Photo: ACI Sport

Aku Pellinen takes Monza win as Enrico Bettera gets penalty

Aku Pellinen won the first TCR Italy race of the day at Monza. The MM Motorsport Honda driver had crossed the line second, but an attack on the last lap from rival Enrico Bettera in the SEAT was deemed to be unfair by the stewards, who relegated the Italian back to second. Luigi Ferrara took the last podium spot in the Subaru WRX STI, despite starting from the back of the grid.

Ferrara was the one to watch from the start, with the Italian immediately started making up places through the TCS and TCT cars, quickly getting up to third by the end of the second lap. The battle for fourth raged on through the final part of the race, with Daniele Cappellari overtaking TCT Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio driver Andrea Mosca for fifth outright and started chasing BF Racing’s Samuele Piccin.

An entertaining fight resulted in Cappellari attacking at Roggia, with Piccin electing to cut the chicane in defence. His actions resulted in a five-second penalty, which meant Cappellari was up to fourth.

When the race seemed to be over, Bettera, who had been close to Pellinen for the entire race, decided to try an attack at the first corner on the last lap. Both drivers failed to make the corner, but the SEAT driver emerged first. At the following corner, the Variante Roggia, Bettera once again cut the chicane. This resulted in the stewards handing him a five-second penalty, which demoted him back to second, and handed Pellinen his maiden TCR Italy win.

Luigi Ferrara was a distant third, ahead of Cappellari, Piccin and Andrea Bacci, who won the TCT class ahead of team-mate Mosca. Luigi Bamonte came eighth in his SEAT, ahead of TCS winner Andrea Bassi and Sandro Pelatti. Roberto Colciago had initially led the class, but the AGS/JAS driver had electronics gremlins, just as yesterday, which forced him to retire in his TCS Honda Civic Type-R.

The final race of the year will take place at 14:30 CET.