SuperStars Season Review – Part One

In it’s third year running, the SuperStars series got a major boost, when it got the status of an international series, approved by the FIA. This immediately resulted in more TV coverage around Europe, more drivers, more teams and the first race outside italy. With 6 approved car models, the Audi RS4, BMW 550i – M5, Cadillac CTS-V, Jaguar S-type R, Maserati Quattroporte and the Mercedes C55 – 63, the series has a strong basis.

Race 1 – Rookie Balzan wins at Adria

It was a spectacular start for the 2007 Italian Superstars Championship season. Rookie Alessandro Balzan won in the Jaguar S-Type R prepared by Jaguar Dealer Team. Second place went to the other Jaguar Dealer Team’s driver, Max Pigoli, defending his championship victory last year. Third position was for the ex-ski athlete Kristin Ghedina, who was very fast in his first race with the BMW 550i by GLD Racing.

All three Audi RS4s failed to finish. Audi Sport Italia had technical problems and did not even make it to the starting grid. Before the technical problems, Gianni Mobidelli drove the best lap during free practice and Giorgio Sanna obtained 3rd position during qualifying.

At the rolling start Balzan stayed in first position, with Pigoli second and Alessi in third position in his BMW 550i by CAAL Racing. Fourth was Ghedina and than 4 BMW M5s: Battaglin, Benedetti, Petrini and Fortunati. On lap nine Bendetti came back into the pit lane with a technical problem, and Alessi did the same on lap 10 with a mechanical problem on his differential, giving Ghedina third position. During the last lap Pigoli upped the pace and arrived at the finish line close to Balzan, but in second position, with a gap of about two seconds.

Race 2 – Pigoli wins race at Monza

Changing positions, intense duels and suspense until the last curve: the drivers of the SuperStars series put on a real show at Monza. Two challenges in one: the race had double validity, debuting the FIA approved International SuperStars Series and also the SuperStars Italian Championship in their second appointment of the season. The current drivers of the SuperStars took part in both, for the international series the only cars not enrolled were the three RS4 of the Audis from Audi Team Italy, concentrated on the single Italian program with Gianni Morbidelli, Giorgio Sanna and Steven Goldstein.

The double challenge of Monza had only one winner: Max Pigoli with the S-Type R of the Jaguar Dealers Team took the absolute victory, taking the first place of the two classes. Celebrating on the podium with Pigoli and Alexander Battaglin, with a BMW M5 of the Gass Racing Team, and Giuliano Alessi, driving a BMW 550i from Caal Racing.

Race 3 – Double victory for Audi at Magione

The weekend in Umbria of the SuperStars ended just the way it had started: The two official Audi RS4 of Gianni Morbidelli and Giorgio Sanna in front, as they had been in the free tests and qualification. Morbidelli, winner of the “Superpole”, stayed ahead of, after nearly 27 minutes of racing, his Audi Sport Italia colleague Sanna in 2nd position and the first BMW driver Giuliano Alessi.

Max Pigoli, in a Jaguar S-Type R by Jaguar Dealers Team, finished in fifth position to take the first position in the championship standings on 46 points ahead of his team mate Alessandro Balzan (37), fourth today, and Battaglin (28).

Sanna is fourth with 26 points, with Alessi (24) in fifth place and Morbidelli (23) in sixth place. Ahead of the next meeting at Misano on the 15th Pigoli would be going back to having his handicap weight reversed after not being on the podium. Morbidelli will instead have a handicap of 30 kg on his RS4, Sanna of 20 more kilos and Alessi 10 Kg that will add to the 10 that he already had after his third place at Monza.

Race 4 – Morbidelli wins again at Misano

The rebuild Misano Circuit was the fourth station for the competitors.

The starting grid saw three drivers from three different manufactures at the front of the field. At the start, Alessi took the lead from Morbidelli. After some hot laps Morbidelli could pass Alessi again and soon after his teammate Giorgio Sanna also could pass Pigoli in the Jaguar. One lap later Ghedina could also pass Alessi. Soon after that, in lap 6, he spun the car and had to retire.

Adria winner Balzan had also big problems with a broken engine, giving the lead in the championship to Morbidelli, after he won at Misano. Second was BMW driver Kristian Ghedina, in front of his Morbidelli’s teammate Giorgio Sanna and Max Venturi, who had also the chance to drive a new Audi RS4 from Audi Sport Italy.