Top 10 Superstars drivers of 2013

Three rounds into the 2013 Superstars International Series season, Gianni Morbidelli was anything but in contention for the title.

More than 50 points behind early leader Thomas Biagi, and well off the pace of the dominant Romeo Ferraris Mercedes squad, a fourth series crown seemed unlikely.

But a stunning second half of the season, helped by a string of races on circuits well suited to Morbidelli's four-wheel-drive Audi RS5, allowed the ex-Ferrari Formula 1 driver to charge to the big prize, wrapping up the title with a race to spare.

1. GIANNI MORBIDELLI

Audi Sport Italia Audi RS5
Championship position: 1st (232 points)
Wins: 6
Poles: 1
Fastest Laps: 7

It was a superb season from the veteran. Early on, when the car wasn't capable of winning, Morbidelli scored well. When the car did hit its straps he was up to the task, taking six victories from the last 10 races of the season.

Algarve was a highlight. With a huge amount of performance ballast on board, Morbidelli was patient, easy on the tyres in traffic, and came home with maximum points as a result.

He had his moments of luck (rain at Imola and Laurens Vanthoor handing him a win at Zolder), but was unquestionably a deserving champion come the end of the season.

2. GIOVANNI BERTON

BMW Dinamic BMW M3
Championship position: 2nd (190 points)
Wins: 3
Poles: 1
Fastest Laps: 0

The problem with the BMW is that it's not powerful enough to beat the Mercedes at the fast tracks, and it doesn't produce the grip to keep up with the Audis on the slow ones. But still, Berton took it to the big names over and over again.

His highlight was undoubtedly Vallelunga. His pole lap was brilliant (something even he didn't expect to be able to do), and his race one win was just as good.

What was telling was that Vallelunga was the first circuit he'd visited for a second time in the car. If he stays on next season, he'll be a real title contender.

3. VITANTONIO LIUZZI

Romeo Ferraris Mercedes C63 AMG
Position: 3rd (189 points)
Wins: 3
Poles: 2
Fastest Laps: 3

There are times when it's clear that Liuzzi is the best driver in the field. Slovakia Ring and its notorious chicane provided a good insight into that, as did his winning effort in the first wet race at Imola.

But it was far from a perfect season for the ex-F1 driver. In terms of mechanical failures, he was unlucky at both Brno and the Slovakia Ring. He made the odd mistake too, such as a couple of excursions through the gravel at Zolder, which cost him valuable points.

As a result of both the bad luck and the odd mistake, 2013 was another 'what-coul- have-been' type of year for Liuzzi.

4. THOMAS BIAGI

Romeo Ferraris Mercedes C63 AMG
Position: 4th (188 points)
Wins: 2
Poles: 1
Fastest Laps: 2

At the start of the season, Biagi really looked the goods. He beat Liuzzi in a straight fight in the second race at Monza, and then came out of the 'Eastern Swing' (Brno and Slovakia) with a nice little championship lead.

It was his championship to lose, thanks to some great driving.

But when the Balance of Performance shifted before Zolder, Biagi struggled to adapt. He didn't score as consistently as he should and could have, before making a complete mess of things in the first race at Imola with an unnecessary spin.

It was his championship to lose. And he lost it.

5. LUIGI FERRARA

Roma Racing Team Mercedes C63 AMG Coupe
Position: 5th (127 points)
Wins: 1
Poles: 3
Fastest Laps: 1

This guy was both one of the stars of the season and one of (if not the) unluckiest drivers of the 2013.

In a one-car team, with a brand new car that only made its debut very late last season, development was always going to be an issue here. And it showed, not through a lack of speed, but with failure after failure. It cost Ferrara dearly.

But it was still a breakthrough season for the Italian. Like Berton, he took the fight to the big names, and didn't look out of place going wheel-to-wheel with guys like Liuzzi.

6. FRANCESCO SINI

Solaris Motorsport Chevrolet Camaro SS
Position: 7th (76 points)
Wins: 0
Poles: 0
Fastest Laps: 0

Sini's job for this season was to develop the brand new Camaro (a tough task in a small, family-run team), and he did a good job.

