Race Report

EUROPEAN SERIES, Rounds 9 & 10
Formula Abarth, Rounds 11 & 12

Circuit: Mugello (I), Length 5.245 km, 1^st/2^nd October 2011
www.mugellocircuit.it

JENZER MOTORSPORT 2011:
Patric Niederhauser (CH), Robert Visoiu (ROM) and Samín Gómez (VEN)

Niederhauser wins in Mugello

The Formula Abarth runners took part in the Italian “Racing Weekend“ at the demanding Mugello circuit, laid out in the Tuscan hills. The event counted towards the Formula Abarth Italian Championship as well as the European Series. Twenty three cars took the start.

Qualifying

Saturday, 01/10/11, 11.35 – 12.05, Weather: Sunny, 24°C

The rules of the championship only allow for one qualifying session, with each driver’s fastest lap determining their Race One grid positions. For Race Two the top eight are simply reversed, with the 8th fastest driver starting from pole, the 7^th fastest starting from 7^th, and so on. From 9^th place on, the positions are decided based on the results of Race One.
The qualifying session took place on Saturday at lunchtime. As always, positions changed frequently until the very end of the session, when Patric managed to secure 3^rd place on the grid. Robert had a great session and was rewarded with 5^th place, and Samín was listed 21st at the end of the session.

Formula Abarth European Series & Formula Abarth Italian Championship

Race One (28 minutes + 1 lap)

Saturday, 01/10/11, 17.05, Weather: Sunny, 23°C

Patric got away superbly and slotted in just behind Sirotkin, who had made the most of his pole position. Over the first few laps Sirotkin opened a small gap, but then Patric closed in on him steadily and was soon putting the pressure on, as he would do for the remainder of the race. However, as they were so evenly matched it was very difficult to launch an attack, especially as Patric didn’t want to take any unnecessary risks, focussing on scoring as many points as possible. On the very last lap, in fact on the very last corner, Sirotkin made a small mistake and neither Patric nor Kuroda needed a second invitation to go past. To the team’s great delight Patric stepped onto the podium as the race winner. Robert suffered wheelspin at the start and didn’t make the best of getaways, losing places and ending up 8^th at the end of the first lap. Robert closed the gap quickly and even managed to overtake Agostini and Ghiotto in a single move. That put him back up to 6^th, but he soon came under irresistible pressure from Marasca, and could not keep him back. Shortly before the end of the race Marasca was through leaving Robert to finish an exciting race in a very good 7^th place. Samín was less fortunate, returning to the pits with clutch problems after only two laps and having to retire from the race.

Formula Abarth European Series & Formula Abarth Italian Championship

Race Two (28 minutes + 1 lap)

Sunday, 02/10/11, 12.20, Weather: Sunny, 25°C

The race started in the midday heat. Patric was 3^rd by the end of the first lap, while Robert stalled his engine and was only able to settle in in 20^th by the time he was able to get off the line. He immediately set about making up places, but left his braking too late and landed up the gravel, thus ending his race prematurely. Samín at least was able to make up a few places and was 18^th. Meanwhile Patric was closing the gap between himself and the leaders Ghiotto and Camplese, while soaking up the pressure from Sirotkin just behind. Patric ran a bit wide in one corner, and that was all Sirotkin and Marasca needed and they were through. Patric immediately tried to catch up, but then he had an off track moment and ran through the gravel. Fortunately he was able to rejoin but only in 10^th. He recovered to overtake Suranovich, Piria and Barrabeig in quick succession to regain 7^th. The gap to 6^th was a large one, but then an accident saw the Safety Car take control of the field, closing the pack up again. At the restart some of the front runners seemed not to be paying attention, which was why some of the drivers had to overtake before they crossed the restart line on what was to be the last lap of the race. The resulting sprint to the line was fiercely contested, Patric crossed the finishing line in 4^th only to be handed a 25 second penalty for overtaking just before the restart, ending up demoted to 16^th. Agostini, who had crossed the line 2^nd, was also penalised, as was Ghiotto, the winner on the track. Samín had been fighting with Roda throughout the race, and had swapped positions with him several times and in the chaos of the final lap she didn’t hesitate, crossing the line in 13^th place. Once the other drivers were penalised she was promoted to 10^th in the final classification.

Championship Standings

2011 Formula Abarth European Series after 10 out of 14 races:

1^st Sergey Sirotkin (RUS), 131 points; 2^nd Patric Niederhauser (CH), 99 points; 3^rd Michael Heche (CH), 71 points; 4^th Gerrard Barrabeig (E), 63 points; 5^th Lorenzo Camplese (I), 59 points; 6^th Robert Visoiu (ROM), 49 points; 20^th Samín Gómez, 4 points

Championship Standings

Formula Abarth Italian Championship 2011 after 12 out of 14 races:

1^st Patric Niederhauser (CH), 123 points; 2^nd Sergey Sirotkin (RUS), 116 points; 3^rd Michael Heche (CH), 113 points; 4^th Gerrard Barrabeig (E), 99 points; 5^th Nicolas Costa (BRA), 67 points; 6^th Robert Visoiu (ROM), 58 points; 19^th Samín Gómez (VEN), 3 points

2011 FORMULA ABARTH RACE CALENDAR

2011 FORMULA ABARTH EUROPEAN SERIES

2011 FORMULA ABARTH ITALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP

Read more:

• www.acisportitalia.it/ABARTH_IT
• www.acisportitalia.it/ABARTH_EU
• www.italiaracing.net