Zolder Superstars: Liuzzi and rookie Vanthoor top practice
Tonio Liuzzi and Laurens Vanthoor shared the spoils across the two Superstars International Series free practice sessions at Zolder
Liuzzi's Romeo Ferraris Mercedes set the fastest time of the morning, a 1m37.736s effort launching him to the top of the timesheets just a few minutes from the end of free practice two.
But the surprise of the morning was Audi Sport Italia RS5 driver Vanthoor. On his debut in the series, the hometown boy used his local knowledge to full effect, setting the fastest time in practice one before going second fastest in the second session.
Solaris Chevrolet's Francesco Sini left his run late in the second session, emerging inside the last seven minutes to jump straight to the top of the times. His 1m38.415s wound up being good enough for third, after he had just snuck into the top 10 in opening practice.
Raffaele Giammaria also rapidly improved between sessions. Having not raced since the season finale at Pergusa last season (where he won both races), the CAAL Racing Mercedes driver went fourth quickest in practice two, having been just eighth in the first session.
Renaud Kuppens was another Belgian driver was another to effectively use local knowledge, setting the seventh best time in the first session, before improving to sixth in practice two in the Scuderia Giudici BMW.
Somewhat surprisingly, Gianni Morbidelli was forced to play second fiddle to his team-mate Vanthoor in both sessions. While the veteran was quick enough for second in in the first session, he was just seventh in second practice, exactly half a second behind the swift young Belgian.
Practice one: Pos Driver Team/Car Time Gap 1. Laurens Vanthoor Audi Italia 1m38.617s 2. Gianni Morbidelli Audi Italia 1m39.024s +0.407s 3. Tonio Liuzzi Ferraris Mercedes 1m39.153s +0.536s 4. Luigi Ferrara Roma Mercedes 1m39.485s +0.868s 5. Thomas Biagi Ferraris Mercedes 1m39.693s +1.076s 6. Max Mugelli Dinamic BMW 1m39.852s +1.235s 7. Renaud Kuppens Giudici BMW 1m40.043s +1.426s 8. Raffaele Giammaria CAAL Mercedes 1m40.486s +1.869s 9. Nicola Larini Petri Porsche 1m40.495s +1.878s 10. Francesco Sini Solaris Chevrolet 1m40.767s +2.150s 11. Giovanni Berton Dinamic BMW 1m40.869s +2.252s 12. Mimmo Schiattarella Solaris Chevrolet 1m41.051s +2.434s 13. Andrea Bacci CAAL Mercedes 1m41.561s +2.944s 14. Mauro Trentin Dinamic BMW 1m41.697s +3.080s 15. Gianni Giudici Giudici BMW 1m42.415s +3.798s 16. Fabrizio Giovanardi Petri Porsche 1m42.585s +3.968s 17. Roberto Benedetti RC Cadillac 1m42.978s +4.361s 18. Marco Cassara Roma Mercedes 1m44.276s +5.659s Practice two: Pos Driver Team/Car Time Gap 1. Tonio Liuzzi Ferraris Mercedes 1m37.736s 2. Laurens Vanthoor Audi Italia 1m38.288s +0.552s 3. Francesco Sini Solaris Chevrolet 1m38.415s +0.679s 4. Raffaele Giammaria CAAL Mercedes 1m38.431s +0.695s 5. Nicola Larini Petri Porsche 1m38.716s +0.980s 6. Renaud Kuppens Giudici BMW 1m38.722s +0.986s 7. Gianni Morbidelli Audi Italia 1m38.788s +1.052s 8. Fabrizio Giovanardi Petri Porsche 1m39.147s +1.411s 9. Max Mugelli Dinamic BMW 1m39.556s +1.820s 10. Andrea Bacci CAAL Mercedes 1m40.138s +2.402s 11. Roberto Benedetti RC Cadillac 1m41.018s +3.282s 12. Giovanni Berton Dinamic BMW 1m41.139s +3.403s 13. Mauro Trentin Dinamic BMW 1m41.901s +4.165s 14. Marco Cassara Roma Mercedes 1m42.118s +4.382s 15. Mimmo Schiattarella Solaris Chevrolet 1m42.324s +4.588s 16. Gianni Giudici Giudici BMW 1m42.392s +4.656s 17. Thomas Biagi Ferraris Mercedes 18. Luigi Ferrara Roma Mercedes
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