 18.692
4 Max Pigoli Romeo Ferraris Mercedes AMG C63 24.339
5 Luigi Ferrara CAAL Racing Mercedes AMG C63 33.670
6 Andrea Chiesa Swiss Team Maserati Quattroporte 38.935
7 Riccardo Romagnoli CAAL Racing Mercedes AMG C63 46.486
8 Andrea Dromedari Romeo Ferraris Mercedes AMG C63 59.585
9 Mauro Cesari MRT by Nocentini Chrysler 300 C SRT-8 1:01.091
10 Sandro Bettini Movisport BMW M3 E90 1:01.500
11 Francesca Linossi Movisport BMW M3 E92 1:11.998
12 Luigi Cecchi Ferlito Motors Jaguar XF 2:07.334
13 Fabrizio Armetta Motorzone Chevrolet Lumina CR-8 +1 lap
14 Alessandro Tambussi Movisport BMW 550i E60 +1 lap
15 Isaac Tutumlu Campos Racing BMW M3 E92 +3 laps
16 Sergio Hernandez Campos Racing BMW M3 E92 +5 laps
17 Alex De Giacomi Movisport BMW M3 E90 +6 laps
18 Johnny Herbert Romeo Ferraris Mercedes AMG C63 +7 laps
Ret Andrea Bertolini Swiss Team Maserati Quattroporte 7 laps
Ret Francesco Sini Ferlito Motors Jaguar XF 6 laps
Ret Michela Cerruti Romeo Ferraris Mercedes AMG C63 0 laps
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Peter joined the TCF team in September 2010 and covers GP2 and GP3 along with WTCC and Formula Two. You can find him on twitter at @PeteAllen_
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