There were some issues with the car, but Sini was remarkably consistent behind the wheel, and greatly deserved the pair of podiums he picked up at the last two events of the season.

Solaris is planning to build another Camaro for 2014 and, if the team can bag another decent driver to help accelerate the development even further and faster, more podium appearances will follow.

7. LAURENS VANTHOOR

Audi Sport Italia Audi RS5
Position: 11th (34 points)
Wins: 0
Poles: 0
Fastest Laps: 2

Vanthoor only did one event, but he made a huge impact. Despite having never sat in a Superstars car before the first practice session at Zolder, Vanthoor was fastest right out of the box - perhaps helped by the fact that he lives 100 metres from the track.

He only missed out on pole thanks to a transmission problem in qualifying, but had little problem charging through to second in race one without putting a scratch on the car.

In the second race he drove away from the field, before purposely slowing on the last lap to give Morbidelli the win (and the points).

8. MAX MUGELLI

BMW Dinamic BMW M3
Position: 6th (98 points)
Wins: 0
Poles: 0
Fastest Laps: 0

Mugelli caused more than a few raised eyebrows this season. Having switched from a CAAL Racing Mercedes to a Dinamic BMW towards the end of 2012, the veteran had an impressively solid year in the M3.

He was not only consistently the best of the rest, but even mixed it with the big names every now and then - including top five appearances at the Slovakia Ring, Algarve, Donington Park and a very impressive second place in the first race at Vallelunga.

9. FABRIZIO GIOVANARDI

Petri Corse Porsche Panamera
Position: 12th (33 points)
Wins: 0
Poles: 0
Fastest Laps: 0

Unfortunately, Giovanardi's 2013 cameo wasn't nearly as successful as his 2010 effort. While Petri Corse came into the series with bold plans for the old Porsches, the squad just couldn't keep the cars running long enough for anyone - even a proven winner like Giovanardi - to bag any decent points.

On the odd occasions when Giovanardi's Porsche was firing on all cylinders, he looked fast. For example, he was fourth in the first race in Slovakia, and could well have been on the podium in race two had the car not broken.

In the end, two engine failures at Algarve spelt the end of Giovanardi's season.

10. ANDREA LARINI

Adria Racing System Jaguar XFR/Audi Sport Italia Audi RS5
Position: 10th (44 points)
Wins: 1
Poles: 0
Fastest Laps: 0

There's never a dull moment when Andrea Larini is around. The brother of former F1 driver Nicola has a bold, forceful driving style. But, as he proved by winning the final race of the season at Vallelunga, he can also be very, very fast.

Unfortunately for Larini, he didn't get a chance to race at every round. A pre-season deal to join the Adria Jaguar squad lasted just three rounds, with Larini's best finish an eighth in race one at Monza.

But a fourth and a first for Audi Sport Italia at the season finale was proof that the enforced break didn't slow him down at all.

Honorable mentions

As is usually the case, there were a number of impressive one-off performances from guest drivers in Superstars this season.

Outside of Laurens Vanthoor, who earned a place in our top 10 for his Zolder exploits, the most impressive one-off outing of the season went to Raffaele Giammaria.

The GT Sprint frontrunner and former Superstars race winner took a CAAL Racing Mercedes to an impressive third in race two at Zolder, behind the all-conquering Audis. It was CAAL's only podium of the season, in what was a fairly underwhelming campaign from a team that went within a handful of points of winning the title in 2012.

Zolder was also the scene of another of the more impressive one-offs for 2013. Renaud Kuppens showed up at his home track in a Scuderia Giudici BMW and set about qualifying third fastest. He backed that up with a fourth and a fifth from the two races.

Davide di Benedetto made his Superstars debut with a one-off outing for Audi Sport Italia at Imola, and took home two fourth-place finishes. While he drove well in difficult conditions, he may well have struggled to be so close to the front without the aid of four-wheel drive on a wet circuit.

The same could most definitely be said for Giuseppe Cipriani, who had never raced a tin-top in his life before taking the third RS5 to fifth in race two at Imola.