Imola Superstars: Gianni Morbidelli's Audi dominates wet race two
Gianni Morbidelli will take a 33-point lead into the Superstars International Series season finale at Vallelunga next month after winning the second race at Imola
With heavy rain falling throughout the day, Morbidelli and his four-wheel-drive Audi Sport Italia RS5 were always going to be tough to beat.
Even starting sixth on the grid did little to slow him down, Morbidelli taking less than three laps to charge into a lead that he would not relinquish.
Morbidelli's title rival Thomas Biagi has a significantly less productive afternoon.
The Romeo Ferraris Mercedes driver was forced to start 12th after spinning out of the morning's first race, and struggled to make an impact. He wound up seventh, having survived a mid-race off, leaving him 33 points behind Morbidelli.
It is the first time Biagi has not led the points since the second round at Brno back in May.
Biagi's team-mate and race one winner Tonio Liuzzi made a better fist of things, charging through the field at about the same pace as Morbidelli to find himself second after a handful of laps.
But once the pair were out front Liuzzi was powerless to stop Morbidelli pulling away, the final margin standing at 14.8 seconds.
Behind the front two, Francesco Sini and Davide di Benedetto staged a close fight for third.
In the end it was the experienced Sini's Solaris Chevrolet that took the place, despite a strong challenge from debutant di Benedetto and his four-wheel-drive Audi.
Another Superstars debutant Giuseppe Cipriani made it three Audis in the top five with fifth, a huge improvement after he qualified just 12th in the dry on Saturday evening.
Results - 13 laps: Pos Driver Team/Car Time/Gap 1. Gianni Morbidelli Audi Italia 28m21.603s 2. Tonio Liuzzi Ferraris Mercedes +15.518s 3. Francesco Sini Solaris Chevrolet +21.793s 4. Davide di Benedetto Audi Italia +22.468s 5. Giuseppe Cipriani Audi Italia +23.352s 6. Giovanni Berton Dinamic BMW +28.185s 7. Thomas Biagi Ferraris Mercedes +38.674s 8. Andrea Bacci CAAL Mercedes +1m05.460s 9. Max Mugelli Dinamic BMW +1m05.866s 10. Camilo Zurcher Todi BMW +1m17.689s 11. Gianni Giudici Giudici BMW +1m34.727s 12. Mauro Trentin Dinamic BMW +1m35.985s 13. Leonardo Baccarelli CAAL Mercedes +1m42.759s Retirements: Alessandro Battaglin MRT Chrysler 9 laps
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