Showing posts with label Audi RS 5 quattro. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Audi RS 5 quattro. Show all posts

Monday, October 6, 2014

EuroV8 Series: At Hockenheimring Tomas Kostka's grip on EuroV8 ends two laps too early

  Monday, October 06, 2014      

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

Saturday, October 4, 2014

EuroV8 Series: Tomas Kostka's fourth EuroV8 Series pole position is huge boost of confidence ahead of Hockenheim finale

  Saturday, October 04, 2014      

Audi Sport Italia Press Release

  • Emanuele Zonzini to start from row two in his third tin-top start 
  • Early fuel pump problems doom Ermanno Dionisio qualifying
Hockenheim – According to conventional wisdom the Baden Wurttemberg track was supposed to be a boon for Camaros and AMG Mercedes and for their beefy engines: it turned out that only in free practice one a car that boasts power among its primary assets, Francesco Sini's Chevy could top the time sheets. Then the game belogned Audi Sport Italia's RS 5s and no one benefitted more of this twist of fate than the best-placed Audi driver in the tables: Tomas Kostka. The Zlin, Czech Republic-based driver was first in free practice two posting the fastest time in practice as well as the lone lap one under the 1-minute 48-second barrier: 1'47.924.


In qualifying he repeated himself: his 1:47.632 remained unbeaten, but Kostka himself trimmed it when the session resumed after the second red flag, posting a shining 1:47.134, four-tenths of a second ahead of the closest pursuer. Nicola Baldan, runner-up in the tables, three points removed from the Czech, tomorrow will start from row three: his Saturday was blighted by technical trouble. Sini, third in the points standing 14 points behind the leader, will start next to the pole sitting RS 5, and could not get ahead of the best Audi in spite of clocking the fastest times in sector two on a regular basis. But sheer power was not enough to displace Audis as the RS 5 quattros were having an edge at the hairpin and in the twisty sections. A confirmation came from Emanuele Zonzini, that put the morning troubles, and a replaced engine, behind himself breaking out at the eleventh hour to cliam a nice third place (1:47.756): The young San Marino-based driver hadn't put a wheel before at Hockenheimring, as during his 2013 GP3 season the singleseater series had paid visit to the Nurburgring, but he quickly made up for the lack of experience building on the knowledge of team mates and the Audi Sport Italia staff. His team mate Ermanno Dionisio --the star at the previous Sachsenring round, courtesy of his astounding come back race-- was not as fortunate as Zonzini, as a pick-up problem stopped him in the grass before he could put in a single lap, even triggering a brief red flag-- the second as outcome of Max Mugelli's crash. The Brixia-born driver will have to start the EuroV8 Series decider from the bottom of the grid.


Qualifying:
1. KOSTKA (AUDI) 1:47.134
2. Sini (Chevrolet) 1:47.524
3. ZONZINI (AUDI) 1:47.756
4. Berton (Chevrolet) 1:48.498
5. Mugelli (BMW) 1:48.664
6. Baldan (Mercedes AMG) 1'48.880
S.T. DIONISIO (AUDI)


Standings:
1. KOSTKA 149 punti
2. Baldan 146 p.
3. Sini 135 p.
4. Mercatali 108 p.
5. Copetti 92 p.
6. Mugelli 91 p.
7. DIONISIO 87 pts.

Photo credit: Audi Sport Italia

Thursday, October 2, 2014

EuroV8 Series: After Sachsenring banner weekend Audi Sport Italia drivers head to Hockenheimring for title decider

