Monza 1: Farfus stuns

The Brazilian youngster led home an AutoDelta Squadra Corse 1-2-3 in the nine-lap race after taking the lead on lap five with a robust first-corner move to get past BMW Team Deutschland ace Dirk Muller.

Once Farfus's team-mates Gabriele Tarquini and Fabrizio Giovanardi got past Muller too, the trio of red cars fought among themselves but Farfus put up a superbly entertaining display of defensive driving to keep his more experienced team-mates behind him.

A visibly frustrated Giovanardi clearly felt he was quicker than reigning ETCC champion and poleman Tarquini and got past a couple of times, only for the Italian to draft back past him at the next corner.

The scrap was always close, and the pair made hefty contact mid-race at the Parabolica. The contact left Giovanardi's bodywork rubbing against his right rear tyre but he was able to continue unhindered.

Behind the Alfas, a trio of BMWs also had their own scrap, Dirk Muller coming out on top. Muller and team-mate Jorg Muller got a much better start in their rear-wheel drive 320i machines than the front-wheel drive Alfas at the start and held an early lead.

But, after a two-lap safety car period for Karl Rosenblad and Salvatore Tavano's startline shunt, Jorg allowed Farfus inside him on the first flying lap and then got mobbed by the rest of the Alfa horde.

Towards the end of the race, Jorg had to defend hard from Briton Andy Priaulx, who completed the BMW threesome, finishing in sixth. The BMW Team GB man felt he had the speed to have done better, but the top six finished in close formation.

Dutch BMW 320i racer Tom Coronel was the top independent finisher in seventh, just ahead of the first of the SEAT Toledo Cupras, that of German Frank Diefenbacher.

Former Champ Car champion Alex Zanardi finished ninth in his BMW320i, specially fitted with hand controls, on his return to full-time racing.


Augusto Farfus Jr Alfa Romeo 156 S2000 21m13.214s
Gabriele Tarquini Alfa Romeo 156 S2000 21m13.375s
Fabrizio Giovanardi Alfa Romeo 156 S2000 21m13.511s
Dirk Muller BMW 320i 21m13.897s
Jorg Muller BMW 320i 21m14.334s
Andy Priaulx BMW 320i 21m14.553s