Andrea Bertolini moved to within four points of the International Superstars Series points lead with a dominant victory in the first race at the Vallelunga season finale.
The Swiss Team Maserati Quattroporte driver made a good start from pole position and was able to quickly open up a lead when teammate Alessandro Pier Guidi slotted into second place ahead of Alberto Cerqui, one of Bertolini's title rivals.
Pier Guidi allowed Bertolini to run off into the distance on the opening lap, keeping Cerqui and his BMW Italia teammates Thomas Biagi and Stefano Gabellini at bay. Pier Guidi picked up his pace before the end, leaving Cerqui to settle for third ahead of Biagi and Gabellini.
The main action during the race was the battle over sixth place. This was held by Max Pigoli early on, ahead of Romeo Ferraris teammate Michela Cerruti. Points leader Luigi Ferrara had started down in 12th after engine troubles in qualifying, but moved up to eighth on the opening lap in his Caal Racing Mercedes.
He found a way past Cerruti for seventh on the second lap, and set off after Pigoli. Ferrara took sixth from Pigoli on lap six, but Pigoli regained the place at the same corner on the following lap, making contact in the process.
Ferrara had to spend the rest of the race defending from Cerruti, but after the race Pigoli was handed a three second penalty for the contact. This dropped him behind Ferrara and down to seventh.
Francesco Sini finished ninth behind Cerruti, now behind the wheel of a Roma Racing Team Mercedes after switching from the Ferlito Jaguar XF. Andrea Dromedari completed the top ten for Romeo Ferraris.
The result left Ferrara with a four point lead over Bertolini, with Cerqui just one further point behind.
Race results – 16 laps:
Pos | Driver | Team | Car | Time/Gap |
1 | Andrea Bertolini | Swiss Team | Maserati Quattroporte | 27:16.802 |
2 | Alessandro Pier Guidi | Swiss Team | Maserati Quattroporte | 3.992 |
3 | Alberto Cerqui | Team BMW Italia | BMW M3 E92 | 5.409 |
4 | Thomas Biagi | Team BMW Italia | BMW M3 E92 | 5.748 |
5 | Stefano Gabellini | Team BMW Italia | BMW M3 E92 | 11.485 |
6 | Luigi Ferrara | CAAL Racing | Mercedes C63 AMG | 19.842 |
7 | Max Pigoli | Romeo Ferraris | Mercedes C63 AMG | 20.442* |
8 | Michela Cerruti | Romeo Ferraris | Mercedes C63 AMG | 21.190 |
9 | Francesco Sini | Roma Racing Team | Mercedes C63 AMG | 24.138 |
10 | Andrea Dromedari | Romeo Ferraris | Mercedes C63 AMG | 40.050 |
11 | Mauro Cesari | Ferlito Motors | Jaguar XF/R5.0 | 43.502 |
12 | Riccardo Bossi | Audi Sport Italia | Audi RS4 | 48.239 |
13 | Roberto Papini | Movisport | BMW M3 E90 | 56.310 |
14 | Luigi Cecchi | Ferlito Motors | Jaguar XF/R5.0 | 1:06.354 |
15 | Francesco Ascani | Todi Corse | BMW M3 E90 | 1:10.605 |
16 | Leonardo Baccarelli | Todi Corse | BMW 550i E60 | 1:46.474 |
17 | Roberto Benedetti | RC Motorsport | Cadillac CTS V | +2 laps |
18 | Fabrizio Armetta | Motorzone Race Car | Chevrolet Lumina CR-8 | +3 laps |
19 | Christian Montanari | Roma Racing Team | Mercedes C63 AMG | +6 laps |
20 | Gianluca De Lorenzi | Movisport | BMW M3 E92 | +6 laps |
Ret | Riccardo Romagnoli | CAAL Racing | Mercedes C63 AMG | 5 laps |
Ret | Niccolo Mercatali | Movisport | BMW M3 E90 | 4 laps |
Ret | Gianni Morbidelli | Audi Sport Italia | Audi RS4 | 3 laps |
Ret | Johnny Herbert | Romeo Ferraris | Mercedes C63 AMG | 0 laps |
* + 3 second penalty applied |