  Thursday, October 02, 2014      

Audi Sport Italia Press Release

  •    Leader Tomas Kostka to fight tooth and nail for ultimate prize in German finale
  •    Emanuele Zonzini, Ermanno Dionisio look forward to sign off 2014 with class act
Nibbiola, Italy –  Audi Sport Italia's drivers sweeped the podium spots in the EuroV8 Series next-to-last meeting at Sachsenring and Tomas Kostka grabbed the series lead when he piloted his RS 5 to the third 2014 victory. There are three drivers who are on their way to Germany expecting to battle for the maiden FG Group-promoted series crown: besides Kostka, Nicola Baldan and Francesco Sini. They all previously savoured the taste of being on top: Sini, who trails Kostka by 13 points was the first of the bunch to claim the leading spot, which he had to relinquish to Baldan in Mugello, possibly the best meeting for the AMG Mercedes driver. Tuscany also treated Kostka to a foretaste of the leadership, as he led after race one -- albeit level on points with the Chevrolet Camaro driver-- before both were leapfrogged by Baldan. Kostka's mixed fortunes at his home event meant that the Zlin, Czech Republic-based driver had to wait nearly three months --until the Audi-red letter day on a soaked track at Sachsenring-- to climb back to the top of the tables, after Audi Sport Italia second season 1-2-3.


Hockenheimring is not supposed to be as Audi-friendly as Sachsenring was, however the pressure will be on Kostka's rivals to displace him from the top. Kostka as well as team mates Emanuele Zonzini and Ermanno Dionisio shouldn’t be the nervous ones who enter this race looking at a chance to test their ability and their mettle, because they have shown loads of both. The experienced Dionisio after sailing uncharted waters at the two previous venues is to drive at a track he already visited, and he'll do so after clinching the EuroV8 gentlemen standings with one round to go. Zonzini proved in his last outing that youth isn't a liability in a touring car series where experienced driver reign, claiming a deserved runner-up spot behind Kostka in his second series start. Which ultimately adds up to suggest to fans and insiders alike to keep an eye on RS 5 drivers on Sunday.


Standings:
1. KOSTKA 148 points
2. Baldan 146 pts.
3. Sini 135 pts.
4. Mercatali 108 pts.
5. Copetti 92 pts.
6. Mugelli 91 pts.
7. DIONISIO 87 pts.

Timetable:
Saturday, October 4
09:00-09:30 practice
13:55-14:25 practice
17:20-17:50 qualifying
Sunday, October 5
09:30-09:45 warm up
14:05 25-minute race (+1 lap)

Photo credit: Audi Sport Italia

Sunday, September 21, 2014

EuroV8 Series: Audi Sport Italia's Sachsenring 1-2-3 propels race winner Tomas Kostka back to the top of points tables

  Sunday, September 21, 2014      

Audi Sport Italia Press Release

  • Emanuele Zonzini first tin-top finish is also his maiden Top3 place 
  • Ermanno Dionisio enlivens German round rallying from P7 to P3  
Oberlungwitz (D) – Mixed weather had greeted this corner of Saxony on Saturday, but as race time was approaching rainy clouds had the upper hand over Sachsenring, with a drenched circuit waiting for the start of the next-to-last 2014 EuroV8 Series round. Since Tomas Kostka had led all practice sessions as well as qualifying and warm-up -- mostly on dry-- he and team mates Emanuele Zonzini and Ermanno Dionisio were quite happy, albeit everybody was afraid deep down that Sunday wouldn’t be as smooth sailing as yesterday had been. They had not forgotten that the opening laps in Brno had been an utter disaster for the threesome, who all experienced first-hand what is like to be wiped out of contention after a few corners.


As it is, Sachsenring today again proved a venue friendly for Ingolstadt-hailing cars, and especially for the Italian squad quattros. The Zlin, Czech Republic-based driver and team mates didn't even had to bother about the opening lap this time out, as the race started behind safety-car and when on lap two the green flag was waved Kostka and Zonzini, who had been sharing the front row, disappeared in a cloud of spray, without any competition challenging them. Kostka's third season win, paired with former leader Nicola Baldan P7, translates in the Audi man claiming back the series leadership by two points, a tiny edge he'll try to keep in the season finale, to be staged at Hockenheim in a fortnight. 20-year old Zonzini, who's driving for Audi Sport Italia on a regular basis in the domestic GT3 series, claimed his maiden touring car podium finish in only his second start, in spite of having had to make acquaintance with the track this race weekend, unlike the race winner. Luckily the downshift trouble that had intermittently hampered the San Marino-based driver warm up session had been tweaked before the start by the team crew.


