Friesacher topples Liuzzi

A massive rainstorm 20 minutes before the start of the race meant it was the first wet F3000 race of the season, and produced some thrilling early action after the safety car (which was deployed for the start of the race) pulled in as Liuzzi, Enrico Toccacelo and Friesacher lapped closely together up front.

Toccacelo muscled ahead of Liuzzi (as did Friesacher) when Vitantonio made a mistake, and pulled away, but the race was always going to be decided on the timing of the mandatory pitstops. Toccacelo came in early, much too early as it turned out, and he suffered his usual slow stop. Liuzzi was the next of the leaders in, but his stop allowed Friesacher some crucial laps on the drying track on his wets, which were still in good shape.

When the Austrian did pit, he managed to rejoin ahead of Liuzzi, who decided to settle for second rather than chance his arm to pass him. So Friesacher was only the third man to win a race all season, along with Liuzzi and Toccacelo.

Toccacelo was a distant third, ahead of Tomas Enge, Esteban Guerreri, Ernesto Viso, Robert Doornbos and Jose Maria Lopez.