Race Report

ITALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP
Formula ACI CSAI Abarth

Cisrcuit: Varano (I), Length 2,375 km, 21^st/22^nd May 2011, Rounds 3 & 4
www.varano.it

JENZER MOTORSPORT 2011:
Patric Niederhauser (CH), Sergey Sirotkin (RUS) and Robert Visoiu (ROM)

Victory for Niederhauser and podium for Sirotkin

The second of seven meetings of the Italian Formula Abarth Championship took place at Varano near Parma. A field of 19 drivers was ready to compete on the small but interesting circuit, where the starting position definitely plays a very decisive role in the event.

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Qualifying

Saturday, 21/05/11, 14.30 – 15.00, Weather: Sunny, 25°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 8^th fastest driver starting from pole, the 7^th fastest starting from 7^th, and so on. From 9^th place on, the positions are according to the results of Race One.
The qualifying session was held during the hottest part of the day, which didn’t worry Patric at all and he was soon able to secure pole position. Robert took a special liking to the short, winding track and with 3^rd place netted his best ever qualifying result in his admittedly very short motor racing career. That put him just ahead of Sergey, who completed an impressive performance by the team with 4^th place.

Formula Abarth Italian Championship

Race One (28 minutes + 1 lap)

Sunday, 22/05/11, 10.10, Weather: Sunny, 23°C

The start went well with Patric taking the lead, after Barrabeig left his braking too late into the first corner. That slowed Robert and Sergey down as they both had to back off to avoid him, while De Beer overtook them on the outside. Sergey was better placed than Robert as a result and managed to get past, just before Robert was shoved off track by Ghiotto, who had missed his braking point. The trackrod on Robert’s car was bent and although he made it back to the pits for the team to straighten it and send him back out, he’d lost a lot of time. It didn’t stop him putting in some very good lap times as he drove round to finish 16^th. Sergey got alongside de Beer and, in a courageous move, stayed there until he was able to come out in front. De Beer lost momentum and Costa didn’t need a second invitation to also slip through. For a few laps Costa put the pressure on Sergey, but then Sergey settled into his rhythm and set off in pursuit of Barrabeig. From then on Costa never got an opportunity to attack Sergey. Patric meanwhile, had set a blistering pace right from the start and Barrabeig couldn’t keep up with him for long. His lead was never in danger, and he also set the fastest lap time of the race, claiming full points for his well-deserved win. Sergey drove a flawless race as well and was proud to finish in 3^rd behind Barrabeig.
The starting grid for race two is set by reversing the top 8 positions in qualifying, and from 9th place onward based on the results of race one.

Formula Abarth Italian Championship

Race Two (28 minutes + 1 lap)

Sunday, 22/05/11, 16.20, Weather: Sunny, 28°C

The start went well and the fight for positions started immediately. It is not easy to overtake at Varano, but, as we would soon see, it’s not completely impossible. Sergey was 4^th after the first lap, behind Kuroda, Camplese and Ghiotto, Robert was 6^th behind Barrabeig, and Patric had managed to hang onto 8^th. Patric soon set about Costa and it didn’t take long before he appeared in Robert’s mirrors. Robert, meanwhile, was piling the pressure on Barrabeig and the situation soon got very heated. The two of them touched, Robert fell back slightly, and that was just enough for Patric to slip past. Ahead of them Kuroda made a mistake and went off, leaving Camplese leading from Ghiotto. Sergey continued to harry Ghiotto, who eventually started to make mistakes. When that happened Sergey launched a new attack which went wrong. He got onto the grass and was lucky to get back on track right away without endangering any other cars, but this was all Patric needed and he was through. Moments later it was Ghiotto who was bumping along in the scenery and into retirement with a damaged car. That handed the win to Camplese, from Patric and Sergey. Robert also shone in a brilliant race and crossed the finish line just behind Barrabeig in 5^th place. Afer a very exciting race the team once more celebrated a double podium.

Championship Standings

Formula Abarth Italian Championship 2011 after 4 out of 14 races:

1^st Patric Niederhauser (CH), 64 points; 2^nd Michael Heche (CH), 35 points; 3^rd Nicolas Costa (BRA), 34 points; 4^th Sergey Sirotkin (RUS), 30 points; 5^th Gerrard Barrabeig (E), 25 points; 6^th Roman de Beer (RSA), 24 points; 8^th Robert Visoiu (ROM), 14 points

2011 FORMULA ABARTH RACE CALENDAR

2011 FORMULA ABARTH ITALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP

2011 FORMULA ABARTH EUROPEAN SERIES

Read more:

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