If Kostka and Zonzini smoothly cruised to the checker, their team mate Ermanno Dionisio was the man that made the penultimate season round entertaining for the 10,000-plus crowd. Starting from row four the experienced rally-man bode his time until lap 7, trying to come to grips with scarce visibility. Then he switched to maximum attack mode and challenged BMW's Massimiliano Mugelli for P6, triggering a roll of dice that brought the warring duo surprisingly past AMG Mercedes' Baldan, that was struggling ahead of Mugelli. The end of the following lap was the right moment for the Monaco-based driver to take over P4 from Giovanni Berton's Chevy Lumina. It then took him until lap 12 to catch and slide past Francesco Sini's Chevy Camaro, after a brief tussle. By then the gap from the leading team mates was too big, but Dionisio wasn't less happy to join again fellow Audi drivers on the podium, something that both him and Audi Sport Italia had accomplished at Vallelunga, in a nail-biting race one. However, Dionisio has now moved up to the seventh place in the overall standings, as well as leading the gentlemen-only tables.


Race
1. KOSTKA (AUDI RS 5) 16 laps
2. ZONZINI (AUDI RS 5) +3.518s
3. DIONISIO (AUDI RS 5) +30.366s
4. Sini (Chevrolet) +35.044s
5. Berton (Chevrolet) +37.543s
6. Mugelli (BMW) +37.962s
7. Baldan(AMGMercedes)+1:04.905s

Standings
1. KOSTKA 148 points
2. Baldan 146 pts.
3. Sini 135 pts.
4. Mercatali 108 pts.
5. Copetti 92 pts.
6. Mugelli 91 pts.
7. DIONISIO 87 pts.

Photo credit: Audi Sport Italia

Saturday, September 20, 2014

EuroV8 Series: Promising start to Audi Sport Italia's EuroV8 Series weekend at Sachsenring: RS 5 drivers sweep front row spots

  Saturday, September 20, 2014      

Audi Sport Italia Press Release

  • Tomas Kostka, Emanuele Zonzini lead next-to-last season grid 
  • Ermanno Dionisio to take on German round starting from row four
Oberlungwitz (D) –  The penultimate leg of the 2014 V8 series promoted by Maurizio Flammini's FG Group witnessed a first day dominated by the best-placed Audi driver in the points standings: Tomas Kostka. The Czech actually happened to be the lone man in the EuroV8 Series paddock that had already raced at the track renowned for its MotoGP meeting and made the most of it topping the time sheets in both practices no matter if dry or rain-soaked. When qualifying beckoned the session got underway in half-wet/half-dry conditions, with some areas still sodden but the lines relatively dry and fastly improving.


The pole position chase saw no less than five drivers swapping the most coveted spot: in addition to the Czech that ultimately repeated himself on top also his teammate Emanuele Zonzini, the provisionale series leader Nicola Baldan and the Chevrolet duo composed by Francesco Sini and Giovanni Berton. Whilst Kostka prevailed with rain tires fitted to his RS 5 his lap (1'36.893) was soon shredded by rivals as soon as they switched to slick tires: Baldan was the first to change of tactics and looking at the AMG Mercedes lap of 1'34.371 the whole pit lane followed him. Obviously Audi Sport Italia were not there to watchand the first to roll the dice was the young man from San Marino: Zonzini pushed hard and for the first time since he joined EuroV8 he led the whole field: he even pipped Kostka by 41 thousandths of a second. Thereafter no car but Audis led the standings: the Czech claimed back the pole with a lap (1'30.101) that improved the best morning time by two tenths of a second. In order to avoid being pipped, Kostka improved it twice as the track was drying: 1'28.908 was the final word and also the lap that granted the point awarded to the polesitting car. Tomorrow the Czech will have nineteen points to recover from leader Baldan, who will start in the row three, behind the Chevys. The battle for pole between the Audis of Kostka and Zonzini apparently benefitted both: their duel in qualifying mirrored the previous at Brno, which wound up with a first and a third place on the grid, but this time out the young San Marino driver moved up one spot to runner-up, albeit by only 0.626s. Unfortunately, Audi Sport Italia's Ermanno Dionisio will not be behind them as it happened instead in the soaked free practice session. The Monaco-based driver did not pulled punches to make it happen, but as time was expiring he could not make it -- he went wide in the grass in the downhill section of the Saxony venue and tomorrow he'll have to settle for seventh place on the grid.


