Audi Sport Italia Press Release
Audi RS5s sweep V8 Superstars pole, wins and fastes laps at Imola, propelling Johan Kristoffersson to points standings lead
Audi Sport Italia's Gianni Morbidelli posts fastest laps in both rounds but DNF twice; Thomas Schoeffler signs off first race in MTM RS5 with solid fifth place in Race 2
Imola proved unforgettable in several ways for Audi Sport Italia's 2012 Superstars effort. The RS5s --all built at Emilio Radaelli's outfit -- claimed pole position, both Sunday wins and moreover both fastest laps today at the former F.1 venue.
Johan Kristoffersson may have had only two Superstars meetings under his belt, but he enjoyed his best race weekend in the FG Group-sanctioned series at Imola winning both races. He clinched the opening round with a lights to flag run fending off pressure from fellow Audi driver Gianni Morbidelli then adding a comeback win in the afternoon, when he also had to overcome gearbox gremlins in the closing stages. He leapfrogged previous points leader Max Pigoli and stays on top by 2 points over former champ Thomas Biagi.
Kristofferrsson had assumed the lead in Race 1 after making a great getaway from pole position in his KMS-run RS5, frantically nipping Andrea Larini's AMG Mercedes for the best line at the braking point of Turn 1 and building a small cushion on the closest pursuers. The quickest Audi on track early in Race 1 may well have been Gianni Morbidelli's
Camozzi RS5: the Audi Sport Italia-run car started fitfth but quickly Morbidelli got rid of the quickest AMG Mercedeses and Biagi's M3 BMW, making it a 1-2 race for Audi on lap 5. Then Morbidelli improved the fastest lap three successive times and got stuck behind the car #46 fender on lap 8. The Audi pair then staged a fiery duel, and they did not refrain from knocking some fenders. In spite of both drivers reporting some minor ailment to their respective cars, the winner was decided on a nail-biting final lap, when Morbidelli's car at the Tosa corner hit Kristoffersson's rear end. Apparently the KMS RS5 bumper hook pierced the car #45 car oil cooler, which ignited a fire that was quickly extinguished -- but none the less stripped the Audi brand of a 1-2 finish. The third RS5, entered in the hands of Thomas Schoeffler, posted a promising ninth place. The German teenager was keen to give a hard time in the closing laps to fellow rookie Andrea Boffo and his AMG Mercedes for P8.
Race 2 started with the KMS RS5 on row 4 on the mandatory reversed grid, one row in front of the sister MTM RS5. Audi Sport Italia's RS5 had to make do with a dismal row 9, but this did not seem a concern at all for Morbidelli, as the former F-1 driver carved his way through the field and on lap 2 he had already sneaked back in the Top10. Another couple of laps later he had moved up to seventh, but a tangle at Acque Minerali corner with Monza winner Max Pigoli triggered Race Control to hastily call in the #45 car for a drive through penalty. Morbidelli resumed the race and posted his second successive fastest lap, but on lap 12 he drove back in the pitlane reporting gearbox trouble and retiring.
Kristoffersson's RS5 had followed suit as far comeback racing is concerned, as it just took six laps to the silver KMS Audi to move inside the Top3. The 23-year old from Arvika quickly disposed of Biagi's BMW, staging then a nice and neat duel with fellow rookie Andrea Boffo. A move on the inside of the Italian driver's AMG Mercedes gave the lead to the #46 Audi. It was just not meant to be a stroll from then on for the lanky Swede, as the KMS RS5 suffered gearbox trouble, and he had to nurse a stricken car in the final two laps to secure as well as his second win the top spot in the points standings, two points ahead of former champ Thomas Biagi. The latter was also Race 2 runner-up and in the parc ferme he complained loud about the plume of smoke that the ailing leading car was dispensing. None the less the stewards confirmed the standings, an outcome to be remmbered also courtesy of the MTM RS5 posting a surprising fifth place. The afternoon race finally allowed Thomas Schoeffler to concentrate on driving -- Imola was his first time in the car as he had been sitting in an old RS4 atr Monza -- and he showed promise making up spots from row 5 on the grid and neatly duelling with former F.1 Brazilian driver Christian Fittipaldi. Schoeffler could not get past the Maserati, but the pair pushed each other until they were able to strip Stefano Gabellini's BMW of fourth place during the final lap.
INTERNATIONAL SUPERSTARS SERIES
Round 3 - Imola, April 22, 2012
1. JOHAN KRISTOFFERSSON (AUDI RS5) 15 laps 27:39.500 average speed 161.449 kph
2. Andrea Larini (AMG Mercedes) + 8.039s
3. Thomas Biagi (BMW) +13.888s
4. Francesco Sini (Chevrolet) + 20.293s
5. Christian Fittipaldi (Maserati) + 26.685s
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9. THOMAS SCHÖFFLER (AUDI RS5) + 35.706s
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17. GIANNI MORBIDELLI(AUDI RS5) + 1 lap
INTERNATIONAL SUPERSTARS SERIES
Round 4 - Imola, April 22, 2012
. JOHAN KRISTOFFERSSON (AUDI RS5) 15 laps 28:01.915 average speed 157.610 kph
2. Thomas Biagi (BMW) + 3.317s
3. Andrea Boffo (AMG Mercedes) + 11.956s
4. Christian Fittipaldi (Maserati) + 16.212s
5. THOMAS SCHÖFFLER (AUDI RS5) + 16.497s
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14. GIANNI MORBIDELLI (AUDI RS5) + 3 laps
INTERNATIONAL SUPERSTARS SERIES 2012
Drivers' Points Standings:
1. KRISTOFFERSSON 53 points; 2. Biagi 51 pts.; Liuzzi 34 pts.; 3. Pigoli, Liuzzi e Larini 42 pts.; 6. Sini 27 pts.; 7. Boffo 21 pts.; 8. Fittipaldi 20 pts.; 9. MORBIDELLI 18 pts.; 10. Gabellini 17 pts.; ../..
12. SCHÖFFLER 14 pts.
WHAT'S NEXT:
Rounds 5&6 - Donington Park (GB) May 20, 2012.
