Monza Superstars: Liuzzi sets blistering practice pace

The ex-Formula 1 driver left it late to take the top spot in the second of two sessions, jumping ahead of Romeo Ferraris Mercedes team-mate Thomas Biagi on his last lap with a 1m54.360s - the time a full 1.5 seconds faster than last year's pole time from Max Pigoli.

Biagi was the only other driver to break into the 1m54s bracket, a 1m54.985s leaving him comfortably ahead of Luigi Ferrara, who was third in the Roma Racing Mercedes, albeit 1.4s behind the ultimate pace.

The 2013 Superstars grid guide

Francesco Sini gave the brand new Solaris Chevrolet Camaro a solid first official outing with the fourth best time, edging out reigning champion Johan Kristoffersson, who was fifth quickest in the Petri Corse Porsche.

A late lap from Giovanni Berton made him the best of the Dinamic BMWs in sixth, ahead of Ferlito Jaguar's Andrea Larini and Audi Sport Italia's Gianni Morbidelli.

In the morning's first session, Morbidelli made good use of mixed weather conditions to go fastest in four-wheel-drive Audi on a damp track. The veteran clocked a 2m04.332s late in the session to edge out Ferrara by just 0.023s.

Liuzzi and Biagi were third and fourth fastest in the wet, while Kristoffersson wound up ninth, a flurry of late laps costing him dearly after he had sat on top for the majority of the 30-minute session.

Practice one

Pos  Driver                Car                Time       Gap       Laps
 1.  Gianni Morbidelli     Audi Italia        2m04.332s             9
 2.  Luigi Ferrara         Roma Mercedes      2m04.355s  + 0.023s  11
 3.  Tonio Liuzzi          Ferraris Mercedes  2m05.704s  + 1.372s   7
 4.  Thomas Biagi          Ferraris Mercedes  2m05.851s  + 1.519s  10
 5.  Francesco Sini        Solaris Chevrolet  2m06.328s  + 1.996s   9
 6.  Giovanni Berton       Dinamic BMW        2m07.683s  + 3.351s  11
 7.  Andrea Larini         Ferlito Jaguar     2m07.766s  + 3.434s   9
 8.  Leonardo Baccarelli   CAAL Mercedes      2m08.249s  + 3.917s  12
 9.  Johan Kristoffersson  Petri Porsche      2m09.496s  + 5.164s  10
10.  Alessandro Battaglin  MRT Lexus          2m11.497s  + 7.165s   7
11.  Francesco Ascani      Todi BMW           2m11.602s  + 7.270s  13
12.  Ferdinando Geri       Audi Italia        2m11.964s  + 7.632s  10
13.  Mauro Trentin         Dinamic BMW        2m13.329s  + 8.997s  11
14.  Andrea Bacci          CAAL Mercedes      2m13.664s  + 9.332s   6
15.  Gianni Giudici        Giudici BMW        2m20.709s  + 16.377s  5
16.  Max Fantini           Petri Porsche      no time               6
17.  Max Mugelli           Dinamic BMW        no time               1
18.  Roberto Benedetti     RC Cadillac        no time               1

Practice two

Pos  Driver                Car                Time       Gap      Laps
 1.  Tonio Liuzzi          Ferraris Mercedes  1m54.360s            11
 2.  Thomas Biagi          Ferraris Mercedes  1m54.985s  + 0.625s  14
 3.  Luigi Ferrara         Roma Mercedes      1m55.798s  + 1.438s  11
 4.  Francesco Sini        Solaris Chevrolet  1m56.811s  + 2.451s  12
 5.  Johan Kristoffersson  Petri Porsche      1m57.162s  + 2.802s  10
 6.  Giovanni Berton       Dinamic BMW        1m57.244s  + 2.884s  13
 7.  Andrea Larini         Ferlito Jaguar     1m57.263s  + 2.903s  11
 8.  Gianni Morbidelli     Audi Italia        1m57.452s  + 3.092s  11
 9.  Andrea Bacci          CAAL Mercedes      1m57.641s  + 3.281s  11
10.  'Diabolik'            Ferlito Jaguar     1m58.642s  + 4.282s   9
11.  Gianni Giudici        Giudici BMW        1m58.975s  + 4.615s  11
12.  Alessandro Battaglin  MRT Lexus          1m59.110s  + 4.750s   5
13.  Roberto Benedetti     RC Cadillac        1m59.188s  + 4.828s  11
14.  Mauro Trentin         Dinamic BMW        1m59.210s  + 4.850s  13
15.  Max Fantini           Petri Porsche      1m59.396s  + 5.036s  11
16.  Leonardo Baccarelli   CAAL Mercedes      1m59.955s  + 5.595s  12
17.  Francesco Ascani      Todi BMW           2m01.974s  + 7.614s  13
18.  Ferdinando Geri       Audi Italia        2m02.449s  + 8.089s  13
19.  Max Mugelli           Dinamic BMW        no time               0