Qualifying
1. KOSTKA (AUDI RS 5) 1'28.908s
2. ZONZINI (AUDI RS 5) 1'29.534s
3. Sini (Chevrolet) 1'30.691s
4. Berton (Chevrolet) 1'30.592s
5. Baldan(AMG Mercedes) 1'30.793s
6. Mugelli (BMW) 1'31.356s
7. DIONISIO (AUDI RS 5) 1'31.875s

Standings
1. Baldan 133 points
2. Sini 116 pts.
3. KOSTKA 114 pts.
4. Mercatali 108 pts.
5. Copetti 92 pts.
6. Mugelli 91 pts.
7. STANCHERIS 71 pts.

Photo credit: Audi Sport Italia

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

EuroV8 Series: Audi Sport Italia keen to bring back their quattros to one of the most four wheel drive-friendly venues

  Wednesday, September 17, 2014      

Audi Sport Italia Press Release
 
  •    Tomas Kostka's knowledge of the German circut may help his uphill title run
  •    Emanuele Zonzini, Ermanno Dionisio look forward to Sachsenring challenge
Nibbiola, Italy –  Emilio Radaelli’s team made its last Sachsenring appearance several years ago: on June 30, 1996, the team ran and operated a works Audi A4 Quattro in the fourth leg of D1 ADAC STW-Cup, albeit the car was entered by French team AZK-ROC. Austria’s Phillip Peter – whose then-race engineer Massimo del Prete still builds four-ring cars in Novara, Italy today – drove superbly in the Sprint race to clinch his maiden tin-top win, which remarkably was also the lone success for the Italian team headed by the former rallying co-driver in German SuperTouring.

This weekend Audi Sport Italia is again set to field quattros at Sachsenring, although today the V8s are run as a private operation. Nonetheless the circuit layout as well as the assets of a car that has sweeped the available titles in the past two seasons make the Audi camp fairly optimistic about the German leg, aiming high: Tomas Kostka, Emanuele Zonzini and Ermanno Dionisio all wish to be up to the task.


The Zlin, Czech Republic-based driver is among the very few V8 men that have been driving at this venue before, and this may well prove a precious advantage, even over his team mates. Veteran Ermanno Dionisio has put in his best races mostly at twisty tracks, and Sachsenring may well suit him, as well. However, young gun Emanuele Zonzini clicked with the RS 5 from the word go and he especially may be a precious help for the Czech teammate, as Audi have to shoot for a 1-2, possibly the only way for Kostka to reboot his title hopes and move the title fight to the Hockenheimring decider.

Currently the #1 RS 5 sits in P3 in the standings, 20-point removed from provisional leader Nicola Baldan’s Mercedes coupe. If things go according to plan, on Sunday Kostka may leapfrog runner-up Francesco Sini. The Chevrolet standard-bearer has a tiny 3-point edge over Kostka, and Sachsenring hardly seems to suit the U.S.-born V8 Camaro as much as the coupe hailing from Ingolstadt. Audi Sport Italia’s drivers will have to cope with the same Balance of Performance package that awaited them in Rome: 1,500-kgs minimum weight, a ride height set at 90mm and air restrictors that shrink to 79 from the 85mm allowed at Brno in the previous leg. 


Timetable
Saturday, September 20
08:00-08:30 practice
14:20-14:50 practice
18:20-18:50 qualifying
Sunday, September 21
09:25-09:40 warm up
14:05 25-minute race (+1 lap)

Standings
1. Baldan 133 points
2. Sini 116 pts.
3. KOSTKA 113 pts.
4. Mercatali 108 pts.
5. Copetti 92 pts.
6. Mugelli 91 pts.
7. STANCHERIS 71 pts.

