Double success for Team Ukraine
Posted: 20.07.2013
Source: Ferrari
Portimao 20 July – It was double success in a warm and windy Portimao in Portugal for Team Ukraine. Sergey Chukanov took the win in Trofeo Pirelli and his team mate Andrii Lebed drove to an easy victory in the Coppa Shell race.
With Daniel Mancinelli taking an easy pole position in the first qualifying for Trofeo Pirelli, he carried the pace into the early stages of the race with second place man Alex Martin falling back into Chukanov’s hands. In just the second lap Martin made a move on Mancinelli causing the Italian to spin and both to loose position to Chukanov. Martin continued second, but was soon re-passed by Mancinelli.
Meanwhile Dario Caso who had was forced to start from the back of the grid, after being penalized by the Stewards in qualifying for exceeding track limits, was charging hard making his way to fourth place.
The newest competitor in the championship 19-year-old Ezequiel Perez Companc (Nephew of Luis Perez Companc) showed that the racing blood runs strong through his family. In his first ever race he showed skills far beyond his years and experience fighting cleanly with much more experienced competitors – he finished a more than credible sixth.
Despite pushing hard Mancinelli, with damage to the rear of his car, could not defeat Chukanov and the race concluded Chukanov, Mancinelli and Martin. Caso, try as he might, could not pass Martin and finished fourth. Chukanov maintains his lead in the championship, Caso stays second and Mancinelli moves up to third.
In the Coppa Shell race it was a clear lights to flag victory for Lebed after his closest rival Fernando Baiz spun in the opening stages of the race. His closest competition David Gostner had an excellent start moving from 6th to third in the opening laps. All eyes however were on the battle between Vincenzo Sauto, Fons Scheltema, Eric Prinoth, Massimiliano Bianchi and Dirk Adamski. The desire of Adamski was clear, after starting 12th, he put every effort in to score as many points as he could to maintain his championship lead.
As the following group fought over position Gostner pulled away clear into second, chased hard by Prinoth who was doing his best to overcome technical problems. In a last corner move Bianchi snatched third position from Prinoth, who was as ever gracious in defeat. Lebed took a clean win despite the best efforts of Gostner in second.
Despite finishing in fifth position Adamski maintains his championship lead with 102 points over Sauto’s 89. The battles resume in Portimao tomorrow with the second Trofeo Pirelli Race taking place at 09:50 followed by the Coppa Shell competition at 14:00.
Mancinelli and Gostner dominate first Qualifying
Posted: 19.07.2013
Source: Ferrari
Portimao 19 July – Under the searing Portuguese sun it was a driver who could keep their cool who would dominate qualifying.
The ever unflappable Daniel Mancinelli was that driver in the Trofeo Pirelli series recording a time of 1:49.473 ahead of British driver Alex Martin with a 1:49.958. Mancinelli now needs to convert this dominant qualifying performance into some much needed championship points. Dario Caso put in an excellent performance to qualify in third position, but drops to the back of the grid after penalties for his recent successes. Championship leader Sergey Chukanov who qualified fourth is promoted to third on the grid.
In Coppa Shell it was David Gostner who put in by far the quickest time of 1:50.870ahead of Team Ukraine’s Andrii Lebed with a 1:51.014, Gostner’s penalties however mean that he is demoted to sixth position with Lebed starting on pole. Vincenzo Sauto qualified in third position but he is demoted to fifth. Fernando Baiz of Rossocorsa lines up second on the grid followed by Fons Scheltema in third.
Tomorrows Ferrari Challenge action starts on track with the second qualifying session for Trofeo Pirelli at 09:55 and Coppa Shell at 11:45. The afternoon sees race one for Trofeo Pirelli at 15:15 and the Coppa Shell at 17:15.
Ferrari Challenge sails into the Algarve
Posted: 18.07.2013
Source: Ferrari
Portimao 18 July – Portugal plays host this weekend to the fourth round of the Ferrari Challenge Europe at the circuit of Portimao in the Algarve. No doubt the sun will shine on the Prancing Horses before they are put to pasture for their summer break.
Sergey Chukanov of Ferrari Ukraina will be looking to repeat his success in the last round at Le Mans where he took the win in the Trofeo Pirelli class giving him the lead of the championship. Italian Dario Caso, who stands 12 points behind him will be keen to catch up.
In the Coppa Shell category, German Dirk Adamski took the lead after an impressive race in front of the 24 Hour crowds and leads the championship by seven points from Vincenzo Sauto. Adamski will be keen to maintain or increase his lead ahead of the next round of the fifth round of the championship which take place at his home track of Hockenheim.
David Gostner of Team Ineco / MP and Fons Scheltema in his car adorned with sharks teeth will be keen not to let the leading pair run away with all the points at this critical stage of the championship.
Each category will take part in two races with track action starting with free Practice on Friday morning. The Trofeo Pirelli will take part in race one on Saturday at 15:15 followed by the Coppa Shell at 17:15. On Sunday Race two for Trofeo Pirelli is at 09:50 followed by Coppa Shell at 14:00. All of the races can be seen live on Sky Sports Italia and in the Ukraine on Sport 1 – delayed coverage follows around the globe.