Photo: TCR Series

Stefano Comini takes second win of the season at Monza

Comtoyou Racing’s Stefano Comini took a hard-fought victory in Race 2 of the TCR International Series at Monza today, after a close battle with yesterday’s winner, M1RA driver Roberto Colciago.

James Nash got ahead of fellow Craft-Bamboo driver and pole-sitter Hugo Valente at the start, followed by Stefano Comini. The Frenchman and Team WRT’s Jean-Karl Vernay entered the first chicane side-by-side, colliding and with the SEAT of Valente ending up in the gravel trap.

Stefano Comini made his superior speed count, overtaking Nash on the outside of Curva Grande to take the lead. Craft-Bamboo driver Oriola was chasing Vernay, taking the slipstream of the Volkswagen but unable to make a move at Turn 1.

Hugo Valente limped back to the pits to retire, with the stewards investigating the incident, with Vernay and also the Valente also being looked at for exceeding track limits. GE-Force Alfa driver Dusan Borkovic also retired after a collision in the first chicane.

The fight continued at the front, with Nash, Vernay and Oriola joined by Mat’o Homola’s Opel Astra, who was attacking the Spaniard under braking. Roberto Colciago in fifth and the second Audi of Frédéric Vervisch arrived side-by-side at the first chicane on lap four, colliding and taking the escape route. The Belgian returned the position to the Italian, but both overtook Homola, not giving the position back.

By the end of lap four, James Nash was catching Stefano Comini, having taken half a second in just one lap. Roberto Colciago was also attacking Oriola at the first chicane, with the Spaniard prevailing. The pack was a long queue by the end of lap five, with Colciago passing down the inside of Oriola at Parabolica to take fourth position.

No concessions were made at the front, with Colciago overtaking Vernay at the Lesmo to take third position, and Vervisch also taking fifth from Oriola. The Belgian attacked Vernay at the first chicane, with both going side-by-side and the Audi getting ahead at Curva Grande.

Roberto Colciago reached James Nash’s rear bumper, with the Italian making a move at Ascari, and was second by the end of lap seven.

Vernay got a warning for driving standards after several investigations by the stewards, while Colciago was on fire and attacking Comini for the lead, with James Nash in third and Frédéric Vervisch fourth. Yellow flags at Turn 1 tidied the pack, but hostilities started again at Roggia, with Nash in contact the leading duo.

Colciago took the slipstream of Comini at the main straight, with both arriving side-by-side at the first chicane and colliding. The Italian managed to get ahead, with Nash losing third position to Vervisch’s Audi. The Honda driver, however, gave the position back to Comini to avoid an investigation by the stewards, with Comini starting the last lap in the lead.

At Turn 1, Jean-Karl Vernay was pushed by Mat’o Homola, cutting the chicane and contacting the leaders. The Frenchman slotted back to fifth, with the battle for the lead coming down to the last attempt at Parabolica. Stefano Comini managed to prevail, winning the race with Roberto Colciago stuck to his rear bumper.

Frédéric Vervisch took the last podium spot, with James Nash in fourth. Jean-Karl Vernay was fifth, with Mat’o Homola following suit. Davit Kajaia took the only surviving Alfa Romeo to seventh place, ahead of Pepe Oriola’s SEAT. M1RA’s Attila Tassi was ninth, with fellow Hungarian Ferenc Ficza taking the final point in Zele Racing’s SEAT.

The next round of the TCR International Series takes place at Salzburgring from the 9th to the 11th of June.