Photo credit: Audi Sport Italia
 

Saturday, June 21, 2014

EuroV8 Series: Pole position for Tomas Kostka and Audi Sport Italia in Brno

  Saturday, June 21, 2014      

By Tarek Ramchani

Audi Sport Italia and their Audi RS 5 quattro cars performed very well i the EuroV8 Series qualifying session at Brno today. The Audi Italia dealer team secured a fine pole position in a demanding track.

Brno in the Czech Republic saw local hero Tomas Kostka dominating the field with his #01 Audi RS 5 quattro. The Czech driver set the fastest time in the qualifuing session with a 2:07.751, he was 0.680s faster than the second placed Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG of Nicola Baldan.

New comer to EuroV8 Series, Emanuele Zonzini qualified in an impressive third place first time driving the Audi RS 5 quattrp. Emanuele Zonzini is racing for Audi Sport Italia in the Italian GT Championship, he is the team-mate of Dindo Capello.

The third Audi RS 5 quattro driven by Ermanno Dionisio was eighth fastest.

Photo credit: Audi Sport Italia

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

EuroV8 Series: Audi Sport Italia head to Czech Republic with strengthened line-up

  Wednesday, June 18, 2014      

Audi Sport Italia Press Release

  • Tomas Kostka to aim for series lead in home race, Ermanno Dionisio for podium
  • Brno meeting to host much-anticipated Emanuele Zonzini's EuroV8 Series debut
Nibbiola, Italy – The second half of 2014 EuroV8 Series 2014 kicks off at scenic Brno circuit, and Audi Sport Italia is ready to make the headlines adding to strong line-up a youthful, but already familiar to Audi fans: Emanuele Zonzini. The San Marino-born driver has made a sensational debut with the Emilio Radaelli-led team when, paired with Audi legend Dindo Capello, won his first race sitting in a four ring race car in the Italian GT opener at Misano Adriatico. His GT3 appearences in a R8 apparently haven't satiated his appetite for racing and the GP3 graduate has set his sight on touring cars, as well. He's to take part to the remaining races staged by the maurizio Flammini-run series driving the V8 RS 5 No. 2 where so far Davide Stancheris was sitting. For Zonzini the overall title is obviously un unattainable goal. Race wins, as well as the rookie crown are, tho.


However, Brno first and foremost will be "the race" for Tomas Kostka, who'll strive to live the same feel that BMW's Niccolo Mercatali enjoyed in Mugello race two: celebrating in front of the home crowd. It should not be overlooked that in achieving this goal Kostka would also be well positioned in his quest to displace Mercedes' Nicola Baldan from the series' provisional lead. He can count on some reassuring news, as the Zlin-born driver will be driving an Audi fifty kilos lighter than during the ill-fated Mugello journey, while the Mercedes AMG coupe of his main rival will be beefed up as an outocome of utter success in Tuscany. In short: two races not to missed beckon, and Kostka has prepared them with a succesful shake-down on Tuesday at Tazio Nuvolari circuit, near Voghera, Italy. Zonzini also had there his first taste of what a 4WD race car is. Within Audi Sport Italia the man who less lacks mileage in the RS 5, to date, is instead Ermanno Dionisio. The former rally driver from Brixia, Italy is the Audi Sport driver who has put in more laps both in the V8 series and in the mighty RS 5. In Czech Republic he'll aim for a podium spot, something that he managed to achieve in Rome, but ultimately escaped him at Mugello, after a brilliant start of race two.

Photo credit: EuroV8 Series


Monday, May 19, 2014

Saturday, May 17, 2014

Friday, May 16, 2014

Monday, May 5, 2014

Video: Breathtaking battle with three Audi RS 5 quattro at Vallelunga in EuroV8 Series

  Monday, May 05, 2014      

By Tarek Ramchani

The Vallelunga circuit near Rome hosted the second round of the newly formed EuroV8 Series yesterday. The Italian based Touring Car series is welcoming big V8 Coupes and Sedan with the Audi RS 5 quattro one of the stars in the field.

Sunday, May 4, 2014

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)