Enna Superstars: Kristoffersson crowned champion as Giammaria wins
| By Andrew van Leeuwen |
Sunday, October 28th 2012, 15:55 GMT |
 Johan Kristoffersson became the 2012 International Superstars Series champion, as Raffaele Giammaria won the final race of the season at Pergusa in Sicily.
Kristoffersson (Audi Sport Italia) and Tonio Liuzzi (CAAL Racing) went into the final race separated by just six points, with Kristoffersson starting two places ahead of Liuzzi on the grid.
The title was almost decided less than half a lap into the race. Kristoffersson, looking just to circulate and score points in his heavy, underpowered Audi, was hit hard from behind by an out-of-control Nico Caldarola (Roma Racing Mercedes) on the first lap. Both cars hit the wall hard and were out on the spot.
That left former F1 driver Liuzzi, running third after a lengthy Safety Car period, needing to finish just fifth or better to clinch the title.
But with just minutes left in the race, everything changed again.
Romeo Ferraris Mercedes driver Andrea Larini, having vowed to get even with Liuzzi after the pair clashed at Spa-Francorchamps earlier this year, hit Liuzzi twice during an ambitious overtaking attempt, damaging Liuzzi's C63 enough to drop him to ninth, handing Kristoffersson the title.
By that stage, Audi had already decided to retire it's other two entries, the Audi Sport Italia car of Gianni Morbidelli and the MTM car of Thomas Schoffler, as a form of protest.
Meanwhile, debutant Giammaria (Romeo Ferraris Mercedes) made it a clean-sweep by winning the chaotic final race from Roma Racing Mercedes driver Luigi Ferrara.
Simone Iacone (Solaris Chevrolet) finished third, ahead of Thomas Biagi (Dinamic BMW) and Christian Fittipaldi (Swiss Team Maserati). Results - 13 laps:
Pos Driver Team/Car Time/Gap
1. Raffale Giammaria Romeo Mercedes 27m33.024s
2. Luigi Ferrara Roma Mercedes + 11.213s
3. Simone Iacone Solaris Chevrolet + 12.079s
4. Thomas Biagi Dinamic BMW + 14.430s
5. Christian Fittipaldi Swiss Maserati + 35.806s
6. Max Mugelli Dinamic BMW + 37.970s
7. Mauro Cesari Swiss Maserati + 38.312s
8. Ezio Muccio Ferlito Jaguar + 1 lap
9. Tonio Liuzzi CAAL Mercedes + 3 laps
10. Andrea Larini Romeo Mercedes + 4 laps
Retirements:
Gianni Morbidelli Audi Italia 4 laps
Andrea Bacci CAAL Mercedes 3 laps
Thomas Schoffler MTM Audi 3 laps
Francesco Sini Solaris Chevrolet 3 laps
Johan Kristoffersson KMS Audi 0 laps
Nico Caldarola Roma Mercedes 0 laps
Giovanni Berton Dinamic BMW 0 laps
Marco Pollara Todi BMW 0 laps
Max Pigoli Ferlito Jaguar 0 laps
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