Liverpool takes title, Galatasaray wins
Ho-Pin Tung won the final points round of Superleague Formula for Galatasaray at Jarama in Spain but local hero Adrian Valles wrapped up the title with a solid fourth place for Liverpool
Tung grabbed the lead on a lap four restart, after an early safety car was required to clear away the debris of first corner chaos. Nelson Panciatici (Lyon) and Esteban Guerrieri (Olympiacos) had banged wheels, sending Guerrieri onto the grass and clattering into Carlo van Dam (PSV) who was out on the spot, while half the field took to the gravel to avoid the mess.
Points leader Valles took the inside line, and vaulted up to seventh, but title rival Craig Dolby (Tottenham) was forced into the slower route around the outside of the spinners, and was ninth by the end of the opening lap.
With Tung out front after the restart, all eyes were on Dolby, who carved his way through the pack. He quickly got ahead of Valles, and a sensational couple of corners got him past both Panciatici and Sebastien Bourdais (Sevilla) on lap five.
He then passed Enrique Bernoldi (Flamengo) and Maria de Villota (Atletico Madrid) and stayed out for a long run while the leaders took early stops.
Tung was able to control the pace from the front, and when Dolby eventually stopped 10 laps later he rejoined 6.6 seconds in arrears of Tung in second, but at least had jumped ahead of Kasper Anderson (FC Midtjylland).
Bourdais lost fourth with a brief excursion at Turn 1 with just four laps remaining, which promoted Valles to fourth - easily enough to win the title for Liverpool. Tristan Gommendy was fifth for Porto, ahead of the recovering Bourdais and the ever-improving de Villota.
Race one winner Yelmer Buurman (Anderlecht) took the award for most bizarre exit of the day when he clashed with Panciatici at the pitlane entrance, and shunted into the tyrewall. Fellow ex-GP2 star Giorgio Pantano crashed AC Milan's car out of eighth at the final corner with eight laps remaining.
Pos Driver Team Time/Gap
1. Ho-Pin Tung Galatasaray 45m42.682s
2. Craig Dolby Tottenham Hotspur + 3.895s
3. Kasper Andersen FC Midtylland + 8.897s
4. Adrian Valles Liverpool + 9.769s
5. Tristan Gommendy FC Porto + 10.029s
6. Sebastien Bourdais Sevilla FC + 19.731s
7. Maria de Villota Atletico Madrid + 22.433s
8. Max Wissel FC Basel + 23.472s
9. John Martin Rangers + 24.687s
10. Esteban Guerrieri Olympiacos + 28.994s
11. Nelson Panciatici Olympique Lyonnais + 1m06.568s
Retirements:
Enrique Bernoldi Flamengo 25 laps
Pedro Petiz Sporting 24 laps
Giorgio Pantano AC Milan 23 laps
Yelmer Buurman Anderlecht 9 laps
Julien Jousse AS Roma 5 laps
Carlo van Dam PSV Eindhoven 0 laps
Antonio Pizzonia Corinthians 0 laps
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