Alberto Viberti does the double in Imola but Roberto Colciago wraps up the title

BRC Racing Team’s Alberto Viberti converted pole position into his fourth win of the season, and closes the points gap to Honda driver Roberto Colciago, who crossed the line second, three seconds behind, but that was enough for the two-time STCC champion to win the inaugural TCR Italy title.

Viberti made a good start in his SEAT León Cup Racer, but wasn’t as quick as the VFR Racing Honda of Finlay Crocker, who from fourth on the grid was able to run side-by-side with the Italian on the way up to Tamburello.

The Scotsman was on the wrong side for the corner though, and was forced to slot into second behind Viberti’s SEAT, with Roberto Colciago now third from fifth on the grid, with the Krenek SEAT León TCR of Petr Fulín down to fourth after starting on the front row with Viberti.

Colciago then took second from Crocker with a move down the inside at Piratella at the end of the first lap, with Fulín making his moved past Crocker’s Honda on lap two to move into the final podium position.

From then on, the order was static within the top four, with Viberti slowly building up a lead while Colciago, Fulín and Crocker were a safe distance behind, with Crocker just tailing off from the two on the final laps.

Daniele Capellari was battling to keep Samuele Piccin’s SEAT behind for fifth, but ultimately succumbed to pressure, running wide at Rivazza with three laps to go, handing Piccin the position.

The two Alfa Romeos in their own class finished seventh and eighth, with the TCS class runner Luigi Bamonte finishing ninth in his SEAT Ibiza ST, followed by Francesco Neri’s Citroën C3.

The TCR Italy championship heads to its season finale on October 30th at Monza.