Audi Sport Italia
Press Release
Audi Sport Italia
drivers' Gianni Morbidelli and Ferdinando Geri look ahead at Brno weekend with
confidence
BRNO RACE PREVIEW
Sunday the International Superstars Series will be
making its maiden visit to one of the most iconic circuit in touring cars
history: Brno, which has built a decade-long tradition as a hotbed for
tin-tops. Audi Sport Italia shares with the Czech venue a rich background in
touring cars, since the outfit was contracted as an Audi team way back in
the Super Touring heydays.
The Italian squad is keen to take on the opposition
at the scenic circuit: although the season kick-off at Monza was a clean-sweep
for AMG Mercedeses, the rolling hills of Brno seem to offer a better backdrop
for the assets of the Audi camp.
Former Formula 1 driver Gianni Morbidelli and sportscar driver Ferdinando Geri can’t
wait to try their hands on a layout that seems well suited to the four-wheel-driven RS 5s.
They’re set to meet a field reinforced by new
additions, as the arrival of Italians Fabrizio Giovanardi and Emanuele Piscopo
will add spice to the Superstars menu, the former back in the cockpit of the
Panamera Porsche three years removed from his last win, the latter on his way
to discover the taste of tin-tops in a BMW M3. Moreover the BMW camp will host
another former single-seater driver: Austria’s Christian Klien, who has been
the last driver able to break the domination that RS 5s and C63s have enjoyed
in the SRW-run series since July 1st 2012. In statistical terms, throughout the
past 8 races no driver who failed to seat either in an Audi or in a AMG
Mercedes was able to post a win. Klien, who did so in a Maserati at Hungaroring
last year, will try to repeat himself in a Scuderia Giudici’s BMW M3 this week,
but in order to give it a go he will have to make his way through a bevy of
Romeo Ferraris’ C63s and our own Audis, whose drivers aim to make up ground on
Vitantonio Liuzzi and Thomas Biagi, who are topping the points standings after
sharing the top spots at ultra-quick Monza.
Audi Sport Italia engineers are confident of having
completed the troubleshooting ensuing from the 2013 technical blueprint that
encompasses raised ride height, skimpy cavalry following the new air restrictor
sizes and different tyre wear. Therefore Morbidelli is poised to tighten the
current gap from Three-Pointed Star drivers adding a fair haul of points
in Czech Republic to the twin fourth places that he chalked up at Monza, whilst
team mate Geri looks with anticipation to improving his pace in the Audi,
something that he was able to do on Sunday at Monza, when he posted quickest
laps than on Saturday.
INTERNATIONAL
SUPERSTARS SERIES 2013
Drivers points
standings after 2 rounds:
1. Liuzzi 39 points;
2. Biagi 36 pts.;
3. Ferrara 25 pts.;
4. MORBIDELLI 21 pts.;
5. Sini 15 pts.;
6. Bacci 13 pts.;
7. Berton 10 pts.;
8. "Diabolik" 5 pts.;
9. Larini 4 pts.;
2. Biagi 36 pts.;
3. Ferrara 25 pts.;
4. MORBIDELLI 21 pts.;
5. Sini 15 pts.;
6. Bacci 13 pts.;
7. Berton 10 pts.;
8. "Diabolik" 5 pts.;
9. Larini 4 pts.;
10. Ascani 3 pts.
