Matteo Malucelli breaks SuperStars duck

Matteo Malucelli took his first ever SuperStars victory, heading home the Mercedes of Championship leader Max Pigoli and Luigi Ferrara. In only his second ever SuperStars start, Malucelli added a victory to his podium in race one at Vallelunga, in the process taking the first victory of the season for the Chevrolet Lumina CR8 for his Motorzone team.

Stefano Gabellini led early on from Pigoli and Ferrara, though Malucelli overhauled the two Mercedes drivers to close in on Gabellini’s BMW. The Forli youngster reeled in Gabellini on the final lap, passing the BMW as it slid wide on oil, eventually crossing the line on the grass down in fifth place, as Malucelli took his maiden win.

Behind Pigoli just held off the charging Ferrara, with Biagi one place further back leading home a train of five BMWs.

Pigoli’s second place finish helps him stretch his Championship lead over Biagi back out to six points, with Ferrara a further seven behind on 70 points, completing a trio of drivers almost 30 points clear of the field.

Race one winner, Gianni Morbidelli’s race ended in retirement after three laps, and the reigning SuperStars champion now sits fourth in the standings on 43 points, with Malucelli fifth.

Next up is SuperStars first trip of the season outside of Italian borders, as the series travels to Portimao in Portugal towards the end of May.