Audi Sport Italia Press Release
- Audi Sport Italia clinches the top spot in the series' team standings
- Emanuele Zonzini's race ends in opening lap as halfshaft lets go
- Ermanno Dionisio is one of drivers involved in first lap melee
Hockenheim, Germany – On Saturday he had surprisingly claimed the pole position for the last EuroV8 starting grid, therefore series leader Tomas Kostka today could face the final leg counting on a three-point cushion on Nicola Baldan's AMG Mercedes and fourteen on Francesco Sini's Chevrolet Camaro. How it is, it was the rival that faced the steepest climb to the top to prevail at Hockenheim. Kostka's Audi ultimately ran most of the race crippled by bruises triggered by minor, and not so minor, contact with Chevrolet drivers, Sini and his wingman Giovani Berton.
The first lap was chaotic: Kostka's team mate Giovanni Zonzini stopped immediately hit by a halfshaft problem, as Sini took the lead, also showing his mettle to the Audi leader swiping the RS 5 in the process. A few corners later a bunch of cars were wiped including Audi's Ermanno Dionisio, who had had a good getaway, BMW's Maurizio Mercatali and others namely former championship leader Baldan, whose Mercees AMG was damaged and forced to stop on the grass, the driver out of contention for the title. As the safety car was summoned Kostka was squeezed between the Chevrolets of Sini and Berton. At the re-start the Camaro went on to an undisputed win. If Sini in P1 wasn't actually a setback for Kostka, Berton grabbing the second place was: when the Lumina tussled with the No 1 Audi at the hairpin the banging damaged Kostka's rear left halfshaft and the Czech driver had to slow his pace. Third place would have been enough to secure him the crown, but the crippled car was forced to leave room for Diego Romanini'recovery. With two laps to go Kostka after working miracles to stay ahead ran wide at turn Sachs and had to let the AMG Mercedes go by to round up the Top3 spots. Ultimately, even with a burst tyre Kostka crossed the finish line in P4, but he had to relinquish the drivers' crown to Sini by a point. Audi Sport Italia confirmed itself as best team in the dedicated standing, whilst Dionisio had claimed the gentlemen standings a fortnight ago at Sachsenring.
Photo credit: Audi Sport Italia
